Humour in the Beginning presents a multidisciplinary collection of fourteen in-depth case-studies on the role of humour - both benign and blasphemous, elitist and ordinary, orthodox and heterodox - in early, formative stages of Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism and (late-antique) Judaism. Its coherence is strengthened by four preceding theoretical essays, many cross-references and a conclusion. Thus, the volume allows for a methodologically sound comparison and explanation of historical views on humour in the world's most important religions. At first sight, the foundational period of...