Space For God

Laughing With God: A Theology of Humour?

Posted: 21/01/2009

 

For many, the relationship between faith and humour is a contradiction in terms. Theology is concerned with the very serious business of God and faith. It is concerned with sin, salvation, revelation and other existential problems. What foundation is there for a theology of humour?

 

Firstly, there is the biblical text. The book of Jonah, for example, reads a lot like a script for an ancient episode of Fawlty Towers. Jonah, the recipient of Divine practical jokes, must feel a lot like Basil Fawlty, for whom the running of a Hotel is anything but smooth sailing. Unfortunately, scholars have focused on the ‘main point’ of the narrative, which is the triumph of God’s grace. Yet despite this we cannot escape the simple fact that Jonah is slapstick humour at its best. Aside from narrative example there is embedded in the Hebrew text a myriad of word play, black humour and irony. A fascinating article by J.S. Kaminsky draws attention to the presence of humour throughout the Isaac narratives, humour that is an essential feature of a 'theology of hope.' (Interpretation, Oct 2000) In such examples, humour functions not only as an entertaining literary tool but as a vital theological reality. To live in eschatological hope is to live in humour as it makes it’s wry and comical observations of the present context.   

Second, the study of Theology is itself is also laced with irony and humour. Ben Myers (the newly appointed lecturer in Systematic Theology at UTC) has suggested that Theology is 'venturing to say something about God.' If Myer's is correct in this summary (as I believe he is) then we are faced with a reflective environment ripe for expressions of humour as well as seriousness. The key thing here is that theology tentatively ventures to say something of the nature of God. It does not, of course, infallibly define our God-talk for all time. This would be contrary to its nature. Instead of static seriousness, theological reflection, being aware of its limitations, should rejoice in the ambiguity and inherent irony of its own position in the overall scheme of things. Karl Barth (amongst others) was aware of this. Despite many impressions of Barth as a stern, humourless Dogmatician, he was in fact starkly aware of the ultimate irony of the theological venture. Toward the end of his life Barth quipped that he and his epic Church Dogmatics (13 mighty volumes) are likely to be greeted with hearty smiles from the angels upon his entry into heaven. Well done Karl, they might say. You gave it your best shot! 

Given the Biblical and Theological basis for humour, why have theologians so often overlooked the role of humour in the life of faith? There are a number of responses to this. Firstly, and most ironically, the high and reverent view of scripture held by many can, in certain cases, lead to an inability to see the text for what it really is. Because everything within the Bible must pertain to some higher 'revelation' or meta-narrative, it can be difficult to accept that a text may simply be humorous and little else. Beyond this, the tendency of many to read the Old Testament purely in light of the New means that one can easily skim over what does not appear congruous with the Gospels.  It would also be amiss if I did not mention the role of religious art. Aside from some rare exceptions, traditional European religious art has tended to depict Biblical themes in ways that are sombre, pious and transcendent. This is fine, but we must also acknowledge that this legacy has had a very real effect on the way people understand their faith. Nowhere is this more obvious than in the many artistic depictions of Jesus as stern, meek and all-so-serious all of the time.   

When Theology becomes more aware of the motif of humour in the Bible and the role of irony in its subsequent reflection it will be far less prone to aloof irrelevance and painful indulgence. It will instead treat Theology as a fun and creative attempt to speak of God in ways that we can understand.   To conclude, I would like to provide a couple of quotes from various thinkers who (I believe) understand the relationship between theology and humour:

'Medicine makes people ill, mathematics makes them sad, and theology makes them sinful.' (Martin Luther)  

'What a theologian feels as true, must be false: one has therein almost a criterion of truth.' (Frederich Nietzsche) 

'God is a comedian playing to an audience too afraid to laugh.' (Voltaire)

 

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