Christianity is usually not viewed as a comedy. The theologian Ralph Wood

Christianity is usually not viewed as a comedy. The theologian Ralph Wood proposes otherwise. Instead of the usual tragic vision presented (for example) by Reinhold Niebuhr, in which the gospel engages life realistically and grimly, Wood prefers the comic vision (comedy in terms of disparity of proportion, or a turning upside-down of expected categories) of Karl Barth. The joyful proclamation of the death and resurrection of Christ throughout Barth's theology, Wood contends, criticizes the folly of human presumption in a comic way. In contrast to his reputation, Barth is able to celebrate culture because he finds it to be the arena instead of the vehicle of salvation. In this arena, four American novelists--Flannery O'Connor, Walker Percy, John Updike, and Peter DeVries--reflect this comic vision as well. In their different ways, they find grace in the midst of the comic (not ''funny'') absurdities of human presumption. As new condition and appearance, with owner name present. Very nice.