Biblical Humor and Performance: Audience Experiences That Make Meaning - Paperback

by Peter S. Perry (Editor), David Rhoads (Foreword by)

What's so humorous about the Bible? Quite a bit, especially if experienced with others! Nine biblical scholars explore their experiences of reading and hearing passages from the Bible and discovering humor that becomes clearer in performance. Each writer found clues in their chosen biblical text that suggested biblical authors expected an audience to respond with laughter. Performers have a powerful role in either bringing out or tamping down humor in the Bible. One audience may be more disposed to respond to humor than another. And each contributor found that experiencing humor changed the interpretation of the biblical passage. From Genesis to Revelation, this study uncovers the Bible's potential for humor.

Author Biography

Peter S. Perry is assistant affiliate professor of New Testament at Fuller Seminary and pastor of St. John's Lutheran Church in Glendale, Arizona. He is the author of Insights from Performance Criticism (2016) and The Rhetoric of Digressions (2009).