Humour and the Bible

Humour can be found in the most incongruous of situations. This course will introduce the student to the concepts, ideas and possibilities of humour, comedy and laughter in general, and specifically, within the written texts of the Bible. It will include study of several humorists' postulations and how their thoughts and understandings can be utilized in biblical exegesis, within a 21st Century context and a North American cultural milieu. Attention will be given to issues and roles of imagination, language, and theological partiality in the interpretation of any humorous component Exegesis of texts from both Testaments will examine the role of the humour and how its understanding affects the general appreciation of the text and its theologies.