Ted Swartz’s career path toward Mennonite ministry took an abrupt turn when he failed a Greek exegesis class with a score of 37 on the final exam. He discovered that his heart wasn’t in the pastoral ministry. Instead he wanted to write, act, and perform comedy.
Laughter Is Sacred Space: The Not-So Typical Journey of a Mennonite Actor details Swartz’s walk of defeat, victory, and tragedy. He met Lee Eshleman in 1987, and they formed the duo Ted & Lee TheaterWorks. Their comedy shows, many based on laughable and thought-provoking spins to familiar biblical stories, took the pair to 45 states and three foreign countries before Eshleman committed suicide in 2007.
Swartz’s book will make you laugh and cry. In it, you find God’s grace in strange but necessary places. (Herald Press)
About the Author
Paul Delger is a long time professional writer and inspirational speaker to young people and lives in Kanawha, Iowa.
