Using Comedy to Build Community in Local Churches: How Laughing Together Can Bring People Together Jason T
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Masthead Logo Digital Commons @ George Fox University Doctor of Ministry Theses and Dissertations 2-1-2019 Using Comedy to Build Community in Local Churches: How Laughing Together Can Bring People Together Jason T. Deuman [email protected] This research is a product of the Doctor of Ministry (DMin) program at George Fox University. Find out more about the program. Recommended Citation Deuman, Jason T., "Using Comedy to Build Community in Local Churches: How Laughing Together Can Bring People Together" (2019). Doctor of Ministry. 321. https://digitalcommons.georgefox.edu/dmin/321 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Theses and Dissertations at Digital Commons @ George Fox University. It has been accepted for inclusion in Doctor of Ministry by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ George Fox University. For more information, please contact [email protected]. GEORGE FOX UNIVERSITY USING COMEDY TO BUILD COMMUNITY IN LOCAL CHURCHES: HOW LAUGHING TOGETHER CAN BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER A DISSERATION SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF PORTLAND SEMINARY IN CANDIDACY FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF MINISTRY BY JASON T. DEUMAN PORTLAND, OREGON FEBRUARY 2019 Portland Seminary George Fox University Portland, Oregon CERTIFICATE OF APPROVAL ________________________________ DMin Dissertation ________________________________ This is to certify that the DMin Dissertation of Jason T. Deuman has been approved by the Dissertation Committee on February 11, 2019 for the degree of Doctor of Ministry in Semiotics and Future Studies Dissertation Committee: Primary Advisor: Phillip Carnes, DMin Secondary Advisor: David McDonald, DMin Lead Mentor: Leonard I. Sweet, PhD Copyright © 2019 Jason T. Deuman All Rights Reserved. The Scripture quotations contained herein are taken from the New International Version unless otherwise indicated. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS DEDICATION .................................................................................................................................. VI ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ............................................................................................................ VII ABSTRACT .................................................................................................................................... VIII ILLUSTRATIONS .......................................................................................................................... IX CHAPTER 1: DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM ......................................................... 1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................. 1 WHY STUDY STAND-UP COMEDY? ................................................................................ 4 HUMANITY AND CULTURE MAKING ............................................................................... 6 CULTURAL LITURGY: AN EXPLANATION ........................................................................ 8 CULTURAL LITURGY OF THE COMEDY CLUB ................................................................ 10 Before the Show...................................................................................................... 11 During the Show ..................................................................................................... 16 After the Show ........................................................................................................ 21 HUMOR THEORIES: SUPERIORITY, INCONGRUITY, AND RELIEF...................................... 21 PREACHING AND COMEDY ........................................................................................... 23 DISSERTATION OVERVIEW........................................................................................... 24 CHAPTER 2: HUMOR IN THE BIBLE ................................................................................27 IS THERE HUMOR IN THE BIBLE? ................................................................................. 27 WHY IS IT DIFFICULT TO FIND HUMOR IN THE BIBLE? .................................................. 30 WHAT TO LOOK FOR TO FIND HUMOR IN THE BIBLE ..................................................... 33 Pay Attention to the Plot ......................................................................................... 33 Pay Attention to Humorous Devices ........................................................................ 37 COMEDY IN THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT .................................................................... 49 Reversal .................................................................................................................. 50 Humorous Imagery ................................................................................................. 51 Hyperbole ............................................................................................................... 53 Caricature and Ridicule ........................................................................................... 54 CONCLUSION .............................................................................................................. 55 CHAPTER 3: THE CHURCH'S HISTORICAL RESPONSE TO COMEDY ..........57 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................... 57 HUMOR AND THE EARLY CHURCH ............................................................................... 60 Ancient Church Leaders with a Negative View of Humor ....................................... 62 Ancient Church Leaders with a Positive View of Humor ......................................... 65 FESTIVALS AND CELEBRATIONS IN CHURCH HISTORY .................................................. 66 Feast of Fools .......................................................................................................... 67 Carnival .................................................................................................................. 69 Rissus Paschalis: Easter Laughter ............................................................................ 72 MODERN USES OF COMEDY IN THE CHURCH ................................................................ 73 CONCLUSION .............................................................................................................. 77 iv CHAPTER 4: LAUGHING TOGETHER: WHY DO WE LAUGH? WHAT DOES LAUGHTER DO IN GROUPS? HOW DOES LAUGHTER CROSS CULTURES? .................................................................................................................................80 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................... 80 HUMOR THEORIES ....................................................................................................... 82 Superiority Theory .................................................................................................. 82 Incongruity Theory ................................................................................................. 83 Relief Theory .......................................................................................................... 85 SOCIOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF LAUGHTER ....................................................................... 87 Humor and Relationship Building ........................................................................... 89 Humor and Group Cohesion .................................................................................... 90 Shaping Behavior .................................................................................................... 92 Challenging Social Systems .................................................................................... 93 CROSS-CULTURAL COMEDY ........................................................................................ 94 Multiculturalism and Humor ................................................................................... 96 Joking with Insiders ................................................................................................ 99 Joking with Outsiders ............................................................................................ 102 Joking to Build Understanding .............................................................................. 106 WHY THE CHURCH SHOULD LEAD THE WAY IN CROSS-CULTURAL HUMOR ................ 109 CHAPTER 5: COMEDY THAT BUILDS COMMUNITY ............................................ 113 INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................... 113 TELEVISION AND THE WATER-COOLER MOMENT ....................................................... 116 COMEDY PERFORMANCES ......................................................................................... 118 PODCASTING AND COMMUNITY ................................................................................. 122 STORYTELLING COMMUNITIES .................................................................................. 127 PERMISSION TO PLAY ................................................................................................ 133 CONCLUSION ............................................................................................................ 137 CHAPTER 6: CONCLUSION ................................................................................................. 141 PREACHING WITH COMEDY ....................................................................................... 141 Preaching