Faith, Hope and Hilarity: The Funny Things Kids Say About Religion

by Dick Van Dyke

No dust cover as shown

Genres: Humor, Nonfiction, Comedy

122 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 1970

About the author

Dick Van Dyke, the star of Mary Poppins, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and The Dick Van Dyke Show, has received five Emmy awards, a Tony, and a Grammy. In 2013, he received the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award. He is also the bestselling author of My Lucky Life In and Out of Show Business. He lives in Malibu, California.

Reviews

[Lynette Lark · Rating 2 out of 5]

I always liked Dick Van Dyke as an actor, but as an entertaining author he should keep his day job.

To me this book was a self-serving bunch of mostly made-up anecdotes by children as young as two years old.

Van Dyke believes that Sunday school teachers should be as well trained as "regular public school teachers" and well-trained in child psychology. Of course he does!

While there are some very funny things that children had to say about God, the church, baptism, Communion, the Trinity, the passing of the money basket, and much more but most of it was totally unbelievable. Some of these little kids were speaking like little adults and the oldest speaker was eight!

This book is only 153 pages long and most pages were illustrated, yet it still took me a full week to read it. It was incredibly boring.

[Cathy Bryant · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this a few years ago. We had traveled to Kentucky for a funeral. My mother-in-law had this book on her shelf. It was a nice diversion from the sadness. Besides being quite humorous, it showed the faith of the author—one of my favorite comedians.

[George Shubin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A thoroughly enjoyable collection of children's views on the Bible and Christianity.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some cute stories, some bad theology...

[Peggy Howard · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book came from Dad’s bookshelves. He had marked several stories with red ink. One of his Sunday school class members must have given it to him.

[Jacob Jensen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this book! It made me crack up—kids are so awesome. This is one of those books that you can flip through when you need a pick me up.

[Kristi Drillien · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kind of a religious "Kids Say the Darndest Things," I found this old book at a thrift store and thought I'd give it a try, since I've always liked Dick Van Dyke. It's basically a collection of funny things kids think and say about various religious matters. Though the heavy focus is on Christianity/Catholicism, there are a few bits about kids in the Jewish faith as well. Van Dyke inserts his own thoughts about religion and its importance here and there, which I don't really know how to reconcile with what he says in his much-more-recent book, Keep Moving, that basically no one can really know the truth about God. He seems a lot more certain about the truth about God in this book. Though I question some of the theology in the book. Note, most of it is information "presented" by kids and not meant to present theology, but there are still some clear statements made. For example, the one that really baffled me, is the statement that a kid got a question wrong on a quiz when she answered that God created light first. Since He did create light first, I'm not sure how that could have been a wrong answer.

Van Dyke's personal faith aside, the book suffers from being out of date. Some references made are lost on me, due to not being around until over a decade after it was published (1970), and I found myself wishing he'd give just a little bit of context now and then. The topics of the stories are organized a little weirdly, and transitions are awkward. The illustrations Overall, it's a quick, amusing read, but nothing outstanding or hilarious and didn't age well.

[Becky · Rating 3 out of 5]

First sentence: I've always thought that kid humor is the funniest kind there is, because it's so honestly spontaneous and truly human.

Did you know Dick Van Dyke is a former Sunday School teacher? I didn't either. This book is a collection of kid stories that relate in one way or another--one degree or another--to religion and faith. Don't expect anything resembling theology or doctrine. These are just funny stories gathered together.

It has the vibes of a faith-themed America's Funniest Home Videos. Don't expect anything super amazing or life changing. A few stories did make me laugh out loud. (One a little girl was confused when her mom wanted her grandma to live to be very very very old when the little girl thought she should just ask Jesus to make Grandma younger and younger.) A few of these are misheard lyrics of hymns and Christmas carols.

[Nicolas · Rating 2 out of 5]

As much as I love Dick van Dyke (and I really do), this probably isn't worth the time. These kind of collections don't usually have legs and the constant reference to 1970's minutia is the nail in the coffin. Pick up My Lucky Life or Keep Moving instead.

[Toni Wyatt · Rating 3 out of 5]

A somewhat humorous view of a child's opinion of religion. Not as funny or as clever as I had expected, although I do love Dick Van Dyke.

[Kirk Weikart · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quotes and stories from children's experiences at church. A bit dated, but still enjoyable.

[Sparrow12 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed it very much., I will send it to Bubbles.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very cute. I loved the stories and Dick Van Dyke's introduction to each chapter. I particularly loved the Kindergarten Concordance at the end of the book. Some of those definitions make a lot more sense than the definitions I was told during my life (college included). A nice, short, humorous read. Gotta love those kids.

[Rick Ludwig · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a cute book for parents relating logical misunderstandings of unfamiliar biblical terms. A quick read that left me with a smile.

[Richard R · Rating 4 out of 5]

In making a good sermon, make up a good beginning, make up a good ending. Bring these two as close together as you can.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Old fashioned humor. Good for a chuckle or two.