I think you would have to agree that any humorist writes from an authos of joy. Their purpose is to bring joy to their reader through humor and jollity. Bret Harte and Mark Twain most readily come to mind (barring the modern exclusively comedic writers), but I would say that even satirists like Pope (and maybe Swift) are writing from an authos of joy. These men all have something deeper to convey than just a good chuckle, but the primary tool they use to convey their message is humor, whether subtle or otherwise. Its hard to write a humorous story if your own disposition is not joyful.

Your post just makes me embarrassed for not having read too much of any value, but I’d say there’s much joy to be found in Tolkien’s stuff. Not really of the glib variety, but more of an honest and optimistic assessment of truth. Joy without a little bit of dread is naive, I think.

Jam, does this mean if I use authos in scrabble you won’t challenge me? I somewhat accept your statement about humorists, but are not many more cynical than joyful? Not all have the bitterness of Ambrose Bierce, but is wry satire really joy?

joy is innocent

Dostoevsky and Tolstoy had me high on life.

I concur with Jeremiah. I love Twain. His wit was perfect.

I think Sarah’s got it. The joy you’re talking about, Thanel, sounds innocent and naive. Nobody who is learned/experienced enough to write something worth reading and talking about can have that kind of joy. As for other kinds of joy, doesn’t anyone who en-JOY-s writing really write from joy?

I don’t think joy is innocent and naive exactly, to clarify. I think it’s when you can forget yourself and all the problems, contradictions and doubts that come bundled up in that identity. Joy has a short memory span and isn’t able to recall much beyond the moment which is why it is so powerful. (Which is, why, I suppose, Christ and The Apostles talk so much of joy. When one is totally wrapped up in the Lord’s service it’s hard to think about much outside the moment.) It’s alot easier to think of perfect moments in life, isn’t it? The other night when Evelyn was running around like a lunatic in the Destin Common fountains, that was a pefect moment.

She just hit a bunch of buttons on the phone and I heard an un-automated voice emanating from it. Uh oh.

Do you think that angels who have never experienced sin and redemption first hand will experience joy in the same way that we do in heaven? To the same depth? That is to say, I think some of the purest moments of joy I have felt have only been possible because of, and directly related to, pain experienced in the past. It is the comparison of the two and in part the thankfulness of the non-experience of that pain that makes the joy so wonderful. On the other hand, God experiences pure joy without the experience of pain. But perhaps that is part of His Godhood. What think ye?

Scripture tells us that there is great rejoicing in heaven over one soul that is saved! I believe the angels do rejoice… with Joy!

I also believe that we too, experience Joy! In many and different ways. But the truest and purest joy we can ever experience is related to our life in Christ. The realization that our sin has been so completely covered by the blood of the Lamb, should be our path to true joy!

As to how we express our joy, or how it is manifest in our lives, or as in Nathanael’s question, “Do you, Dear and Gentle Reader, know any writer whose authos is defined by joy?” I would have to say…

That is a goal we all, as believers need to attain to. That our thoughts, what we say, what we do… all reflect what has been done for us!

Joyously yours,

Dad Jones
(One who is very unworthy of the price that was paid… yet very thankful, and in turn very joyful, that is was done!)

Blessing to all!

In that case, it seems that any author who holds an optimistic view of life, the world, and what lies beyond (whether he be Christian or not) is writing from an authos of joy. Or, does the Christian author have to be experiencing a mountaintop moment in order to be writing from an authos of joy? Is metaphysical hopefulness equally joyful as momentary euphoric joy? I would say that the joy experienced in the moment when Evelyn is being unforgettably precious is similar to the joy realized throughout a lifetime of reflection on the boundless grace of God; they both tap into the same wellstream of contented, somewhat bittersweet, but “perfect” emotion; the one is just more temporally concentrated than the other. Now I am getting that feeling just knowing that I am going to see kids and the rest of the family tonight.

I also think that the purest joy is felt when a “good” moment is contrasted against all of the pain and sorrow that we could be feeling instead (whether or not this contrast is made consciously, I think it is always realized). The Evelyn experience was probably made all the more joyous because of the absence of any past pain connected with her (i.e., midnight feedings and the ‘diaper brown ale’ incident) but also because of the absence of the pain that will come in relation to her in the future (the terrible twos, the rebellious teens, or the possibility that she could steal your credit card when she’s 18 and go on a blackjack spree in Biloxi).

All of these comments were very helpful to me. I’ve been working on a few essays on Peru and I seem to be held back by some feeling that I must be negative about the situation here. Really, writing about needs can be done with joy if the intention is to work to meet those needs and the knowledge that there is a Higher Power who is not limited in the ways we are to accomplishing all that must be accomplished.

being young i can’t speak with much experience, but i think that maybe (’lasting, deep?’) joy is something that’s only possible in the grace of God. maybe mourning and joy are related, not by the contrast alone, but also by something else essential that i can’t quite pinpoint. it’s almost that certain kinds of joy/mourning seem to be only possible (or ‘right?’) in the context of assurance of salvation. basically i’m just repeating what i understood caleb and ‘dad jones’ to have said, but this is a very interesting conversation/post and i couldn’t resist the temptation to comment. plus, i have encountered many joyful writers - especially Marilynne Robinson in ‘Gilead.’