552028382
03
01
01
JB
John Benjamins Publishing Company
01
JB code
THR 10 Eb
15
9789027257468
06
10.1075/thr.10
13
2022026494
DG
002
02
01
THR
02
2212-8999
Topics in Humor Research
10
01
Humour in the Beginning
Religion, humour and laughter in formative stages of Christianity, Islam, Buddhism and Judaism
01
thr.10
01
https://benjamins.com
02
https://benjamins.com/catalog/thr.10
1
B01
Roald Dijkstra
Dijkstra, Roald
Roald
Dijkstra
KU Leuven
2
B01
Paul van der Velde
Velde, Paul van der
Paul
van der
Velde
Radboud University
01
eng
318
xii
306
REL051000
v.2006
HRAB
2
24
JB Subject Scheme
LIN.HUMOR
Humor studies
06
01
<i>Humour in the Beginning</i> presents a multidisciplinary collection of fourteen in-depth case-studies on the role of humour – both benign and blasphemous, elitist and ordinary, orthodox and heterodox – in early, formative stages of Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism and (late-antique) Judaism. Its coherence is strengthened by four preceding theoretical essays, many cross-references and a conclusion. Thus, the volume allows for a methodologically sound comparison and explanation of historical views on humour in the world’s most important religions. At first sight, the foundational period of religions do not seem to offer much opportunities for humour. A closer look on primary sources, however, reveals the ways in which people formulated answers to existing ideas on humour and laughter, in moments of religious renewal. Main topics include the incongruous nature of the divine, the role of anthropomorphism, superior and didactic humour, moderate laughter, responses from dissenters and the gap between religious regulations and reality.
04
09
01
https://benjamins.com/covers/475/thr.10.png
04
03
01
https://benjamins.com/covers/475_jpg/9789027211538.jpg
04
03
01
https://benjamins.com/covers/475_tif/9789027211538.tif
06
09
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https://benjamins.com/covers/1200_front/thr.10.hb.png
07
09
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https://benjamins.com/covers/125/thr.10.png
25
09
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https://benjamins.com/covers/1200_back/thr.10.hb.png
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09
01
https://benjamins.com/covers/3d_web/thr.10.hb.png
10
01
JB code
thr.10.pre
vii
viii
2
Miscellaneous
1
01
Preface
10
01
JB code
thr.10.authors
ix
xii
4
Miscellaneous
2
01
About the contributors
10
01
JB code
thr.10.p1
4
30
27
Section header
3
01
Part I. Humour as tool and topic (essays)
10
01
JB code
thr.10.01kui
4
10
7
Chapter
4
01
Humour, risk and religion
1
A01
Giselinde Kuipers
Kuipers, Giselinde
Giselinde
Kuipers
10
01
JB code
thr.10.02sch
12
16
5
Chapter
5
01
Religion and humour
The big picture
1
A01
Bernard Schweizer
Schweizer, Bernard
Bernard
Schweizer
10
01
JB code
thr.10.03kui
18
22
5
Chapter
6
01
The unquenchable laughter of the gods
The
unquenchable laughter of the gods
1
A01
Inger Kuin
Kuin, Inger
Inger
Kuin
10
01
JB code
thr.10.04ami
24
30
7
Chapter
7
01
Is the application of modern humour theories on historical cases a joke?
1
A01
Yasmin Amin
Amin, Yasmin
Yasmin
Amin
10
01
JB code
thr.10.p2
34
142
109
Section header
8
01
Part II. Christianity and Judaism in Late Antiquity
10
01
JB code
thr.10.05sel
34
46
13
Chapter
9
01
Derisive laughter and religious identity in ancient Christianity
1
A01
Anne Ingvild Sælid Gilhus
Sælid Gilhus, Anne Ingvild
Anne Ingvild
Sælid Gilhus
20
derisive laughter
20
exegesis
20
mockery
20
monasticism
20
Nag Hammadi texts
01
Polemic and mockery were part of Christian identity-making, especially in apologies and heresiologies, where boundaries were created against pagans and other Christians. In this paper, the focus is on the use of derisive laughter in the Nag Hammadi texts. This chapter presents a survey of four variants of the laughter-motif, discusses them and investigates what they have to say about Christian monastic identity in the fourth to fifth century in Upper Egypt. It appears that the motif works as a powerful rhetorical instrument and pedagogical tool. It contributed to guide the readers in the right direction – towards spirituality and superior knowledge, but it was not necessarily intended to make them laugh out loud.
10
01
JB code
thr.10.06gra
48
62
15
Chapter
10
01
Opponent or advocate?
Exploring Clement of Alexandria’s attitude(s) towards laughter
1
A01
Nicole Graham
Graham, Nicole
Nicole
Graham
20
Christianity
20
Clement of Alexandria
20
Greek philosophy
20
laughter
20
patristics
20
pedagogy
20
the body
01
This chapter explores one of the earliest Christian commentators on laughter, Clement of Alexandria. It argues that his views on laughter were more nuanced than the fervent opposition with which he is often characterised and that, at times, he advocates for laughter. With particular reference to ‘On laughter’ in his Paedagogus, this chapter will demonstrate how Clement was influenced by Greek philosophy, Scripture, and the Hellenistic society within which he lived when forming his ambiguous views on laughter. Indeed, by exploring laughter in various forms, e.g. drunken laughter, erotic laughter, comic laughter, and pedagogical laughter, it will become clear that Clement’s beliefs about laughter vary depending on the context, the intention, and the consequences of the laughter.
10
01
JB code
thr.10.07ber
64
80
17
Chapter
11
01
“This joke has gone on for long enough”
Humour, derision, and allusion in the letters of Gregory of Nazianzus
1
A01
Floris Bernard
Bernard, Floris
Floris
Bernard
20
allusion
20
Christianity
20
epistolography
20
Gregory of Nazianzus
20
Late Antiquity
01
Gregory of Nazianzus is one of the foundational theologians of Eastern Christianity, greatly contributing to the development of an authoritative body of texts that is generally averse to humour. Due to this, he is generally not read with humoristic interests in mind. Yet, his letters are a genre that is more than others entrenched in the social realities of his time. In these letters, Gregory uses witticisms and playful derision as a means to forge a bond of exclusivity with his epistolary friends. Frequently, these witticisms hinge on intertextual allusions. In these allusions, Gregory plays a game that is based on erudition in both the (pagan) classics and the bible, thus constructing a kind of witty sophisticated discourse that is undeniably Christian, and at the same time meets all the standards of elitist classical paideia.
10
01
JB code
thr.10.08lan
82
92
11
Chapter
12
01
The smile of the martyr
The
smile of the martyr
1
A01
Pierluigi Lanfranchi
Lanfranchi, Pierluigi
Pierluigi
Lanfranchi
20
Early Christianity
20
laughter
20
martyr acts and passions
20
martyrdom
20
rabbi Akiva
20
smile
20
violence
01
A martyr smiling while interrogated or tortured is a topos of Early Christian martyrological literature. It is also present in stories on Jewish martyrs in the rabbinic literature. Authors of Acta and Passiones often oppose the laughter of the pagan crowd to the smile of the Christian martyr. The Greek word μειδιᾶν (‘to smile’) and γελᾶν (‘to laugh’) suppose different emotional attitudes as well as different facial expressions. This article aims to show how Christian authors use this opposition and propose the martyr’s smile as the final strategy of resistance against violence and as an ideal paradigm of Christian behaviour.
10
01
JB code
thr.10.09kip
94
106
13
Chapter
13
01
Divine mockery and laughing Rabbis
1
A01
Reuven Kiperwasser
Kiperwasser, Reuven
Reuven
Kiperwasser
20
Arameans
20
Assyria
20
Babylonian Talmud
20
beard
20
hair
20
masculinity
20
mockery
20
narrative
20
rabbis
20
Sennacherib
20
theology
01
My paper is dedicated to the role of humour in expressing theological ideas in the Babylonian Talmud. As an example, I analyse the narrative with a strong theological focus. In stories of this kind the acting characters are God and the Other involved in an ongoing collision. God plays the role of a scoffer, exposing the Other as an object of derision. The real objects of the mockery are theological views that the narrator would not like to have in his own environment: therefore, he projects them on the Other. Analysing appearances of mockery through theological debates I will show that ridicule here does not demonize the Other or minimize his importance nor does it pursue the goal of alienating him. As a rule, the laughter opens a moment of potential rupture in the continuity of interactions and produces some re-organization in order to steer the interaction once more towards continuity rather than towards chaotic turbulence. With the paradox, it is thoughtfully tried to subject the system of coexistence with the Other to the shock caused by the usage of the weapon of laughter; however, after the laughing situation, the previously inhabited borders are sought again in order to ensure the continuity of an updated order.
10
01
JB code
thr.10.10dij
108
126
19
Chapter
14
01
Converting comedians
Humour and laughter as a way to interpret the early Christian mime reports
1
A01
Roald Dijkstra
Dijkstra, Roald
Roald
Dijkstra
20
actors
20
anti-gelasticism
20
conversion
20
early Christian comedy
20
late antique theatre
20
laughter versus joy
20
mimes
20
mimesis
01
The early Christian aversion for the comic and for theatre has been much discussed. The ongoing large popularity of the theatre, predominantly comical in nature, long after the establishment of Christianity as the leading religion of the Roman empire, tells a different story. Theatre and Christianity meet in a remarkable way in reports of mimes that were originally meant to mock the Christian faith. Suddenly, the protagonist converted on stage, and died as a martyr. The mime reports that have been transmitted are briefly presented and discussed in their historical context. Instances of laughter and humorous twists in the mimes and in the mime reports are analysed separately. The reports meet most of the characteristics of comical texts and could have been written by Christians who tried to reconcile Church and theatre.
10
01
JB code
thr.10.11hun
128
142
15
Chapter
15
01
Biblical fun
Humour in the Cena Cypriani
1
A01
Vincent Hunink
Hunink, Vincent
Vincent
Hunink
20
Biblical characters
20
Cena Cypriani
20
early Christian Latin
20
irreverence
20
riddles
01
In this chapter I discuss the Cena Cypriani, a 4th century curiosum in early Christian literature, describing a special wedding attended by a great number of biblical characters. First I run through the text as a whole and discuss the few known facts about the background of the text. Next I concentrate on the four final sections, which show some surprising features. These in turn bring me to concluding observations on the type of fun aimed at in this text. I argue that the Cena Cypriani consistently aims at playful irreverence and seems intended for a learned Christian readership. Some final remarks about the later reception of the text conclude the paper.
10
01
JB code
thr.10.p3
146
218
73
Section header
16
01
Part III. The Qur’an and early Arabic literature
10
01
JB code
thr.10.12has
146
154
9
Chapter
17
01
Humour and its ethics
Reflections from the early Islamic era
1
A01
Farooq Hassan
Hassan, Farooq
Farooq
Hassan
20
benign humour
20
hopeful attitude
20
Islamic sense of humour
20
Qur’an and Sunnah
20
religious humour
01
Today Islam appears to many to be a stiffly austere religion that denigrates humour, but in its earliest phase of development it endorsed humour and set guidelines in accordance with the teachings of the Qur’an and the Sunnah. Islam encourages humour of the positive kind and discourages the humour, which becomes a tool for insulting people. This paper aims to discuss the permissible and forbidden kinds of humour, its need, benefits, and specifications along with its assigned place in medieval Islamic heritage. This paper focuses on the ethics of humour and Muslim responses to it and argues that humour needs to be incorporated in communication for a more tolerant and enlightened society.
10
01
JB code
thr.10.13ami
156
182
27
Chapter
18
01
A laughing God, between Sunni approval and Shi’ite rejection
A
laughing God, between Sunni approval and Shi’ite rejection
1
A01
Yasmin Amin
Amin, Yasmin
Yasmin
Amin
20
ʿAlī b. Abī Ṭālib
20
anthropomorphism
20
God’s laughter
20
humour
20
laughter
20
Sunni vs Shi’ite Ḥadith
01
In the Sunni Ḥadīth (henceforth: Hadith) collections a number of distinctive narrations describe the Prophet laughing, while telling his community about various instances when God himself laughs. The reasons for God’s laughter vary, but mostly reassure the believers that there is nothing to fear from a ‘laughing God’. God’s laughter is generally interpreted in the commentaries to the Hadith to mean mercy and benevolence. Though two traditions are narrated on the authority of ʿAlī b. Abī Ṭālib, the first Shi’ite imam, they are not preserved in the Shi’ite Hadith corpus, except to challenge its veracity along with the authenticity of all the other traditions mentioning a ‘laughing God’. This essay attempts to determine why they are rejected.
10
01
JB code
thr.10.14van
184
206
23
Chapter
19
01
Poetic parodies of Islamic discourses by Abū Nuwās
1
A01
Geert Jan van Gelder
Gelder, Geert Jan van
Geert Jan
van
Gelder
20
antinomianism
20
Arabic
20
Hadith
20
humour
20
Islam
20
libertinism
20
parody
20
poetry
20
religion
01
Abū Nuwās (d. c. 813), one of the greatest and most versatile of Arabic poets, practised every major genre. His fame and notoriety rest especially on his large corpus of Bacchic verse and love poetry, most of which is homoerotic. All his poetry is secular: no mystical verse, hymns on God or praise of the Prophet, but religion is never very far, if not in the foreground then in the background. Much of his verse is explicitly antinomian, flouting the prescripts of Islam. The present paper deals with his humorous and often obscene verse parodies of two kinds of Islamic discourse, the waṣiyyah (‘pious instruction’ or ‘testament’), and Hadith, the corpus of sayings and doings of the prophet Muhammad.
10
01
JB code
thr.10.15mar
208
218
11
Chapter
20
01
Greek and Buddhist jokes and their corresponding versions in classical Arabic literature
1
A01
Ulrich Marzolph
Marzolph, Ulrich
Ulrich
Marzolph
20
Arabic jokes
20
book of 100 parables
20
Buddhist jokes
20
Classical Arabic literature
20
comparative folkloristics
20
Greek jokes
20
Philogelos
01
Classical Arabic literature preserves one of the internationally largest repertoires of jokes and humorous anecdotes. As a rule, Arab humour focuses on human foibles, particularly ignorance and stupidity, and does not ridicule the basics of the religion of Islam. Although most of the texts relate to indigenous Arabic tradition, a certain amount can be traced to ancient Greek and Buddhist sources. The present contribution discusses this material. Whereas a relation between Greek and Arabic jokes, however difficult to prove with certainty, is fairly likely, the problematic aspects of hypothesizing about any direct relationship multiply when we consider Buddhist jokes.
10
01
JB code
thr.10.p4
222
270
49
Section header
21
01
Part IV. Buddhism
10
01
JB code
thr.10.16dij
222
234
13
Chapter
22
01
How is this sutra different from my ass?
Humour as a gateway to enlightenment in Zen Buddhism
1
A01
Michel Dijkstra
Dijkstra, Michel
Michel
Dijkstra
20
Daoist relativism
20
enlightened communication
20
enlightenment
20
kōan
20
Lie Zi
20
Linji
20
Mazu
20
Satsujo
20
Zen Buddhism
20
Zen relativism
20
Zhuang Zi
01
In Zen Buddhism humour is used in a soteriological way. Zen masters confront their disciples with (practical) jokes in order to free their minds and discover enlightenment. In this essay, I investigate the humour of enlightenment by first pointing out the influence of Daoist humoristic stories on Zen. Next, three dimensions of Zen jokes are highlighted, namely relativism, the way of cutting through illusion and liberating intimacy. With the help of humour, Zen masters like Linji and the Japanese teenager Satsujo teach their disciples that they should not cling to their views. This relativism leads to an insight into one’s own illusions. Once these false views are literally ‘laughed away’ one can discover a liberating connection with all things.
10
01
JB code
thr.10.17ste
236
252
17
Chapter
23
01
Finicking monkeys
Sun Wukong (Monkey King) as a humorous force in the Chinese discourse on the Three Teachings
1
A01
Arjan Sterken
Sterken, Arjan
Arjan
Sterken
20
Buddhism
20
China
20
Confucianism
20
Daoism
20
folklore
20
literature
20
mythology
20
Sun Wukong (Monkey King)
20
superior laughter
20
Three Teachings (sanjiao)
01
This chapter discusses the Chinese trickster figure Monkey King in narrative scenes in which he either steals or is tempted to steal food. It explores the way in which Monkey King is humorously utilised in the discourse on which of the Three Teachings (sanjiao), Daoism, Confucianism, or Buddhism, is superior to the others. First, this chapter discusses Monkey King’s multifarious origins. Afterwards, three texts are analysed: The story of how the monk Tripiṭaka of the great country of Tang brought back the Sūtras; The interpreter Pak; and The journey to the West. In all these texts, the type of humour utilised is best described by the superiority theory.
10
01
JB code
thr.10.18van
254
270
17
Chapter
24
01
“Are you really serious?”
The Buddha, the Brahmins and humour in the śramaṇa tradition of India
1
A01
Paul van der Velde
Velde, Paul van der
Paul
van der
Velde
20
asceticism and erotics
20
Brahmins
20
Buddhist origin of the universe
20
humour and Pāli
20
Veda
01
Four possible examples of humour, jokes or puns from early India are discussed: two from Buddhism (the Khaggavisāṇa-sutta or ‘Song of the Rhinoceros’ and an example from the sermons of the Buddha on the mythical origin of the Brahmin caste system) and two from the Ṛgveda. It appears that humour quickly loses its value and meaning once the original context is forgotten. What was once maybe intended as a joke or persiflage may soon change into something serious. What was then maybe cynically intended had to be reinterpreted to fit in the authoritative tradition. For recognizing what may have been humorous, we have to reconstruct the original context, meanwhile accepting the influence of changing contexts on the reception of ancient texts.
10
01
JB code
thr.10.p5
274
300
27
Section header
25
01
Part V. Conclusion
10
01
JB code
thr.10.19dij
274
300
27
Chapter
26
01
Humour in religion
A Protean phenomenon
1
A01
Roald Dijkstra
Dijkstra, Roald
Roald
Dijkstra
10
01
JB code
thr.10.index
Miscellaneous
27
01
Index
02
JBENJAMINS
John Benjamins Publishing Company
01
John Benjamins Publishing Company
Amsterdam/Philadelphia
NL
04
20221027
2022
John Benjamins B.V.
02
WORLD
13
15
9789027211538
01
JB
3
John Benjamins e-Platform
03
jbe-platform.com
09
WORLD
21
01
00
99.00
EUR
R
01
00
83.00
GBP
Z
01
gen
00
149.00
USD
S
429028381
03
01
01
JB
John Benjamins Publishing Company
01
JB code
THR 10 Hb
15
9789027211538
13
2022026493
BB
01
THR
02
2212-8999
Topics in Humor Research
10
01
Humour in the Beginning
Religion, humour and laughter in formative stages of Christianity, Islam, Buddhism and Judaism
01
thr.10
01
https://benjamins.com
02
https://benjamins.com/catalog/thr.10
1
B01
Roald Dijkstra
Dijkstra, Roald
Roald
Dijkstra
KU Leuven
2
B01
Paul van der Velde
Velde, Paul van der
Paul
van der
Velde
Radboud University
01
eng
318
xii
306
REL051000
v.2006
HRAB
2
24
JB Subject Scheme
LIN.HUMOR
Humor studies
06
01
<i>Humour in the Beginning</i> presents a multidisciplinary collection of fourteen in-depth case-studies on the role of humour – both benign and blasphemous, elitist and ordinary, orthodox and heterodox – in early, formative stages of Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism and (late-antique) Judaism. Its coherence is strengthened by four preceding theoretical essays, many cross-references and a conclusion. Thus, the volume allows for a methodologically sound comparison and explanation of historical views on humour in the world’s most important religions. At first sight, the foundational period of religions do not seem to offer much opportunities for humour. A closer look on primary sources, however, reveals the ways in which people formulated answers to existing ideas on humour and laughter, in moments of religious renewal. Main topics include the incongruous nature of the divine, the role of anthropomorphism, superior and didactic humour, moderate laughter, responses from dissenters and the gap between religious regulations and reality.
04
09
01
https://benjamins.com/covers/475/thr.10.png
04
03
01
https://benjamins.com/covers/475_jpg/9789027211538.jpg
04
03
01
https://benjamins.com/covers/475_tif/9789027211538.tif
06
09
01
https://benjamins.com/covers/1200_front/thr.10.hb.png
07
09
01
https://benjamins.com/covers/125/thr.10.png
25
09
01
https://benjamins.com/covers/1200_back/thr.10.hb.png
27
09
01
https://benjamins.com/covers/3d_web/thr.10.hb.png
10
01
JB code
thr.10.pre
vii
viii
2
Miscellaneous
1
01
Preface
10
01
JB code
thr.10.authors
ix
xii
4
Miscellaneous
2
01
About the contributors
10
01
JB code
thr.10.p1
4
30
27
Section header
3
01
Part I. Humour as tool and topic (essays)
10
01
JB code
thr.10.01kui
4
10
7
Chapter
4
01
Humour, risk and religion
1
A01
Giselinde Kuipers
Kuipers, Giselinde
Giselinde
Kuipers
10
01
JB code
thr.10.02sch
12
16
5
Chapter
5
01
Religion and humour
The big picture
1
A01
Bernard Schweizer
Schweizer, Bernard
Bernard
Schweizer
10
01
JB code
thr.10.03kui
18
22
5
Chapter
6
01
The unquenchable laughter of the gods
The
unquenchable laughter of the gods
1
A01
Inger Kuin
Kuin, Inger
Inger
Kuin
10
01
JB code
thr.10.04ami
24
30
7
Chapter
7
01
Is the application of modern humour theories on historical cases a joke?
1
A01
Yasmin Amin
Amin, Yasmin
Yasmin
Amin
10
01
JB code
thr.10.p2
34
142
109
Section header
8
01
Part II. Christianity and Judaism in Late Antiquity
10
01
JB code
thr.10.05sel
34
46
13
Chapter
9
01
Derisive laughter and religious identity in ancient Christianity
1
A01
Anne Ingvild Sælid Gilhus
Sælid Gilhus, Anne Ingvild
Anne Ingvild
Sælid Gilhus
20
derisive laughter
20
exegesis
20
mockery
20
monasticism
20
Nag Hammadi texts
01
Polemic and mockery were part of Christian identity-making, especially in apologies and heresiologies, where boundaries were created against pagans and other Christians. In this paper, the focus is on the use of derisive laughter in the Nag Hammadi texts. This chapter presents a survey of four variants of the laughter-motif, discusses them and investigates what they have to say about Christian monastic identity in the fourth to fifth century in Upper Egypt. It appears that the motif works as a powerful rhetorical instrument and pedagogical tool. It contributed to guide the readers in the right direction – towards spirituality and superior knowledge, but it was not necessarily intended to make them laugh out loud.
10
01
JB code
thr.10.06gra
48
62
15
Chapter
10
01
Opponent or advocate?
Exploring Clement of Alexandria’s attitude(s) towards laughter
1
A01
Nicole Graham
Graham, Nicole
Nicole
Graham
20
Christianity
20
Clement of Alexandria
20
Greek philosophy
20
laughter
20
patristics
20
pedagogy
20
the body
01
This chapter explores one of the earliest Christian commentators on laughter, Clement of Alexandria. It argues that his views on laughter were more nuanced than the fervent opposition with which he is often characterised and that, at times, he advocates for laughter. With particular reference to ‘On laughter’ in his Paedagogus, this chapter will demonstrate how Clement was influenced by Greek philosophy, Scripture, and the Hellenistic society within which he lived when forming his ambiguous views on laughter. Indeed, by exploring laughter in various forms, e.g. drunken laughter, erotic laughter, comic laughter, and pedagogical laughter, it will become clear that Clement’s beliefs about laughter vary depending on the context, the intention, and the consequences of the laughter.
10
01
JB code
thr.10.07ber
64
80
17
Chapter
11
01
“This joke has gone on for long enough”
Humour, derision, and allusion in the letters of Gregory of Nazianzus
1
A01
Floris Bernard
Bernard, Floris
Floris
Bernard
20
allusion
20
Christianity
20
epistolography
20
Gregory of Nazianzus
20
Late Antiquity
01
Gregory of Nazianzus is one of the foundational theologians of Eastern Christianity, greatly contributing to the development of an authoritative body of texts that is generally averse to humour. Due to this, he is generally not read with humoristic interests in mind. Yet, his letters are a genre that is more than others entrenched in the social realities of his time. In these letters, Gregory uses witticisms and playful derision as a means to forge a bond of exclusivity with his epistolary friends. Frequently, these witticisms hinge on intertextual allusions. In these allusions, Gregory plays a game that is based on erudition in both the (pagan) classics and the bible, thus constructing a kind of witty sophisticated discourse that is undeniably Christian, and at the same time meets all the standards of elitist classical paideia.
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92
11
Chapter
12
01
The smile of the martyr
The
smile of the martyr
1
A01
Pierluigi Lanfranchi
Lanfranchi, Pierluigi
Pierluigi
Lanfranchi
20
Early Christianity
20
laughter
20
martyr acts and passions
20
martyrdom
20
rabbi Akiva
20
smile
20
violence
01
A martyr smiling while interrogated or tortured is a topos of Early Christian martyrological literature. It is also present in stories on Jewish martyrs in the rabbinic literature. Authors of Acta and Passiones often oppose the laughter of the pagan crowd to the smile of the Christian martyr. The Greek word μειδιᾶν (‘to smile’) and γελᾶν (‘to laugh’) suppose different emotional attitudes as well as different facial expressions. This article aims to show how Christian authors use this opposition and propose the martyr’s smile as the final strategy of resistance against violence and as an ideal paradigm of Christian behaviour.
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106
13
Chapter
13
01
Divine mockery and laughing Rabbis
1
A01
Reuven Kiperwasser
Kiperwasser, Reuven
Reuven
Kiperwasser
20
Arameans
20
Assyria
20
Babylonian Talmud
20
beard
20
hair
20
masculinity
20
mockery
20
narrative
20
rabbis
20
Sennacherib
20
theology
01
My paper is dedicated to the role of humour in expressing theological ideas in the Babylonian Talmud. As an example, I analyse the narrative with a strong theological focus. In stories of this kind the acting characters are God and the Other involved in an ongoing collision. God plays the role of a scoffer, exposing the Other as an object of derision. The real objects of the mockery are theological views that the narrator would not like to have in his own environment: therefore, he projects them on the Other. Analysing appearances of mockery through theological debates I will show that ridicule here does not demonize the Other or minimize his importance nor does it pursue the goal of alienating him. As a rule, the laughter opens a moment of potential rupture in the continuity of interactions and produces some re-organization in order to steer the interaction once more towards continuity rather than towards chaotic turbulence. With the paradox, it is thoughtfully tried to subject the system of coexistence with the Other to the shock caused by the usage of the weapon of laughter; however, after the laughing situation, the previously inhabited borders are sought again in order to ensure the continuity of an updated order.
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126
19
Chapter
14
01
Converting comedians
Humour and laughter as a way to interpret the early Christian mime reports
1
A01
Roald Dijkstra
Dijkstra, Roald
Roald
Dijkstra
20
actors
20
anti-gelasticism
20
conversion
20
early Christian comedy
20
late antique theatre
20
laughter versus joy
20
mimes
20
mimesis
01
The early Christian aversion for the comic and for theatre has been much discussed. The ongoing large popularity of the theatre, predominantly comical in nature, long after the establishment of Christianity as the leading religion of the Roman empire, tells a different story. Theatre and Christianity meet in a remarkable way in reports of mimes that were originally meant to mock the Christian faith. Suddenly, the protagonist converted on stage, and died as a martyr. The mime reports that have been transmitted are briefly presented and discussed in their historical context. Instances of laughter and humorous twists in the mimes and in the mime reports are analysed separately. The reports meet most of the characteristics of comical texts and could have been written by Christians who tried to reconcile Church and theatre.
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142
15
Chapter
15
01
Biblical fun
Humour in the Cena Cypriani
1
A01
Vincent Hunink
Hunink, Vincent
Vincent
Hunink
20
Biblical characters
20
Cena Cypriani
20
early Christian Latin
20
irreverence
20
riddles
01
In this chapter I discuss the Cena Cypriani, a 4th century curiosum in early Christian literature, describing a special wedding attended by a great number of biblical characters. First I run through the text as a whole and discuss the few known facts about the background of the text. Next I concentrate on the four final sections, which show some surprising features. These in turn bring me to concluding observations on the type of fun aimed at in this text. I argue that the Cena Cypriani consistently aims at playful irreverence and seems intended for a learned Christian readership. Some final remarks about the later reception of the text conclude the paper.
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Section header
16
01
Part III. The Qur’an and early Arabic literature
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Chapter
17
01
Humour and its ethics
Reflections from the early Islamic era
1
A01
Farooq Hassan
Hassan, Farooq
Farooq
Hassan
20
benign humour
20
hopeful attitude
20
Islamic sense of humour
20
Qur’an and Sunnah
20
religious humour
01
Today Islam appears to many to be a stiffly austere religion that denigrates humour, but in its earliest phase of development it endorsed humour and set guidelines in accordance with the teachings of the Qur’an and the Sunnah. Islam encourages humour of the positive kind and discourages the humour, which becomes a tool for insulting people. This paper aims to discuss the permissible and forbidden kinds of humour, its need, benefits, and specifications along with its assigned place in medieval Islamic heritage. This paper focuses on the ethics of humour and Muslim responses to it and argues that humour needs to be incorporated in communication for a more tolerant and enlightened society.
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27
Chapter
18
01
A laughing God, between Sunni approval and Shi’ite rejection
A
laughing God, between Sunni approval and Shi’ite rejection
1
A01
Yasmin Amin
Amin, Yasmin
Yasmin
Amin
20
ʿAlī b. Abī Ṭālib
20
anthropomorphism
20
God’s laughter
20
humour
20
laughter
20
Sunni vs Shi’ite Ḥadith
01
In the Sunni Ḥadīth (henceforth: Hadith) collections a number of distinctive narrations describe the Prophet laughing, while telling his community about various instances when God himself laughs. The reasons for God’s laughter vary, but mostly reassure the believers that there is nothing to fear from a ‘laughing God’. God’s laughter is generally interpreted in the commentaries to the Hadith to mean mercy and benevolence. Though two traditions are narrated on the authority of ʿAlī b. Abī Ṭālib, the first Shi’ite imam, they are not preserved in the Shi’ite Hadith corpus, except to challenge its veracity along with the authenticity of all the other traditions mentioning a ‘laughing God’. This essay attempts to determine why they are rejected.
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23
Chapter
19
01
Poetic parodies of Islamic discourses by Abū Nuwās
1
A01
Geert Jan van Gelder
Gelder, Geert Jan van
Geert Jan
van
Gelder
20
antinomianism
20
Arabic
20
Hadith
20
humour
20
Islam
20
libertinism
20
parody
20
poetry
20
religion
01
Abū Nuwās (d. c. 813), one of the greatest and most versatile of Arabic poets, practised every major genre. His fame and notoriety rest especially on his large corpus of Bacchic verse and love poetry, most of which is homoerotic. All his poetry is secular: no mystical verse, hymns on God or praise of the Prophet, but religion is never very far, if not in the foreground then in the background. Much of his verse is explicitly antinomian, flouting the prescripts of Islam. The present paper deals with his humorous and often obscene verse parodies of two kinds of Islamic discourse, the waṣiyyah (‘pious instruction’ or ‘testament’), and Hadith, the corpus of sayings and doings of the prophet Muhammad.
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218
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Chapter
20
01
Greek and Buddhist jokes and their corresponding versions in classical Arabic literature
1
A01
Ulrich Marzolph
Marzolph, Ulrich
Ulrich
Marzolph
20
Arabic jokes
20
book of 100 parables
20
Buddhist jokes
20
Classical Arabic literature
20
comparative folkloristics
20
Greek jokes
20
Philogelos
01
Classical Arabic literature preserves one of the internationally largest repertoires of jokes and humorous anecdotes. As a rule, Arab humour focuses on human foibles, particularly ignorance and stupidity, and does not ridicule the basics of the religion of Islam. Although most of the texts relate to indigenous Arabic tradition, a certain amount can be traced to ancient Greek and Buddhist sources. The present contribution discusses this material. Whereas a relation between Greek and Arabic jokes, however difficult to prove with certainty, is fairly likely, the problematic aspects of hypothesizing about any direct relationship multiply when we consider Buddhist jokes.
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49
Section header
21
01
Part IV. Buddhism
10
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234
13
Chapter
22
01
How is this sutra different from my ass?
Humour as a gateway to enlightenment in Zen Buddhism
1
A01
Michel Dijkstra
Dijkstra, Michel
Michel
Dijkstra
20
Daoist relativism
20
enlightened communication
20
enlightenment
20
kōan
20
Lie Zi
20
Linji
20
Mazu
20
Satsujo
20
Zen Buddhism
20
Zen relativism
20
Zhuang Zi
01
In Zen Buddhism humour is used in a soteriological way. Zen masters confront their disciples with (practical) jokes in order to free their minds and discover enlightenment. In this essay, I investigate the humour of enlightenment by first pointing out the influence of Daoist humoristic stories on Zen. Next, three dimensions of Zen jokes are highlighted, namely relativism, the way of cutting through illusion and liberating intimacy. With the help of humour, Zen masters like Linji and the Japanese teenager Satsujo teach their disciples that they should not cling to their views. This relativism leads to an insight into one’s own illusions. Once these false views are literally ‘laughed away’ one can discover a liberating connection with all things.
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Chapter
23
01
Finicking monkeys
Sun Wukong (Monkey King) as a humorous force in the Chinese discourse on the Three Teachings
1
A01
Arjan Sterken
Sterken, Arjan
Arjan
Sterken
20
Buddhism
20
China
20
Confucianism
20
Daoism
20
folklore
20
literature
20
mythology
20
Sun Wukong (Monkey King)
20
superior laughter
20
Three Teachings (sanjiao)
01
This chapter discusses the Chinese trickster figure Monkey King in narrative scenes in which he either steals or is tempted to steal food. It explores the way in which Monkey King is humorously utilised in the discourse on which of the Three Teachings (sanjiao), Daoism, Confucianism, or Buddhism, is superior to the others. First, this chapter discusses Monkey King’s multifarious origins. Afterwards, three texts are analysed: The story of how the monk Tripiṭaka of the great country of Tang brought back the Sūtras; The interpreter Pak; and The journey to the West. In all these texts, the type of humour utilised is best described by the superiority theory.
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270
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Chapter
24
01
“Are you really serious?”
The Buddha, the Brahmins and humour in the śramaṇa tradition of India
1
A01
Paul van der Velde
Velde, Paul van der
Paul
van der
Velde
20
asceticism and erotics
20
Brahmins
20
Buddhist origin of the universe
20
humour and Pāli
20
Veda
01
Four possible examples of humour, jokes or puns from early India are discussed: two from Buddhism (the Khaggavisāṇa-sutta or ‘Song of the Rhinoceros’ and an example from the sermons of the Buddha on the mythical origin of the Brahmin caste system) and two from the Ṛgveda. It appears that humour quickly loses its value and meaning once the original context is forgotten. What was once maybe intended as a joke or persiflage may soon change into something serious. What was then maybe cynically intended had to be reinterpreted to fit in the authoritative tradition. For recognizing what may have been humorous, we have to reconstruct the original context, meanwhile accepting the influence of changing contexts on the reception of ancient texts.
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27
Section header
25
01
Part V. Conclusion
10
01
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274
300
27
Chapter
26
01
Humour in religion
A Protean phenomenon
1
A01
Roald Dijkstra
Dijkstra, Roald
Roald
Dijkstra
10
01
JB code
thr.10.index
Miscellaneous
27
01
Index
02
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