Episode

Sacred Absurdity: Faith, Comedy, & Taking Laughter Seriously

Podcast
The Intersection with Dr. J + Friends
Published
Aug 15, 2025
Duration seconds
4208
Processing state
not_requested
Canonical source
https://share.transistor.fm/s/38cdb52f
Audio
https://media.transistor.fm/38cdb52f/adc8d5f9.mp3
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/v1/public/podcasts/the-intersection-with-dr-j-friends-7057547/episodes/sacred-absurdity-faith-comedy-taking-laughter-seriously
Markdown
/podcast/the-intersection-with-dr-j-friends-7057547/sacred-absurdity-faith-comedy-taking-laughter-seriously.md

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Summary

In this episode, Dr. J sits down with Brad Kidder—pastor, comic, church planter, and deeply unserious person (in the best possible way)—to talk about something the church doesn’t always know what to do with: humor. Specifically, how it works, why it matters, and what it’s doing in public, our pews, pulpits, and, yes, even in our hearts. Together, they explore how absurdity shows up not just in comedy clubs, but in Scripture itself—from talking donkeys to over-the-top parables to the strange, beautiful tension of a crucified the resurrected King. They reflect on how laughter can be more than a punchline; it can be medicine, connection, release, and sometimes even a theological foretaste of hope. With sharp insight and a mutual love for the unexpected, Brad and Justin examine how comedy opens space for difficult conversations, diffuses defensiveness, and builds bridges across difference. They also talk about the power of shared experience (especially in a disembodied age), the art of sermon-crafting with a wink, and why Christians need laughter more than they might first think. If you’ve ever felt like faith and laughter are strange bedfellows, or wondered whether comedy might sometimes be a reverent response to living in the wildness of grace… Come for the jokes, stay for the theology. Or vice versa. We won’t judge. River City Church - https://www.rivcitychurch.com/ Brad Kidder’s ‘socials’: Instagram , Tik Tok