Excellent4.8 out of 5On Trustpilot
  1. Theology Books/
  2. Liberation Theology

The Laughter of the Oppressed

Ethical and Theological Resistance in Wiesel, Morrison, and Endo

by Dr. Jacqueline A. Bussie

  • Hardback
  • 256 pages
  • Publisher: Continuum
  • 15.3 x 22.9 x 1.5 cm

£115.95

Save 11% | Free UK Delivery

Available - Usually dispatched within 4 days

Buying for a school or church? Upgrade to a FREE Eden Advance Account

Free delivery on orders over £10

Jacqueline Bussie's book tackles the following unanswered questions: What is the theological and ethical significance of the laughter of the oppressed? And what does it mean to laugh at the horrible-to laugh while one suffers? The majority of ethical philosophical theory and western theology (e.g. Augustine, St. John Chrysostom, Oecolampadius, Reinhold Niebuhr) maintains that laughter is nihilistic and irresponsible, especially if occurring within tragic circumstance. However, she argues that the dominant social location of these theologians and theorists has led to a gap in inquiry, to a failure to consider laughter "from below." For Judeo-Christian theology, "The Laughter of the Oppressed" explores uncharted terrain. This book broadens the theological lens to examine the multicultural, modern historical fiction of Elie Wiesel, Toni Morrison, and Shusaku Endo as case studies. In these authors' well-respected texts, "Gates of the Forest", "Beloved", and "Silence", we discover the laughter of the Jews during the Holocaust, the laughter of African Americans both slave and free, and the laughter of the persecuted religious minority of Japanese Christians.These texts, in dialogue with voices from within and beyond their traditions, help us construct a theology of laughter. Bussie's book concludes that laughter functions as invaluable ethical and theological mode of resistance in the face of radically negating oppression that has ruptured both language and traditional belief. "The Laughter of the Oppressed" not only interrupts the banality of evil and the dualism of faith and doubt, but also deconstructs the dominant consciousness. Such laughter challenges theology to rearticulate the relationships between God and evil, theology and theodicy, theology and language, paradox and faith, tragedy and hope, and oppression and resistance.
The Laughter of the Oppressed and Christianity & Liberalism
Christianity & LiberalismThe Laughter of the Oppressed

  • Author

    Dr. Jacqueline A. Bussie

  • Book Format

    Hardback

  • Publisher

    Continuum

  • Published

    December 2007

  • Weight

    445g

  • Page Count

    256

  • Dimensions

    15.3 x 22.9 x 1.5 cm

  • ISBN

    9780567026774

  • ISBN-10

    0567026779

  • Eden Code

    1152024

Over 14,000 churches and schools have upgraded to an Advance Account and we‘d love to welcome you into this free program. We know that church volunteers and school teachers often use their own money, then have claim it back on on an expense form. We can take all of that hassle away by invoicing your church or school directly and delivering your order straight away.

Opening an account is quick and easy, with most accounts being approved and setup within a few hours of filling in the form below (on weekdays, not weekends). As soon as we‘ve approved the application we‘ll send you an email to let you know that its done.

Upgrade to a FREE Eden Advance Account
Write a review
      Ask a question