Download or read book Between Heaven and Mirth written by James Martin and published by Harper Collins. This book was released on 2011-10-04 with total page 261 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “Between Heaven and Mirth will make any reader smile. . . . Father Martin reminds us that happiness is the good God’s own goal for us.” —Timothy M. Dolan, Archbishop of New York From The Colbert Report’s “official chaplain” James Martin, SJ, author of the New York Times bestselling The Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything, comes a revolutionary look at how joy, humor, and laughter can change our lives and save our spirits. A Jesuit priest with a busy media ministry, Martin understands the intersections between spirituality and daily life. In Between Heaven and Mirth, he uses scriptural passages, the lives of the saints, the spiritual teachings of other traditions, and his own personal reflections to show us why joy is the inevitable result of faith, because a healthy spirituality and a healthy sense of humor go hand-in-hand with God's great plan for humankind.
Download or read book What s That Funny Look on Your Faith written by Cuyler Black and published by Zondervan. This book was released on 2006 with total page 98 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A Far Side-type comic romp through the Bible, the first collection of Inherit the Mirth cartoons by Cuyler Black."
Download or read book What s So Funny About God written by Steve Wilkens and published by InterVarsity Press. This book was released on 2019-11-19 with total page 205 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Jokes often touch on the biggest topics of our existence, but many Christians haven't taken humor seriously. This insightful yet delightful crash course from philosopher Steve Wilkens argues that viewing Scripture and theology through the lens of humor helps us understand the gospel and avoid the pitfalls of both naturalism and gnosticism, while facilitating a humble, honest, and appealing approach to faith.
Download or read book The Humor of Christ written by Elton Trueblood and published by Harper San Francisco. This book was released on 1964 with total page 127 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Religious Humor in Evangelical Christian and Mormon Culture written by Elisha McIntyre and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2018-01-25 with total page 231 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Incorporating perspectives from religious studies, humor studies, cultural and film studies, and theology, as well as original data from textual analysis and the voices of religious comedians, this book critically analyses the experiences of believers who appreciate that their faith is not necessarily a barrier to their laughter. It is often thought that religion and humor are incompatible, but Religious Humor in Evangelical Christian and Mormon Culture shows that humor is not only a popular means of entertainment, but also a way in which an individual or community expresses their identity and values. Elisha McIntyre argues that believers embrace their sense of humor, actively producing and consciously consuming comic entertainment that reflects their own experiences. This process is not however without conflict. The book argues that there are specific characteristics that indicate a unique kind of humor that may be called 'religious humor'. Through an examination of religious humor found in stand-up comedy, television sitcoms, comedy film and satirical cartoons, and drawing on interview data, the book outlines the main considerations that Christians take into account when choosing their comedy entertainment. These include questions about ideology, blasphemy, taboos around the body, and the motives behind the joke.
Download or read book From Faith to Fun written by Russell Heddendorf and published by Lutterworth Press. This book was released on 2009-02-26 with total page 209 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Abraham and Sarah were presented with a paradox when God told them they would have a son in their old age. Paradox in the Old Testament plays an important part in the dialogue between God and the Jews. In the New Testament, paradox is prominent in Jesus' teaching and helps to explain the Christian understanding of salvation.
Download or read book Laugh Your Way to Grace written by Rev. Susan Sparks and published by Turner Publishing Company. This book was released on 2010-05-01 with total page 173 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Laughter—the GPS System for the Soul Laughter was honored by the ancients as a spiritual healing tool and celebrated by the world's great religions. So why aren’t we laughing along the spiritual path today? What would happen if we did? In this personal and funny look at humor as a spiritual practice, Rev. Susan Sparks—an ex-lawyer turned comedian and Baptist minister—presents a convincing case that the power of humor radiates far beyond punch lines. Laughter can help you: Remove the fearful mask of a God who doesn’t laugh Debunk the myths that you don’t deserve joy Find perspective when faced with adversity Exercise forgiveness for yourself and others Reclaim play as a spiritual practice Heal—emotionally, physically, and spiritually Keep your faith when God is silent Live with elegance, beauty, and generosity of spirit Whatever your faith tradition—or if you have none at all—join this veteran of the punch line and the pulpit in reclaiming the forgotten humor legacy found in thousands of years of human spiritual history.
Download or read book God at the Improv written by Anthony J. Petrotta and published by Wipf and Stock Publishers. This book was released on 2020-12-17 with total page 169 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Asking if there is humor in any religious text might seem blasphemous to many readers. Religious texts are there to instruct us, not entertain us. Religious texts are serious works, not frivolous. However, if part of being human entails having a sense of humor, then it would be more surprising indeed for Scripture not to have humor. Humor instructs us as much as it entertains us. God at the Improv seeks to show that being religious and being humorous are not opposites, but actually work in tandem to enhance and enliven our faith and practice.
Download or read book Stuff Christians Like written by Jon Acuff and published by Zondervan. This book was released on 2020-04-07 with total page 209 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Using the same humor and honesty that galvanized more than a million online readers from more than 200 countries, speaker Jon Acuff brings his insightful take on Christianity to the book world with this new edition of Stuff Christians Like. Do you constantly find yourself towing the fine line between praying before certain types of meals and not others? This book is for you. Have you fallen in love on a mission trip, just to break up when you get home? This book is for you. Are you a unicorn of purity who ranks honeymoon sex slightly higher than the second coming of Christ? Guess what – this book is for you, too. It’s time to shake off Somber Christian Syndrome and embrace the quirks of being a member of God’s kingdom. This book will teach you how to: Break up with your small group Subtly find out if your new Christian friends drink beer too Recognize the shame grenade that is a Jesus Juke Avoid a prayer handholding faux pas Say something Christian-y without looking like a snake handler From prayer shot blocks to metro worship leaders, no stone is left unturned in this hilarious look at faith. “I never knew how much I needed Jesus until I found out I was judging people who use the table of contents in their Bible. This book saved me from looking like a bad Christian.” – Sister Mary Francis, Rhode Island. “It’s such a time saver to know that my Chick-fil-a from the drive-thru comes pre-blessed. I always knew I was making the right choice by choosing the Lord’s chicken.” – Dave L., South Carolina.
Download or read book The Sinner s Guide to Natural Family Planning written by Simcha Fisher and published by Our Sunday Visitor. This book was released on 2014-02-04 with total page 125 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: If you've tried Natural Family Planning and have discovered that your life is now awful - or if you feel judged or judgey, or if you trust NFP but your doctor doesn't, or if you're just trying to figure out how the heck to have a sex life that is holy but still human - you'll find comfort, encouragement, honesty, wit, and, most important, practical advice in The Sinner's Guide to NFP.
Download or read book What s So Funny About Faith written by Jacob D. Martin and published by Loyola Press. This book was released on 2012-10-01 with total page 224 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Do you ever feel as if your passion for pop culture and faith might be at odds? Do you ever wonder how your desire to be a part of present-day culture and your longing to grow spiritually can be reconciled? Thirty-something Jake Martin, a professional comedian who also just happens to be a Jesuit, believes that contemporary culture and spirituality do go hand in hand and that our faith can grow through the medium of humor and laughter. What’s So Funny about Faith? is Martin’s wry, heartfelt memoir detailing his attempts to successfully navigate a world steeped in irony while staying true to his calling to love and serve God. Martin explores the oftentimes complicated relationship between faith and humor as he examines the contemporary landscape of humor in film, television, and the Internet while communicating timeless truths about the redemptive value of humor. Martin’s humorous anecdotes span his relatively young life—from growing up on the South Side of Chicago to becoming a stand-up comedian to joining the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits). Whether he’s reminiscing about his female-dominated, Irish-Catholic family (he affectionately recalls the howls of laughter when more than one woman would convene) or recollecting his movie-inspired greeting to the Jesuits (“You know how the priests in The Exorcist were Jesuits?”), Martin continually validates not only the role humor played in developing his spiritual life, but the role it can play in developing ours as well.
Download or read book Humor Us written by Donald Capps and published by Wipf and Stock Publishers. This book was released on 2016-10-21 with total page 195 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book addresses the fact that Americans tend to live under a considerable amount of stress, tension, and anxiety, and suggests that humor can be helpful in alleviating their distress. It posits that humor is a useful placebo in this regard; cites studies that show that humor moderates life stress; considers the relationship of religion and humor, especially as means to alleviate anxiety; proposes that Jesus had a sense of humor; suggests that his parable of the Laborers in the Vineyard has humorous implications for the relief of occupational stress; explores the relationship of gossip and humor; and suggests that Jesus and his disciples were a joking community. It concludes that Jesus viewed the kingdom of God as a worry-free existence.
Download or read book The Funny Shape of Faith written by Arlene Flancher and published by Augsburg Fortress Pub. This book was released on 2007 with total page 359 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Combines cartoons based on biblical texts with reflections and prayers for any day of the year. This book includes 158 devotions, each funny and faithful in their own particular way, and arranged in sixteen categories.
Download or read book Look Who s Laughing written by Zondervan, and published by Zondervan. This book was released on 2009-12-15 with total page 210 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The best of the best—stories, one-liners, and jokes from some of today’s funniest Christian speakers and best-selling writers This new book, like its best-selling predecessors, is packed with the kind of smiles and smirks, chuckles and giggles that thousands of readers have come to love and expect. It includes some of the funniest stories from today’s Christian writers like Barbara Johnson, John Ortberg, Mark Buchanan, Patsy Clairmont, Becky Freeman, Chonda Pierce, and more. Whether the topic is kids, marriage, pets, church, parenting, aging, or life’s most embarrassing moments, the writers will help you keep life in perspective by revealing their own foibles, follies, and failings. Realizing that laughter and faith can go hand in hand, they offer real-life anecdotes that will keep your world in balance even—and especially—when life gets tough.
Download or read book A Poet s Journey written by Richard A. Cardner and published by WestBow Press. This book was released on 2019-03-13 with total page 79 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: It is always a delight to read words crafted by Richard. Each poem leaves me with something to ponder and appreciate. His faith shines forth with wisdom and hope. Those who pause to read this book will receive a rare and valuable gift. —Nancy Ferrin, author of When A Prodigal Breaks Your Heart and Where Is My Baby? .. A Mother’s Message of Hope and Healing The book contains a range of poems written over the last forty years and includes those written for children, Christians, and those readers seeking humor. Some were written to reflect current events, holidays, and life experiences as well as to try out different poetic forms.
Download or read book When God Talks Back written by T.M. Luhrmann and published by Vintage. This book was released on 2012-11-13 with total page 466 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A New York Times Notable Book A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of 2012 A bold approach to understanding the American evangelical experience from an anthropological and psychological perspective by one of the country's most prominent anthropologists. Through a series of intimate, illuminating interviews with various members of the Vineyard, an evangelical church with hundreds of congregations across the country, Tanya Luhrmann leaps into the heart of evangelical faith. Combined with scientific research that studies the effect that intensely practiced prayer can have on the mind, When God Talks Back examines how normal, sensible people—from college students to accountants to housewives, all functioning perfectly well within our society—can attest to having the signs and wonders of the supernatural become as quotidian and as ordinary as laundry. Astute, sensitive, and extraordinarily measured in its approach to the interface between science and religion, Luhrmann's book is sure to generate as much conversation as it will praise.
Download or read book A Stand Up Comic Sits Down with Jesus written by Rich Praytor and published by Revell. This book was released on 2007-09-04 with total page 204 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: What would happen if comedy were combined with growing deeper in your faith? You would have a fun devotional for learning more about God. One of America's top comedians brings his unique style to an unlikely venue--a devotional? Laugh out loud with Rich Praytor as he looks at the humorous side of everyday aspects of life, such as marriage, money, or work while discovering something about God and his plan for us. Made up of 31 chapters (representing a full month), A Stand-Up Comic Sits Down with Jesus starts each entry with a clean, funny joke followed by a Scripture reference, and some thoughts on that particular subject. Just try to keep a straight face when reading Keeping a Journal, Being Too Churchy, Honoring Your Parents, and Marriage II. This is a devotional like no other! Author also includes two "intermission" chapters of personal reflection.
