David Javerbaum’s An Act of God (2015) is a sharp-witted and irreverent exploration of faith, morality, and the nature of divinity itself. Unlike traditional spiritual dramas, which often focus on existential struggle and divine justice, this play offers a comedic, yet thought-provoking, perspective on religious beliefs. Presenting God as a humorous and self-aware character, An Act of God reimagines the Almighty as a figure who is ready to revise His teachings and engage in direct dialogue with humanity.
Rewriting the Commandments
The central premise of the play is simple: God, taking on human form (through the body of a charismatic actor), descends to Earth to deliver a message. His goal? To update the Ten Commandments for the modern world. This divine revision becomes the backbone of the play, allowing Javerbaum to explore contemporary moral dilemmas while poking fun at human interpretations of scripture.
Throughout history, religious texts have been subject to reinterpretation and revision, shaped by culture, time, and human understanding. The play cleverly engages with this reality, echoing the long-standing debates in theology about the fluidity of divine law. Figures like Moses and the prophets were seen as direct channels for divine updates, and even within Christianity, figures like Martin Luther and modern reformists have questioned and reshaped doctrine.
But in An Act of God, it is not prophets or theologians doing the revising—it is God Himself, with a sense of humour and exasperation over how humanity has misinterpreted His words. This playful engagement with scripture recalls traditions in Jewish Midrash, where rabbis debate and reinterpret texts in ways that keep them alive and relevant.
Humour as a Spiritual Tool
Comedy and religion have often had an uneasy relationship, with many traditions treating divine matters as too sacred to be laughed at. Yet humour has long been a part of spiritual teaching. The Taoist tradition, for example, uses paradoxes and absurdity to challenge rigid thinking, while Sufi mystics like Mulla Nasrudin teach wisdom through comedic storytelling. Even the Bible contains moments of irony and wit, particularly in Ecclesiastes and the Book of Job.
Javerbaum’s approach aligns with this tradition, using satire not to diminish faith but to challenge its more rigid and outdated elements. Through humour, An Act of God invites the audience to reflect on the contradictions in religious thought, the evolving nature of morality, and the limits of human understanding.
Theological Playfulness and Metaphysical Questions
Beneath its comedic surface, the play raises profound theological questions. If God exists, does He evolve? Can divine law be adjusted to suit the needs of a changing world? These are questions that have occupied theologians for centuries, particularly within progressive religious movements that advocate for reinterpretation of sacred texts.
The play also suggests that God is not an all-powerful dictator but a being who, like humanity, wrestles with the consequences of His own decisions. This idea finds echoes in Gnostic traditions, where the divine is not an infallible ruler but a figure engaged in its own process of learning and self-discovery.
A Modern Reflection on Faith
Ultimately, An Act of God is not an argument against faith but an invitation to engage with it more critically and personally. It suggests that belief should not be a rigid structure but an evolving dialogue between the divine and the human. The play’s lighthearted irreverence makes it accessible, but its deeper philosophical reflections ensure that it remains a meaningful contribution to discussions of spirituality.
In a world where faith is often presented in absolute terms, An Act of God reminds us that even the most sacred truths can benefit from a little revision, a little humour, and a willingness to ask difficult questions.
