Home Literary Studies 32 Humor in Religious Contexts: An Overview
Chapter
Licensed
Unlicensed Requires Authentication

32 Humor in Religious Contexts: An Overview

  • Bernard Schweizer
Become an author with De Gruyter Brill
Explore this Subject How to publish with us
De Gruyter Handbook of Humor Studies
This chapter is in the book De Gruyter Handbook of Humor Studies

Abstract

Delving into the multiple and fraught connections between religious formations and aspects of humor, this chapter counters the notion that religion is inherently inimical to humor or that there is a predictable attitude vis-à-vis humor that believers of different religions share. The discussion moves away from such prescriptive essentialisms to advocate for a more granular, particularistic view, arguing that both synchronic and diachronic factors drive the specific manifestations of humorous expressions in various religious contexts. The most that can be said by way of generalization is that humor, as a boundary-challenging phenomenon, is attracted to rule-bound manifestations of religion and that, conversely, religious authorities tend to be wary of the subversive effects of irreverent humor. The chapter illustrates this dialectic with reference to humor in the context of Christianity, Judaism, Islam, and Buddhism.

Abstract

Delving into the multiple and fraught connections between religious formations and aspects of humor, this chapter counters the notion that religion is inherently inimical to humor or that there is a predictable attitude vis-à-vis humor that believers of different religions share. The discussion moves away from such prescriptive essentialisms to advocate for a more granular, particularistic view, arguing that both synchronic and diachronic factors drive the specific manifestations of humorous expressions in various religious contexts. The most that can be said by way of generalization is that humor, as a boundary-challenging phenomenon, is attracted to rule-bound manifestations of religion and that, conversely, religious authorities tend to be wary of the subversive effects of irreverent humor. The chapter illustrates this dialectic with reference to humor in the context of Christianity, Judaism, Islam, and Buddhism.

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter I
  2. Contents V
  3. Preface 1
  4. Part 1: Essence of Humor: What Makes Something Funny?
  5. Section 1: Psychological Processes: Why Do People Find Things Humorous?
  6. 1 Psychological Approaches to Humor: The Interaction of Cognition and Motivation 15
  7. 2 Personality Approaches: Beyond the ‘Sense of Humor’ 31
  8. 3 Evolutionary Approaches to Humor: Critical Review and New Advances 49
  9. 4 The Neuroscience of Humor 65
  10. Section 2: Text Properties: What Makes a Text Humorous?
  11. 5 Computational Humor Models and Applications 87
  12. 6 The Role of Incongruity in Humorous Texts 105
  13. 7 Cognitive Approaches to Humor: Linguistic, Developmental, and Affective Science Considerations 125
  14. 8 Humor and Figurative Language 145
  15. Section 3: Broader Social Context: How is Humor Shaped by Social Relations and Culture?
  16. 9 Failed Humor 165
  17. 10 Humor and Culture 181
  18. 11 Humor and Translation: Cultural Implications 201
  19. 12 Cultural Analysis of Racial and Ethnic Humor 221
  20. Part 2: The Functions of Humor: How Do People Experience, Perform and Share Humor?
  21. Section 1: Psychological Processes: What Functions Does Humor Serve for the Individual?
  22. 13 Effect of Humor on Cognition 243
  23. 14 Humor Appreciation Across the Lifespan 257
  24. 15 Humor, Health, and Well-Being: Is Humor Really Good for Us? 271
  25. Section 2: Text Properties: What Contextual Factors Affect Humor Perception?
  26. 16 The Sociopragmatics of Humor 289
  27. 17 Conversational Humour 307
  28. 18 Satire and Parody 327
  29. 19 New Forms and Genres of Humor in Social Media 345
  30. Section 3: Broader Social Context: How Does Humor Function in Social Relations and Culture?
  31. 20 Humor as a Double-Edged Sword: Uniting and Dividing in Social Interaction 365
  32. 21 The Role of Humor in Initiating Romantic Relationships 379
  33. 22 Gender and Humor: The New State of the Art 395
  34. 23 Ethnic Humor Across Cultures: Prevalence and Appeal 413
  35. 24 Disparagement Humor and Subversion 431
  36. 25 Humor in Media and Popular Culture 449
  37. 26 Political Humor 467
  38. 27 Culture and Comedy: Stand-up across Cultures 479
  39. 28 The Art and Efficacy of Clowning 495
  40. 29 The Dark Side of Stand-Up Comedy 509
  41. 30 Play or Power: The Social Significance of the Practical Joke 523
  42. 31 The Ethics of Humor and Comedy 539
  43. 32 Humor in Religious Contexts: An Overview 557
  44. 33 Humorless or Humor-Friendly Religion? Psychological Theory and Research 575
  45. Postscript: Humor: Universality, Genealogy, and Concept Formation 595
  46. Contributors 605
  47. Index 617
https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110755770-033

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter I
  2. Contents V
  3. Preface 1
  4. Part 1: Essence of Humor: What Makes Something Funny?
  5. Section 1: Psychological Processes: Why Do People Find Things Humorous?
  6. 1 Psychological Approaches to Humor: The Interaction of Cognition and Motivation 15
  7. 2 Personality Approaches: Beyond the ‘Sense of Humor’ 31
  8. 3 Evolutionary Approaches to Humor: Critical Review and New Advances 49
  9. 4 The Neuroscience of Humor 65
  10. Section 2: Text Properties: What Makes a Text Humorous?
  11. 5 Computational Humor Models and Applications 87
  12. 6 The Role of Incongruity in Humorous Texts 105
  13. 7 Cognitive Approaches to Humor: Linguistic, Developmental, and Affective Science Considerations 125
  14. 8 Humor and Figurative Language 145
  15. Section 3: Broader Social Context: How is Humor Shaped by Social Relations and Culture?
  16. 9 Failed Humor 165
  17. 10 Humor and Culture 181
  18. 11 Humor and Translation: Cultural Implications 201
  19. 12 Cultural Analysis of Racial and Ethnic Humor 221
  20. Part 2: The Functions of Humor: How Do People Experience, Perform and Share Humor?
  21. Section 1: Psychological Processes: What Functions Does Humor Serve for the Individual?
  22. 13 Effect of Humor on Cognition 243
  23. 14 Humor Appreciation Across the Lifespan 257
  24. 15 Humor, Health, and Well-Being: Is Humor Really Good for Us? 271
  25. Section 2: Text Properties: What Contextual Factors Affect Humor Perception?
  26. 16 The Sociopragmatics of Humor 289
  27. 17 Conversational Humour 307
  28. 18 Satire and Parody 327
  29. 19 New Forms and Genres of Humor in Social Media 345
  30. Section 3: Broader Social Context: How Does Humor Function in Social Relations and Culture?
  31. 20 Humor as a Double-Edged Sword: Uniting and Dividing in Social Interaction 365
  32. 21 The Role of Humor in Initiating Romantic Relationships 379
  33. 22 Gender and Humor: The New State of the Art 395
  34. 23 Ethnic Humor Across Cultures: Prevalence and Appeal 413
  35. 24 Disparagement Humor and Subversion 431
  36. 25 Humor in Media and Popular Culture 449
  37. 26 Political Humor 467
  38. 27 Culture and Comedy: Stand-up across Cultures 479
  39. 28 The Art and Efficacy of Clowning 495
  40. 29 The Dark Side of Stand-Up Comedy 509
  41. 30 Play or Power: The Social Significance of the Practical Joke 523
  42. 31 The Ethics of Humor and Comedy 539
  43. 32 Humor in Religious Contexts: An Overview 557
  44. 33 Humorless or Humor-Friendly Religion? Psychological Theory and Research 575
  45. Postscript: Humor: Universality, Genealogy, and Concept Formation 595
  46. Contributors 605
  47. Index 617
Sign up now to receive a 20% welcome discount
Institutional Access
How does access work?
Have an idea on how to improve our website?
Please write us.
© 2025 De Gruyter Brill
Downloaded on 27.9.2025 from https://www.degruyterbrill.com/document/doi/10.1515/9783110755770-033/html
Scroll to top button