There Is No Humor in Heaven

Mark Twain and Religious Liberalism (Mark Twain and His Circle)

De: Dwayne E. Eutsey

Narrado por: Gary Roelofs

More than a century after his death in 1910, Mark Twain remains a lightning rod for controversy. The volatile views this iconic American author expressed in classics like Adventures of Huckleberry Finn continue to provoke heated debate among antagonistic culture-war factions. However, when citing his withering attacks on religion, believers and atheists alike are often united in concluding that Twain was either a mocking skeptic or a hostile atheist.

In There is No Humor in Heaven, Dwayne Eutsey challenges the persistent view of Twain as a hostile critic of religion by placing him within the prevailing liberal religious ethos of his time. Eutsey contends Twain’s vocation as a humorist was rooted in his frustrated youthful ambition to become a preacher of the Gospel. Throughout his life, his friendships with several influential liberal ministers, each of them espousing various forms of the era’s diverse progressive theology, informed not only Twain’s evolving religious worldview but his lecture performances and literary output.

There is No Humor in Heaven traces unconventional theological influences on Twain ranging from African-American spirituality, Freemasonry, and frontier Unitarianism to devout Liberal Christianity, radical Free Religion, and esoteric Hinduism. Drawing from Twain’s writings, documents, personal notes, and more, There is No Humor in Heaven offers listeners a radical re-examination of the spiritually creative vitality of a controversial literary giant.

The book is published by University of Missouri Press. The audiobook is published by University Press Audiobooks.

©2025 The Curators of the University of Missouri (P)2025 Redwood Audiobooks

Reseñas de la Crítica

"Dwayne Eutsey has clarified much.. soundly and eloquently..." (Steve Courtney, author of Joseph Hopkins Twichell)

“Significantly expands our understanding of Twain’s views regarding mankind’s relationship with the divine.” (Alan Gribben, Auburn University)

Exploring Liberal Theology using Mark Twain's Life

First off ... there is a ton of content here. Next, it was extremely interesting to see (compare/contrast) Mark Twain interact with the growing movement of Christian Liberal Theology ... using his life to even highlight a lot of how it was developing on the early American frontier. From a historical point of view, this really could be a classic. The delivery was difficult to slog through (kind of like a college lecture).

I was given this free advance review/listener copy (ARC) audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

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