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For Christians with a sense of humour
This theological look at jokes and Christianity delivers on wit and wisdom
You'll discover how human nature and faith can work through humour
If you don't believe God has a sense of humor, just look in the mirror. Humor is a truly human phenomenon—crossing history, culture, and every stage of life. Jokes often touch on the biggest topics of our existence. And although it may seem simple on the surface, humor depends on the use of our highest faculties: language, intelligence, sympathy, sociability.
To the philosopher Steve Wilkens, these facts about humor are evidence that God just has to be in there somewhere. Yet many Christians, scholars and laypeople alike, haven't taken humor seriously. In What's So Funny About God? Wilkens launches an exploration of the connections between humor and many of the central topics of Christian theology. He argues that viewing Scripture and theology through the lens of humor brings fresh insight to our understanding of the gospel, helps us avoid the pitfalls of both naturalism and gnosticism, and facilitates a humble, honest, and appealing approach to faith.
Wilkens turns this lens on the paradoxes of human nature, the Christian calendar, church life, and new readings of well-known biblical texts, including the book of Esther, the nativity narratives, and Jesus' own teachings. Taking into account the problems of suffering and the need for timely lament, he portrays the Christian story as one that ultimately ends in cosmic comedy. Full of wit and thoughtful jokes throughout, it's enough fun that you may not realize you're reading theology.
Acknowledgments
Introduction: Professional Courtesy
1. God Has to Be in There Somewhere
2. You May Not Have a Sense of Humor, but You Are Funny
3. High Holy Days, Part One: Christmas
4. High Holy Days, Part Two: Easter
Interlude One: Sarah Laughed Twice
5. Seeing God on Tuesday, or Any Other Day That Ends in “Y”: Extraordinary Ordinary Time
6. Going to Church with Bacon-Eaters, Dead People, and Superheroes
Interlude Two: Esther as Comedy
7. Does This Eschatology Make My End Look Big?
Epilogue: Laughing with God During Earthquakes
Scripture Index
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Upgrade to a FREE Eden Advance AccountAuthor
Steve Wilkens
Book Format
Paperback
Publisher
Intervarsity Press (IVP Academic)
Published
December 2019
Weight
296g
Page Count
200
Dimensions
15.3 x 22.7 x 1.6 cm
ISBN
9780830852673
ISBN-10
0830852670
Eden Code
5071748
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