Humour and Religion: Challenges and Ambiguities

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Humour and Religion highlights the importance and functioning of humour in different world religions. Exploring the major religious cultures, the book looks at more constructive aspects to the relation between humour and religion, with humour seen as a pathway to spiritual wisdom. Exploring how religions contain (implicit) references to the finitude and relativity of the human condition, and why humour and spirituality fit well together, contributors discuss what the meaning of humour in different religions is - Did it evolve historically How does it function How is humour related to the realization of spiritual goals Looking at religions from an external perspective, the contributors then analyze the way religion interacts with humour in society. How does a religion respond to sarcasm and irony Are there limits to mockery and making fun of believers Does humour have a pacifying effect when societal tensions run high or does it intensify the sensitivities This volume will provide essays of value to scholars in the various religions and literatures covered.

Reviews

There are... some excellent contributions such as Koenraad Elst's "Humour in Hinduism" which is rich in empirical detail and includes a discussion of the mockery of and satires on Hinduism and of Sikhs and Brahmins. -- Journal of Contemporary Religion, Vol. 27, No. 1
A welcome gift to philosophers, theologians and religious scientists alike. -- Lieven Boeve, The Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium.
Religion has many a times been perceived as a somber affair. Many traditions advocate donning a serious face during religious observances. What is the relation between humour and religion This book makes an attempt to answer this question through a careful study of various religious traditions like Judaism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, and even some religious literature and plays. This anthology is divided into two parts: religious laughter and laughing at religion. Caricature of religion through cartoons and the consequent politics is also examined through an analysis of Greek history. That guilelessness and simplicity are core spiritual values and spirituality has a close connection with humour is well established through this work. * Prabuddha Bharata *

Author Bio

Hans Geybels is Associate Professor at the Department of Pastoral Theology in the Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium. Walter Van Herck is Associate Professor of Philosophy of Religion at the University of Antwerp, Belgium.