A Time to Laugh: The Religion of Humor (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9780826418579)

Religion is impoverished when it fails to reveal and develop the humerous aspect of itself. Humor is a part of the tough tissue of religion that binds our hearts together in love, worship, or fellowship/community. Often, however, humor is negatively affected by religion, or religious people are allergic to humor.

Capps, who is dean of studies in religion and psychology in the United States, tries in this book to show the ways in which humor can be recovered for religion. He argues that religion is diminished when it fails to understand and embrace its own historical connection - much of it dating to biblical days - to humor itself. His chapters deal with topics ranging from humor as an expression of intimacy to humor as the maintenance of the soul.

"This is an exceptionally good-natured book, likely to persuade you that religion and humor have more affinity for one another than you'd imagined. The author's affable style carries a formidable learning which is never intrusive." Ted Cohen, Professor of Philosophy, University of Chicago, and author of Jokes: Philosophical Thoughts on Joking Matters

Author: Donald Capps
ISBN-10: 0826418570
ISBN-13: 9780826418579
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Language: English
Published: 03/17/2006
Pages: 208
Format: Paperback
Weight: 0.57lbs
Size: 8.50h x 7.04w x 0.49d

Review Citation(s):
Reference and Research Bk News 08/01/2006 pg. 16
Choice 11/01/2006 pg. 563