Conference Religion and Humor

The international conference “Religion and Humor”

The international conference “Religion and Humor” will focus on the role of humor in different religious traditions, as revealed through their sacred texts and spiritual practices. Scholars from various academic backgrounds and different religious traditions will explore new avenues for thinking about how religion and humor can be understood in the context of both traditional and contemporary societies.

The conference is organized by Department of Eastern Christian Studies (Sankt Ignatios College), University College Stockholm and will take place from February 17-19 at Sankt Ignatios College, Nyköpingsvägen 22, Södertälje – Stockholm.

The conference is supported by Riksbankens Jubileumsfond.

If you intend to attend the conference, please register via this email: davor.dzalto@ehs.se, since the number of available places is limited.

The program of the conference:

Thursday, February 17

17.30 Conference opening
Davor Džalto
Michael Hjälm (dean)

Friday, February 18

Panel 1
Moderator: Davor Džalto

9.30-10.00 The Sacred Laughter: The Culture of Humor in Biblical and Rabbinic Literature
Eliezer Papo

10.00-10.30 Parody and Prayer – Medieval Jewish Communities and Their Ways of Humoristic Relief
Peter Sh. Lehnardt
10.30-11.00 Discussion

Panel 2

Moderator: Frederick Lauritzen

11.30-12.00 Humor between Theory and Practice: A Critical Reading of Humor in the Islamic Scripture and the Prophet’s Life
Doaa Baumi

12.00-12.30 God’s Laughter and Man’s Anger: Reframing joke and humor in Islamic Theology and Law
Idris Nassery
12.30-13.00 Discussion

Panel 3

Moderator: Michael Hjälm

14.30-15.00 Did Christ Laugh? A Normative Discourse on Laughter in a Medieval Monastic Context
Hans Geybels

15.00-15.30 Buffalmacco and la Beffa: Humorous Expressions of Religion and Religious Expressions of Humor in the Italian Renaissance
Ola Sigurdson
15.30-16.00 Discussion

Saturday, February 19
Panel 4
Moderator: Idris Nassery

10.00-10.30 Laughing Saints and Righteous Patients: Humor and Laughter in Byzantine Collections of Miracle Stories
Stavroula Constantinou

10.30-11.00 The Byzantine Theology of Laughter

Frederick Lauritzen

11.00-11.30 Religious Satire: Freedom and Respect in Interreligious Dialogue

Ambrogio Bongiovanni

11.30-12.00 Discussion

Panel 5

Moderator: Stavroula Constantinou

14.30-15.00 Humor in the Gospel of John Vladan Tatalović

15.00-15.30 It’s a sin? Laughter and Humour vs. Religion in Byzantium

Przemyslaw Marciniak

15.30-16.00 Apophatic and Emancipatory Dimensions of Humor: The Case of Orthodox Christianity
Davor Džalto
16.00-16.30 Discussion
16.30 Concluding remarks