[tim]

In a certain sense, I think that the link between clowns, historically, and religion can be made to a certain extent as clowns were often the jokers taking the fall for teaching an uncomfortable truth. Roly Bain relates Jesus Christ to a certain type of clown figure, for instance.

But the larger strain of "clown ministry" is something which began in the United States in recent decades. Basically, (and I forget the name of the person who is credited with being it's primary instigator, unfortunately) the concept is that a clown (or children's entertainer) can sometimes help to communicate a message and offer instruction in a way that an average teacher might not be able to do. For the clown breaks down barriers and invites one into a certain foolishness of play.

There are many people nowadays, especially in the US, who have either gotten into clowning through this outlet of expression or who are sincere and devout Christians that wish to express something of their faith through clowning. It is said that, in clowning, one needs to be almost grotesquely honest, exposing yourself for who you are in all your messiness and positive factors. Your clown is, plainly, an extension - a charicature - of yourself. So if someone's life is significantly based around their faith, it is only natural for this to make it, too, into some expression of their clowning.

It does seem, sometimes, that there are a disproportionate number of clowns who are religious or in Church based ministry. But, I suppose that this is really more a matter of "likes attracting." If you look in some areas of clowning, you may find people who have no faith affiliation, whatsoever, and find it odd that anyone in clowning would.

But, yes, I do think that there is on some greater level an almost spiritual sense which the clown has to offer. For it is, ultimately, both an outsider yet everyman; taking on humanity's burden and pointing us to something higher than our fallen selves. It takes a special kind of person to do that; someone who has a sensibility of greater things, one who is empathetic, self sacrificing, loves people at the core, and is very giving.

If nothing else, it is an inately human endeavor. And, since Christianity is a belief system where the human and divine intersect, it is understandable why there would be so many Christian faith based clowns.