When the world is in chaos, talking about the value of stupidity may seem to make the situation worse. Still, there’s a certain kind of silliness that helps people stay grounded and balanced.
For Christians, today is the second Sunday after Epiphany, part of a season in which the revelation of Christ continues to defy common sense and we look forward to the Resurrection and Easter. The Feast of the Epiphany, also called Theophany in the Eastern Church, is the feast of the Epiphany, which is also called Theophany in the Eastern Church. The Feast of the Epiphany, also called Theophany in the Eastern Church of the East, marks the coming of Christ into the world through God’s proclamation at his baptism in the Jordan River.
By the standards we usually rely on, it makes little sense. (epiphany from Greek epiphaneiameans appearance or manifestation. Theophany in Greek Teosmeans God; Feinmeans to show or reveal. )
A seminary professor once told me about living among Tibetan Buddhists and learning how to cheerfully treat even the deepest truths with them. They call it “crazy wisdom.” He realized that as a Christian, he must abandon the idea that dialogue must always be solemn and strictly logical. That rigidity is a kind of cultural imperialism. Jokes and stories can become real dialogue. Jesus often interrupted the story to answer serious questions. Parables like the speck in your neighbor’s eye and the two-by-four in your own eye are extreme teachings true to the rhetoric of the time.
Perhaps people saw those images and laughed. If we weren’t too busy updating Jesus’ pronouns, we might too. It’s hard enough to engage in playful conversations like this when our time is already filled with silliness of a dark kind. The saying “If you want to be serious, tell a joke” is true.
Religion may have something to teach politics here. The Great Schism of 1054 split the Christian East and West, perhaps at the expense of the traditions that had kept this playful spirit alive in the West. In the Orthodox world, “holy fools” remained. Inspired by Paul’s words “fools of Christ,” these people were not only tolerated but respected.
in the 7th century Life of Abba Simeona monk is described as dragging a dead dog through the streets and throwing nuts at worshipers. Sometimes they were forced to crawl on all fours, beaten, and wandered around the market naked. His goal was to awaken people and challenge empty values, without seeking praise for himself. Simeon is a bit like Nietzsche’s madman who screams that God is dead while everyone else ignores what happened.
Western Christianity has its own version of this spirit of St. Francis. Legend has it that he renounced his wealth and stripped naked in the town square to follow “the naked Christ” until he was picked up by a bishop. He then introduced himself and his friends. Joculators Dominior the Lord’s Jester.
In interreligious conversations, this “mad wisdom” provides real insight. Even our best words can fall short of divine reality and seem almost ridiculous. It blurs the lines we hold dear, such as between the sacred and the profane, wisdom and foolishness, liberal and conservative. It refers to the union of opposites that mystics say, as if faith and unbelief were two sides of the same coin. Our binaries and polarization must be abolished.
The Holy Fool has long served as a mirror of society. In 1909, GK Chesterton, a stalwart champion of paradox and joy, advised his readers: trivial things Finding miracles in everyday life. This is the instinct of the holy fool who sees what others miss and acts crazy to awaken complacency. Isaiah’s warning that God’s thoughts are not ours stops us from assuming that God is in tune with our judgments. Jesus’ way is more than just a program we already support. It would have made more sense if he overthrew Rome, as many still hope to do.
Chesterton appreciated the Biblical idea that God chooses what the world deems foolish to challenge the wise, and what appears weak to astonish the strong. These words challenge our habit of imagining God in our own image. They leave us with a Christ who does not follow our plans and still calls his burden “light.” As Chesterton said, “Angels fly because they carry themselves lightly. Demons fall because of gravity.”
The season after Epiphany reveals God’s reign. It becomes visible through a life shaped not by force or certainty, but by compassion, humility, and hope. In a world where God is often absent and goodness seems naive, faith begins to look foolish. It takes a fool to believe in something that cannot be proven, it takes cynicism to tell the truth without throwing it around, and it takes stubborn honesty to call such foolish trust pious.
Epiphany gives us no guarantees. It’s just a light that some people miss and others foolishly chase. As one follower said to Jesus, “I believe. Help me with my unbelief.”
That’s fine.
notes and reading
fool for christ-useful overview. Not mentioned: Some Old Testament prophets foretold holy fools. Isaiah I walked around naked for three years. Ezekiel They slept next to stones and ate bread baked with dung. hosea Both literally and symbolically, Israel married “prostitutes” as a sign of their selfishness. Their shocking actions exposed Israel’s treachery and warned its people of what would happen if they did not turn back.
See also Holy Fools: The Lives of Twenty Fools for Christ (Kindle edition)—Oswin Craton (2024). Clayton (also known in music circles as John Clayton) is an Orthodox Christian writer and prolific composer of classical music. His work often bridges his commitment to the Orthodox faith and his artistic and historical background.
Great Schism of 1054 It formally split the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church over theological, political, and liturgical disputes, including the Filioque Clause and papal authority.
of The life of Abba Simeon the Fool (7th century) is a hagiographical document that describes Simeon of Emesa, a Syrian monk who adopted the role of holy fool in order to serve others while concealing his holiness through deliberately outrageous actions.
Friedrich Nietzsche—gay science (1882), section 125: “Madman” declares “God is dead” to an indifferent market.
deprivation of francis The Bishop of Assisi is mentioned in detail in early Franciscan sources, including the writings of Thomas of Cellano. The first life of Saint Francis (c. 1228).
Iocles Domini (Jester of the Lord) appears in the Franciscan tradition, but its exact origins are debated. These words reflect Francis’ understanding of joyful poverty and the witness of the Gospel.
GK Chesterton—A tremendous little thing. (1909), a collection of essays celebrating the wonders of everyday life. orthodox (1908), Chapter 7: “Eternal Revolution.”
References
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“My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, says the Lord.”—Isaiah 55:8-9.
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“But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and the weak things of the world to shame the strong.”—1 Corinthians 1:27.
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“We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are honored, but we are discredited.”—1 Corinthians 4:10.
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“Immediately, the child’s father cried out. ‘I believe; help me with my unbelief!—Mark 9:24.
When ideas hunt whales
Making a difference: Martin Luther King Day, January 19th
Approximately 2+2=5
Source: 2 + 2 = 5 – williamgreen.substack.com
