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"If Jesus Played Video Games, He Would Be a
God!" : a Look at Gaming Culture $rough the
Eyes of a Christian--and a Look at Christian
Culture $rough the Eyes of a Gamer
Paul Curtis Adams
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“IF JESUS PLAYED VIDEO GAMES, HE WOULD BE A GOD!”
A LOOK AT GAMING CULTURE THROUGH THE EYES OF A CHRISTIAN —
AND A LOOK AT CHRISTIAN CULTURE THROUGH THE EYES OF A GAMER
by
PAUL CURTIS ADAMS
A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of
Luther Seminary
In Partial Fulfillment of
The Requirements for the Degree of
MASTER OF ARTS
THESIS ADVISER: JACK FORTIN
ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA
2007
This thesis may be duplicated.
ii
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I would like to thank my wife, Michelle, for all of her support during this project.
She played many video games late into the night for the sake of this writing, and her
observations were an invaluable contribution to the completion of this work.
iii
PREFACE
All Biblical quotations in this writing are from the New Revised Standard Edition
of the Bible (NRSV), unless otherwise indicated.
iv
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ............................................................................................. iii
PREFACE ...................................................................................................................... iv
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ...................................................................................... viii
Chapter
1. INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................... 1
A Brief Overview of Video Game Studies ......................................................... 3
Historical Considerations ................................................................................... 4
The Rise of Personal Computer (PC) Gaming ............................................. 6
Technological Advances ............................................................................. 7
The Internet and Multiplayer Gaming ......................................................... 9
2. THE IMPACT OF THE VIDEO GAME INDUSTRY ............................................ 11
Video Games: A Way of Life .......................................................................... 13
Age and Gender Considerations ................................................................ 14
Is There Enough Time to be a Christian and Play Video Games? .............. 15
Video Games and Human Relationships ................................................... 16
3. VIDEO GAMES: GOOD OR BAD?
Video Game Ethics: A Wesleyan Perspective .................................................. 19
Scientific and Social Perspectives .................................................................... 24
4. THE RESPONSE OF THE CHURCH TO VIDEO GAMES ................................... 27
The Current Response of the Church ................................................................ 27
The Inadequacy of the Church‟s Current Response .......................................... 28
The Church‟s Unwillingness to Recognize Gaming Culture ...................... 28
Inconsistency in the Church‟s Treatment of Video Games ........................ 31
The Church‟s Denial of the Full Challenge of Culture ............................... 34
The Challenge to the Church in a Technological Era ........................................ 36
v
5. COMPARING “AGE OF EMPIRES 2” AND “WORLD OF WARCRAFT” .......... 38
An Introduction to, and Comparison of, Both Video Games ............................. 39
“Age of Empires 2” ......................................................................................... 40
The Monk in “Age of Empires 2” ............................................................. 41
The Monk‟s Healing Ability .............................................................. 42
The Monk‟s Relic Gathering Ability .................................................. 44
The Monk‟s Conversion Ability ......................................................... 47
The Use of Theological Language in “Age of Empires 2” ......................... 51
The Sanctity, Atonement, and Redemption Technologies ................... 51
Reflections on Theological Language in “Age of Empires 2” ............. 53
Comparing Theological Language and Theological Content........ 54
“Age of Empires 2”: Summary and Conclusions ....................................... 55
“World of Warcraft” ........................................................................................ 57
The “Light” in “World of Warcraft”.......................................................... 58
The Paladin in “World of Warcraft” .......................................................... 60
The Paladin: Christian Language and Symbolism............................... 62
The Use of Language in the Paladin‟s Lay on Hands Skill ................. 63
Inconsistent Use of Language, and Hostility towards Christianity ...... 64
A Postmodern/Relativist, Young White Male Theology for Sale ............... 65
6. THE PRIEST IN ROLE-PLAYING VIDEO GAMES ............................................ 67
The Origins of Priest Weapon Restrictions in Video Games ............................. 67
One Theory Explaining Priest Weapon Restrictions ......................................... 68
Historical Practices of Priests of the Middle Ages in War Situations ................ 69
The Convergence of History with the Needs of Game Designers...................... 71
7. OTHER EXAMPLES OF THEOLOGY IN VIDEO GAMES ................................. 72
The Theology of “Galactic Civilizations” ........................................................ 72
The Theology of “Rise of Nations” .................................................................. 73
The Theology of “Civilization IV” ................................................................... 73
vi
8. IMPLICATIONS FOR MINISTRY IN THE HOME .............................................. 75
Redefining Ministry to Include the Home ........................................................ 75
Redefining Ministry: The missio Dei......................................................... 76
Redefining Ministry: Martin Luther .......................................................... 77
Five Principles for Using Video Games in Faith Formation.............................. 79
Faith is Formed through Personal, Trusted Relationships .......................... 79
The Church is a Living Partnership between Home and Congregation ...... 81
Where Christ is Present in Faith, the Home is Church, Too ....................... 83
Faith is Caught More Than it is Taught ..................................................... 84
It Takes Christian Parents and Other Adults to Raise Christian Youth ....... 85
Final Reflections .............................................................................................. 87
BIBLIOGRAPHY ......................................................................................................... 89
vii
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS
AD&D “Advanced Dungeons and Dragons” (role-playing game)
AoE2 “Age of Empires 2” (Microsoft Corporation video game)
MMORPG Massive Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game
PC Personal computer
RPG Role-playing game
RTS Real-time strategy game
WoW “World of Warcraft” (Blizzard Entertainment video game)
1
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
A central task of the church—the work of communicating the gospel to the
surrounding culture—is becoming a more complicated endeavor. In this post-
Christendom age, video games have become a dominant source of entertainment in
Western culture. Many video game designers borrow and repackage Christian language
and symbolism, using this altered content for the sake of selling their product. The
process of modifying Christian theological concepts to the parameters demanded by
video game designers often results in an unorthodox distortion of the original concepts. In
order for Christians to share the gospel effectively in this postmodern world, the church
must reclaim and restate the truth of the Christian message in a form that has meaning for
people that are more strongly influenced by entertainment than theology.
The purpose of this writing is threefold: 1) to investigate the developing
relationship between Christianity and video games, 2) to examine a number of popular
video game titles to see how game developers use Christianity for entertainment
purposes, and 3) to discern what the church might learn from video games about the
realities of existing in a 21
st
-century, Western, postmodern, technological context.
For the purpose of this study, most of the specific video games that will be
examined will be “PC” (personal computer) games
1
. This is for the simple reason that all
1
The term PC typically refers to the computer system historically developed by International
Business Machines and made popular through the development of Microsoft Windows. However, for the
2
2
PCs have a keyboard. A keyboard—quite obviously—allows the computer user to
communicate through words, phrases, and sentences. “Console” game systems, such as
the gaming platforms made by Nintendo and Sony, do not use a keyboard for input.
Instead, they use a special controller that is used to direct the action on the screen. These
generic input devices are excellent at things like controlling movement, but are quite poor
at writing text.
A user that can interact with a video game using language can express more
subtlety and complexity than a user that is forced to interact with a game using a
proprietary controller with only a few buttons on it. Because of this, PC video game
developers have historically created games with more depth than their console gaming
counterparts.
2
Console game developers have tended to focus their attention more on
action and less on interactive storytelling.
Because of this fact, PC video game developers have done a better job of
integrating ideas from the surrounding culture into their games than their console
counterparts. Therefore, they are better suited for the type of theological study proposed
by this writing.
3
purposes of this writing, Apple/Macintosh/iMac computers will also be considered PCs. Games developed
for Windows and Apple/Macintosh/iMac systems have, for the most part, been duplicates of one another.
2
This statement is not exclusively true, for some console games have wonderfully interactive
worlds that are excellent at communicating complex ideas, while some PC games have little depth.
However, PC games developers have generally been more successful in this aspect of game design. In very
recent history, the differentiation between PC and console games has lessened, though PC games
developers still do a better job at creating depth in their design processes.
3
A theological study of the relationship between Christianity and console games would be a
worthy project to undertake, though the conclusions drawn from it would likely be more generalized (due
to the preference of images and action over words in console gaming) than the results presented in this
writing.
3
3
A Brief Overview of Video Game Studies
The idea of the academic study of video games is a relatively new one, even
considering the short history of electronic gaming. “Pong”, a basic tennis game that is
celebrated as being the first video game available to be played on a console system in the
home, was released in 1972. Yet, it took about thirty more years before the first major
scholarly journal was established that exclusively focused on video games.
Game Studies: The International Journal of Computer Game Research was first
published in 2001, describing itself as “a cross-disciplinary journal dedicated to games
research...our primary focus is aesthetic, cultural, and communicative aspects of
computer games.”
4
Professional associations have also formed around the topic of video
game study, such as the Digital Games Research Association.
5
They act as networks for
academics, game developers, and policy makers to explore the implications of video
games in culture, though the emergence of these associations has also been a recent
phenomenon.
A survey of journals and associations dedicated to the field of game studies
reveals a limitation in the scope of their work. Academics, particularly in the fields of
psychology, sociology, and cultural studies, are well represented. Professionals that make
their living through the gaming industry, such as business executives, also participate in
these discussions (though to a lesser degree than the academics). Educators on all levels,
4
Espen Aarseth, Game Studies: The International Journal of Computer Game Research: Our
Mission, par. 2-3, http://www.gamestudies.org (accessed January 16, 2007)
5
Frans Mäyrä, Digital Games Research Association, http://www.digra.org (accessed January 16,
2007)
4
4
seeking to find ways to integrate the popularity of video games with the process of
teaching and learning, have also played a significant role.
Theologians, though, are nowhere to be found in the discussion. It is very likely
that they have simply considered video games, being a form of entertainment, as a subject
that is unworthy of critical theological study. Though the Christian church has often been
quick to respond to social concerns, such as the care of the poor, sick, and needy, it has
often been slow to respond to the trends of social culture in recent history. This writing
seeks to bring an informed Christian theological viewpoint to the emerging field of video
game studies.
Historical Considerations
The first video games were, by today‟s standards, basic and crude. Yet, these
early games had enduring appeal. One example is “Combat”, which was packaged along
with one of the first major console gaming systems (the Atari Video Computer System).
Released in 1977, “Combat” became very popular among gamers because of its
revolutionary two-player feature, which put two humans in direct competition with each
other.
6
Console systems from pioneering gaming companies like Atari and Nintendo
provided a new form of family entertainment in the home. While they functioned as a
form of family play that sometimes brought people closer together,
7
these early games
cannot be said to have had any significant cultural impact on the people that played them.
6
Nick Montfort, “Combat in Context,” Game Studies: The International Journal of Computer
Game Research (Volume 6, Issue 1, 2006): Creating Context—For Two Players,
http://gamestudies.org/0601/articles/montfort (accessed January 17, 2007)
7
E. Mitchell, “The Dynamics of Family Interaction Around Home Video Games,” Marriage and
Family Review 8 (Special Issue: Personal Computers and the Family, 1985): 121-135.
5
5
They simply didn‟t have a high enough level of complexity to communicate a story or a
message of substance to the player. Consequently, these games didn‟t have any real
connection to reality. If they did resemble reality in some small way, they required a
work of incredible imagination on the part of the game player in order to make a
connection from the game to concepts in daily life.
One such work of imagination was published in The Christian Century by a
Methodist pastor, John Robert McFarland, in 1982. Mr. McFarland, writing about the
popular video game “Pac-Man”, wondered about the significance of the game. Pac-Man
is a game that involves one large circle eating smaller circles, while being chased by
square blocks (“ghosts”) in a maze.
Using an allegorical analysis, in the same way that the early church often read the
Bible, he made this claim:
“[Pac-Man] is based on the Christian understanding of life…Pac-Man is based on
the biblical narrative, its story the same one Jesus told in a different way. Pac-
Man is existence, captured in the bleeps and blips of the electronic board. It is, in
short, life…Pac-Man is the story of life as we hear it in the Judeo-Christian
tradition…it is the most thoroughly theological of all the video games.”
8
While Mr. McFarland certainly gets points for using a video game as an
inspiration for a written sermon, it is virtually impossible to believe his claims that Pac-
Man has any basis in the Christian tradition at all. Gaming technology in 1982 wasn‟t
capable of communicating any message of substance, much less of telling the story of the
Christian tradition as Mr. McFarland claimed. Yet, despite its obvious flaws, his article
stands as one of the first published theological reflections on video games.
8
John Robert McFarland, “The Theology of Pac-Man,” The Christian Century (September 29,
1982): par. 16, 26, http://www.religion-online.org/showarticle.asp?title=1341 (accessed January 17, 2007)
6
6
The Rise of Personal Computer (PC) Gaming
Console game systems, like those of Atari and Nintendo, have traditionally
focused on games featuring action and direct competition. They ultimately sought to
emulate the experience that game players had in an arcade (a shop full of technologically
advanced, pay-per-play video games), but to bring that experience into the home.
However, personal computers (PCs) were charting a different path to bring gaming
entertainment to the home.
Personal computers were initially valued by home users for their word processing
and productivity software, such Microsoft “Works” or its Macintosh counterpart,
“AppleWorks”. Video games were played on PCs, but they were a secondary function of
the machine. Until the mid-1980s, most PC games copied the form and style of console
games, but were of generally lower quality because home computers were not being
primarily designed and marketed with gaming in mind.
All this began to change in the mid 1980s with the development of gaming genres
specific to PCs. The presence of a keyboard inspired game developers to design PC
games with interactive storylines, like Richard Garriott‟s “Ultima” series
9
or the “Quest
for Glory”
10
series from Sierra Entertainment. A player could input words or phrases with
the keyboard to interact with virtual characters in the game. This was a significant
departure from console gaming, which encouraged combative competition, rather than
conversation.
9
Some titles in the Ultima series were later sold on non-PC gaming platforms, but the entire series
was initially designed for the PC, and only the PC was able to play each and every title in the Ultima series.
10
The “Quest for Glory” series was initially released as the “Hero‟s Quest” series, but the title was
changed prior to the release of the third game of the set after a copyright dispute.
7
7
With these games, and others like them, the concept of the computer “role-playing
game” (or RPG) became a dominant form in video gaming. A role-playing game casts the
player in the role of a heroic figure that must go on a fantastic journey to save the world
from evil. Role-playing games are not unique to computers, as can be seen by looking at
the highly influential pen-and-paper “Dungeons and Dragons” series. However, it was on
the personal computer that role-playing games became a dominant form of interactive
entertainment.
Technological Advances
Technological advances in computer technology also contributed to the rise of the
personal computer as a gaming platform. Back in 1965, the co-founder of the Intel
Corporation, Gordon Moore, made a bold prediction now known as “Moore‟s Law”.
Moore‟s Law states that the number of transistors
11
on a computer microprocessor will
double about every two years.
12
Moore‟s Law has generally proved to be true. While the first microprocessor had
only 2,200 transistors, computers available to home users in the early 21
st
century now
include as many as 1,000,000,000 (one billion) transistors on the central processing
unit.
13
People designing video games in the early 21
st
century have at least a thousand
times more processing power to work with than Richard Garriott did when he was
working on his groundbreaking “Ultima” game series (when personal computers had
microprocessors containing between 500,000 and 1,000,000 transistors).
11
A transistor is a switch that acts as the basic building block of computer circuitry.
12
Intel Corporation. “Moore‟s Law, The Future,” Technology and Research at Intel: par. 2.
http://www.intel.com/technology/mooreslaw/index.htm (accessed January 17, 2007)
13
Ibid., par. 1.
8
8
Similar rates of technological progress have taken place in computer components
like graphics boards, sound cards, and hard disk drives. Game developers are now
capable of designing games with photo-realistic graphics and video, world-class sound
and music, and storylines with as much (or more) depth than movies, books, or theater.
Contemporary video games can feature hundreds, or thousands, of hours of play in a
single game. It may be helpful to bring a theological perspective to these developments at
this point.
It is interesting to note a word that is commonly used to describe contemporary
video games: “immersive”, referring to the idea of submerging an object in water.
Technology, especially in sound and video, has progressed to the point that humans can
now feel that they are fully immersed in a game. Video games are so effectively designed
to be attractive to the human brain that many players feel that they “exist within the
game”; they feel completely surrounded and supported by the game itself.
The Christian tradition (the Baptist church, most prominently) also uses the
language of immersion to describe our baptism through water into the death, life, and
resurrection of Jesus Christ. Christians openly state that it is Christ who surrounds and
supports us. This raises a theological question for the technological age: how can a
Christian explain to another person what it means to be “immersed” in the waters of
baptism, when the video game industry can so fully immerse us in video, sound, and
story through the use of a few electronic devices?
The rise of technology is bringing up questions for Christian identity that were not
an issue in previous centuries. Experts in the field of church conflict resolution note that
9
9
since “we are in a time of great change,”
14
these kinds of questions are not all that
surprising. However, the rate of technological change in the video game industry that has
led to the development of fully immersive video games may surprise those who do not
follow the gaming world closely.
The Internet and Multiplayer Gaming
Aside from the exponential increase in the capability of computer components,
the single most influential factor in the rise of PC gaming has been the emergence of the
Internet. While it has been possible for home users to play games over a modem or
network connection since the early 1990s, it was the development of broadband Internet
connections at the end of the 1990s that fundamentally changed the way that video games
are created and played.
15
Instead of an industry devoted to creating single-player games
with multiplayer elements, PC video game developers began to create multiplayer games
with single-player elements.
Today, virtually all popular PC games include multiplayer capability over a
broadband internet connection.
16
Some games, such as Blizzard Entertainment‟s “World
of Warcraft” and Mythic Entertainment‟s “Dark Age of Camelot” actually require such a
connection in order to play. These special role-playing games, known as Massive
Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games (MMORPGs), will be considered in more detail
14
Gilbert R. Rendle, Leading Change in the Congregation: Spiritual and Organizational Tools for
Leaders (Herndon, Virginia: Alban Institute, 1998), 3.
15
Broadband internet connections, such as coaxial cable internet, digital subscriber lines (DSL), or
satellite internet links can offer consistent connection speeds of hundreds, or thousands, of kilobits per
second. The fastest dial-up, phone line modem has a maximum speed of 56 kilobits per second, though
historically, most dial-up modems had a speed of 14.4 or 28.8 kilobits per second.
16
While PCs took advantage of Internet gaming from the very beginning, it took nearly ten years
before console game manufacturers began to include Internet gaming capabilities in their systems.
10
10
later in this writing. Popular PC games that do not include broadband internet play, like
Stardock‟s “Galactic Civilizations” series, are quite rare. These single-player games are
considered anachronistic by many game players, although they still have some appeal.
Broadband internet is now at the point where a customer can instantly purchase a
game title online, download it to their computer, and be playing it within minutes. The
Internet is slowly making the idea of going to the store to purchase a game an
unnecessary practice. Whether it is in a traditional store or online, though, it is clear that
the video game industry is selling incredible numbers of games to consumers.
11
CHAPTER 2
THE IMPACT OF THE VIDEO GAME INDUSTRY
1
The video game industry sells about 250 million video game titles each year,
2
which equates to $7.4 billion in game sales.
3
When the sale of console gaming systems
and accessories are factored in, the sales figures rise to $13.5 billion.
4
Total sales have
nearly tripled since 1997.
5
Some people estimate that the worldwide gaming industry
generates $30 billion each year.
6
It may be surprising to some that the video game industry now rivals—or perhaps
surpasses—the movie industry in sales. Movie ticket sales, which bring in approximately
$9 billion in box office receipts annually, have not increased for the last several years.
7
1
Unless otherwise specified, all statistics quoted in this writing only apply to the United States.
2
Entertainment Software Association. “Facts and Research [2006]: Sales and Genre Data,”
TheESA.com, 2007, http://www.theesa.com/facts/sales_genre_data.php (accessed January 18, 2007)
3
David M. Riley, “2006 U.S. Video Game Retail Sales Reach $13.5 Billion Exceeding Previous
Record Set in 2002 By Over $1.7 Billion,” NPD.com, January 19, 2007,
http://www.npd.com/press/releases/press_070119.html (accessed January 27, 2007)
4
Ibid.
5
Dora Radwick and Sean P. Dolan, “First Quarter 2002 Video Games Fact Sheet,” NPD.com,
May 20, 2002, http://www.npd.com/press/releases/press_020520.htm (accessed January 27, 2007)
6
Darren Waters, “Game On For Console Conflict,” BBCNews.com, November 9, 2006,
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/6132358.stm (accessed January 18, 2007)
7
Motion Picture Association of America. “U.S. Theatrical Market: 2005 Statistics,” MPAA.com,
March 9, 2006, http://www.mpaa.org/2005%20Theatrical%20Market%20Statistics%20Report.pdf
(accessed January 18, 2007)
12
12
Pastors and teachers have long recognized the value of using movies to open
theological discussions in sermons and classes alike. Now that the video game industry is
rapidly surpassing the movie industry in terms of financial impact, perhaps it is time for
church leaders to study them for their theological significance as well. After all, video
games are becoming more and more visible to the general public as time goes by.
It is becoming increasingly common for specific video game titles to be
advertised on television, during the preview time before movies shown in theaters, and to
be the focus of mainstream news reporting. Major television networks now feature video
game award shows in the style of the Emmy or Grammy awards.
8
The incredibly popular
MMORPG “World of Warcraft” was even the subject of a weeklong comic strip parody
in newspapers across the United States.
9
The general public is becoming more and more involved in video games each
year, even though doing so can be a significant financial investment. A PC can range in
cost from $500-2000, a console game system can cost up to $500, and a single game title
can cost up to $70. In addition, games played online often charge a monthly subscription
fee of up to $20. Yet, as rising sales numbers indicate
10
, more and more households are
making video games a priority when it comes to their expendable income. The impact of
video games on households can also be seen in the way in which people are choosing to
spend their free time.
8
Viacom International, Spike TV 2006 Video Game Awards, 2006,
http://www.spiketv.com/#/events/vga2006/index.jhtml (accessed January 27, 2007)
9
Bill Amend, “Foxtrot‟s Bill Amend Discusses World of Warcraft with Allakhazam,”
Allakhazam.com, February 28, 2005, http://wow.allakhazam.com/news/sdetail5190.html?story=5190
(accessed January 18, 2007)
10
Entertainment Software Association. “Facts and Research [2006]: Sales and Genre Data”.
13
13
Video Games: A Way of Life
Today, video games are not just an isolated form of entertainment for people
living in the United States—they are a way of life. The average 25-year old has spent
10,000 hours playing video games over the course of their lives.
11
Sixty-nine percent of
“heads of households” in the United States play video games.
12
Some skilled gamers even play video games as a primary source of employment.
Organizations like the Cyberathlete Professional League sponsor tournaments where
dedicated gamers can compete for large cash prizes.
13
The idea that adults would play
video games as a source of income is inconceivable to some people, especially given the
widespread assumption that video games are primarily a form of entertainment for youth.
Statistics do back up the assumption that youth are connecting strongly with video
games. Among boys between the ages of five and twelve, more time is spent playing
video games than playing with all other toys.
14
Teenagers believe that playing a video
game is a more meaningful way of spending their time than watching television,
15
and
11
Ned Potter, “Video Game Makers Get a „C‟ For Effort, Critics Say,” ABCNews.com, November
23, 2004, http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/story?id=277677&page=1 (accessed November 23, 2004)
12
Entertainment Software Association, “Facts and Research [2006]: Game Player Data,”
TheESA.com, 2007, http://www.theesa.com/facts/gamer_data.php (accessed January 18, 2007)
13
Angel Munoz, “CPL Background History”, TheCPL.com, 2007, http://www.thecpl.com/league/
(accessed January 18, 2007)
14
Reuters, “Kids Prefer Video Games Over TV, Toys,” CNN.com, October 27, 2004,
http://www.cnn.com/2004/TECH/fun.games/10/27/media.videogames.reut/index.html (accessed November
23, 2004)
15
Ibid.
14
14
more than half of teenage “gamers” (people who play video games) learn about popular
new music groups by playing video games.
16
Age and Gender Considerations
Yet, the perception that video games are something that only youths participate in
is completely false. The average age of a gamer in 2006 was 33 years of age, and 25% of
all gamers are over the age of 50.
17
Gaming has been possible for nearly four decades in the home. This means that
the generation that grew up playing the first home gaming systems is old enough to have
grandchildren. People that played the first home video games as adults are old enough to
have great-grandchildren. This goes a long way towards explaining the fact that video
games are played by people of virtually every age group in Western society.
As the age statistics quoted above indicate, people are not necessarily giving up
gaming as they get older. Within the next generation, the statistics will show that will that
every age demographic will have had first-hand experience with playing video games as
children (even though not all individuals will necessarily be interested in, or have access
to, video games).
Another common perception to investigate is the assumption that more males play
video games than females, and that they play more often. While the 2006 ratio of gamers
16
People who have not followed the world of video games in recent years may be unaware of the
implications of technological development on music. Today, it is becoming increasingly common for a
game developer to use popular bands as the music for a game, rather than the traditional computer-
synthesized soundtrack. This has gone so far that video games can be a significant source of revenue and
marketing for up-and-coming musical acts, as well as established groups.
17
Entertainment Software Association. “2006 Sales, Demographic, and Research Data: Essential
Facts About the Computer and Video Game Industry,” TheESA.com, 2007,
http://www.theesa.com/archives/files/Essential%20Facts%202006.pdf (accessed January 18, 2007)
15
15
was 62% male to 38% female, males and females both play about the same amount of
time each week—an average of 7.5 hours, according to the Entertainment Software
Association.
18
Is There Enough Time to Be A Christian and Play Video Games?
This average figure of 7.5 hours/week could actually be much higher than the
statistics seem to indicate. This may be the case, because the figure of 7.5 hours/week
also takes into account the 31% of “heads of households” that say that they do not play
any video games. It can be estimated that people who actually play video games may be
spending up to 10 or 11 hours per week doing so. When we consider these figures in
relationship to the amount of time that the average Christian spends being involved in
faith-based activities, the discrepancy is immediately apparent.
19
Even if a Christian attended a two-hour worship service, one hour of Christian
education before or after worship, volunteered for an hour in an outreach ministry to the
community, participated in a small Bible study group in a home for two hours, went to an
hour of music rehearsal, and spent an hour in committee meetings each and every week,
they would “only” be averaging eight hours of overtly Christian activities. Any
congregational pastor would be hard-pressed to identify a non-staff member of their
church involved to this degree. If they could identify such a person, they would likely be
concerned about that person becoming “burned out” from having too many commitments.
18
Entertainment Software Association, “Facts and Research [2006]: Game Player Data”. Men
average 7.6 hours per week, while women average 7.4 hours per week.
19
For the purpose of this writing, “faith-based activities” is intended to be an inclusive, broadly
defined term. It is meant to encompass any activity or event whose basic purpose is the formation of
Christian disciples—and/or is working to participate in God‟s mission in the world—through the love of
God and neighbor in the way that Jesus taught the first disciples.
16
16
Pastors, theologians, and educators using the doctrine of vocation and the concept
of “ministry in daily life” might argue that one‟s entire life could be considered ministry.
Living out the Christian calling to love God and to love neighbor can happen in our
homes, in our workplaces, in our communities, and in our congregations. We will
consider the relationship between video games and a Christian‟s calling to ministry in the
home later in this writing. For now, it is important to point out the fact that Christians in
the Western world still primarily—or only—engage their faith during an hour of weekly
community worship time.
The point here is not to claim that the ideal Christian disciple is one who neglects
to take time for rest and entertainment (such as video games) in order to be involved in
every possible church and community activity. The argument being made here is that
video games now have the potential to be a significant influence in a person‟s life.
Christians claim that loving relationships —with God and with others—are central to life.
Researchers are now discovering that video games serve an important relational function
for many people.
Video Games and Human Relationships
With the rise of the Internet, many people now consider video games to be an
important way of connecting socially with others. 43% of people who participate in
online communities (like video games) consider their online relationships to be just as
important as their real-world relationships.
20
One landmark survey of a popular
MMORPG, “Ultima Online”, found that the primary reason people played the game was
20
British Broadcasting Corporation, “Virtual Pals Soar in Importance”, BBCNews.com, November
30, 2006, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/6158935.stm (accessed Thursday, January 18, 2007)
17
17
because of the social experience available to them in a virtual environment.
21
A minority
of Ultima Online gamers even claimed that their in-game relationships were more
important than their offline relationships.
22
However, most surveys find that playing PC games online is an addition to a
person‟s “real-world” social network, rather than a replacement for it.
23
Gamers are not
usually reclusive people who forsake all face-to-face relationships. On the other side of
the coin, they do not often treat their online relationships as being incidental and
expendable. The line between online and offline relationships is blurred further when we
consider that some gamers know their gaming partners both online and offline.
24
This data reveals that the relationship between a person and the video games they
play is more complicated than has been previously thought. This, in turn, brings up
questions about the inherent value of video games.
21
Castulus Kolo and Timo Baur, “Living a Virtual Life: Social Dynamics of Online Gaming,”
Game Studies: The International Journal of Computer Game Research (Volume 4, Issue 1, November
2004): Discussion and Conclusion, par. 5, http://www.gamestudies.org/0401/kolo/ (accessed January 18,
2007)
22
Ibid., Online Gaming and Offline Social Relations, par. 4. The percentage of gamers that claim
that their online relationships are more important than their offline relationships appears to be about 15%.
23
Ibid., Online Gaming and Offline Social Relations, par. 6.
24
Ibid., Online Gaming and Offline Social Relations, Table 7.
18
CHAPTER 3
VIDEO GAMES: GOOD OR BAD?
A basic, positive purpose of an activity like playing video games is to allow
human beings the opportunity to distance themselves from the stresses of their daily lives.
By doing so, they may re-engage their life‟s work with a newfound sense of energy and
motivation. Yet, the act of playing video games may also become an unhealthy coping
mechanism by which people “escape” from a stressful reality and avoid fulfilling their
responsibilities.
Are video games an unhealthy way to avoid reality? Are they a problematic
escape strategy that a person employs to avoid their responsibilities and commitments?
Or, are they a healthy form of rest that also allows for the development of important
relationships? Are video games ultimately a positive or negative presence?
These questions resist easy answers. In theological terms, they reflect the problem
of the human condition as it deals with the “already/not yet” character of the emerging
Reign of God. We live in a world in which God‟s work in the world has already started.
Yet, that work is not yet complete.
We exist in this “in between” time—between the initial emergence of the Reign
of God and its ultimate fulfillment. Consequently, the world is likely to contain some
things that are already being redeemed, and some things that have not yet begun to
demonstrate the evidence of a transformed character.
19
19
Video Game Ethics: A Wesleyan Perspective
To further investigate the ethics of video games, we will turn to the founder of the
Methodist renewal movement, the Anglican clergyman and practical theologian John
Wesley. His work can provide a theological grounding by which we can address whether
or not video games could be part of God‟s good work in the world.
First, we will examine how Wesley characterized the relationship between God
and humanity. The Wesleyan scholar, Randy Maddox, argues that Wesley saw the
relationship between God and humanity as the dynamic interaction between divine action
and human response. What is meant by divine action and human response?
Wesley understood that human beings themselves are an important part of God‟s
work in the world. This was the case both in terms of Wesley‟s convictions about
humanity as a subject or focus of God‟s gracious and creative work,
1
as well as agents
who could participate in God‟s holistic work towards all of creation by responding to the
empowering love of God.
2
Wesley believed that our need for pardon from sin was met by
Christ on the cross. However, for Wesley, pardon did not equal salvation in its fullest
sense, nor was salvation a one-time event. This is seen in Wesley‟s writing of A Farther
Appeal to Men of Reason and Religion, as reprinted in Maddox‟s book:
“By salvation I mean, not barely (according to the vulgar notion) deliverance
from hell, or going to heaven, but a present deliverance from sin, a restoration of
the soul to its primitive health, its original purity, a recovery of the divine nature;
the renewal of our souls after the image of God in righteousness and true holiness,
in justice, mercy, and truth. This implies all holy and heavenly tempers, and by
1
Randy L. Maddox, Responsible Grace: John Wesley’s Practical Theology (Nashville: Abingdon
Press, 1994), 67.
2
Ibid., 68.
20
20
consequence all holiness of conversation” [„conversation‟ meaning all types of
human conduct in 18
th
-century English].
3
As we can clearly see, Wesley‟s understanding was that salvation took place by
the power of the Holy Spirit over the course of our lives as we responded to God‟s
pardoning and empowering love.
However, he was convinced that humans are fully and persistently dependent on
God‟s constant gracious action to enable them to be redeemed by Christ, or to respond to
the presence of the Holy Spirit in any way.
4
This is what Wesley understood the “in
between” time of the present age to be: an age in which we are persistently dependent on
God‟s grace in our fallen state of being, but an age in which God is working to heal that
nature as we respond to God‟s gracious overtures.
However, even with God‟s initial (“prevenient”
5
) grace empowering people
before the moment of pardon (justification), humans exhibit varying degrees of
responsiveness to this process,
6
since God‟s grace manifests itself in encouragement
rather than coercion.
7
God gives grace so that everyone might be empowered to respond
to God‟s overtures, but we are never forced by God to do so. This makes the concept of
choice central to Wesley‟s theology; we either choose to respond to grace, or to resist it.
3
Ibid., 145.
4
Ibid., 82.
5
The word “prevenient” means “comes before”, and is used in the phrase “God‟s prevenient
grace” to refer to the fact that God‟s grace always comes before our response. This was a central Wesleyan
concept to explain why an action in response to God‟s grace was not an attempt at “works righteousness”
(or trying to earn one‟s salvation by performing good actions in order to impress God), as some Lutheran
and Calvinist groups have charged. As Wesley understood it, when God acts first, and then we take
responsive action, we are living a life of holiness that reflects our transformed moral character on account
of our identity as Christians.
6
Maddox, Responsible Grace, 87-89.
7
Ibid., 54-55.
21
21
When considering the nature of the interaction between humans and video games,
we are likely to see some positive examples of gaming providing a valuable way for
people to rest and relate to others. We are also likely to see some negative examples
where gaming is an addiction or is used as a way to hide from one‟s responsibilities.
A Wesleyan theological perspective could see the positive aspects of playing
video games (rest, community formation, the process of learning about God‟s moral
expectations, etc.) and the negative aspects of playing video games (addiction,
withdrawal from important relationships, indulging in immoral gaming content, etc.) as
both being under the umbrella of God‟s grace. This would be true because, as Maddox
puts it, “in no situation are we ever separated from God‟s grace or from our
accountability”.
8
Yet, only the good aspects of playing video games could be seen as a healthy,
faithful response to that grace. It is very unlikely that Wesley would ever describe the
mere act of playing a video game as a participation in the “means of grace”, in which we
grow deeper into God‟s pardoning and sanctifying love. Still, it is possible that some of
the consequences of playing video games (such as sharing in fellowship) could be
considered as experiences of God‟s grace under certain circumstances. For Wesley, an
activity that promoted Sabbath time, the building of relationships, or the learning and
practicing of the moral good would be an activity that God could use to strengthen the
divine/human relationship and heal our sin-diseased natures. Video games could be an
opportunity for God to work the good in, through, and around us.
8
Ibid., 52.
22
22
For Wesley, good actions are always the result of God empowering us for that
work, even if we do not recognize or acknowledge that reality. Wesley‟s understanding
was that God‟s grace gives everyone a basic ability to determine the difference between
good and evil. The ability to recognize good and evil—and the ability to choose our
response to that recognition—is fully attributed to God‟s grace, and not to any inherent
qualities we possess.
9
A choice to recognize the good in a video game and embrace it
would be done “through Christ”, even if Christ was not explicitly known or identified by
the human participant.
10
For these reasons, Wesley could be able to affirm the potential good in secular
video games.
However, video games could also be a way for sin to find expression in the world.
Any activity that we chose that was damaging to relationships, abandoned our
responsibility to love our neighbors as ourselves, or included practices that were
offensive to God‟s moral nature would be the result of sin in our lives. When we choose
to play games that glorify concepts or actions that are toxic to God‟s good desires for
human existence, we do so because of sin. God‟s grace is still available to work in the
redemption of these kinds of activities, but God never desires the presence of such
depraved behaviors (knowing the destructive consequences that they have for all of
creation).
While some sin could be characterized as specific choices that we make, another
dimension of sin is not so much a matter of choice as it is a result of our general state of
9
Ibid., 88.
10
Ibid., 33-34.
23
23
separation from God. An example is in the case of video game addiction, a condition that
is now being treated at medical centers around the world as a serious psychological
disorder.
11
Addictions, by definition, make it extremely difficult for the people that are
afflicted by them to free themselves from their compulsive behavior.
For Wesley, such an addiction would more accurately be seen a general reflection
of the “always/not yet” nature of the world we live in, rather than as the result of specific
choices that a person might make. It is true that in many cases of addiction, people do
make initial choices that lead to the destructive situation they find themselves in. Wesley
would likely still identify those initial actions as sinful, but was always much more
concerned with sin as a general state of “sickness” than as a list of specific actions that a
person chooses.
12
Thus, addiction is a condition that is in need of healing not just in
medical terms, but in theological terms as well.
Wesley saw a direct correlation between God‟s redemptive work and our physical
healing.
13
In other words, God‟s grace is not merely intended to bring about a saving
relationship with eschatological significance, but is also intended to contribute to the
redemption of our bodies and minds in this life. In fact, one of the most common ways
that Wesley referred to God was as the “Great Physician”.
14
If Wesley were alive today
and interested in video games, he would be much more likely to be working in an
11
Sherry Rauh, “Video Game Addiction No Fun,” WebMD.com, June 26, 2006,
http://www.webmd.com/content/article/124/115554.htm (accessed January 19, 2007)
12
Maddox, Responsible Grace, 73-75.
13
Ibid., 146-147.
14
Ibid., 62.
24
24
addiction treatment center grounded in Christian practices than to be campaigning against
the “evils” of gaming in front of political leaders.
All of this confirms Wesley‟s conviction that sin is better understood as the state
of corruption that infects our very nature, rather than as a list of theologically problematic
actions that we commit. God is working to heal us from the ravages of sin, and desires
our participation in this work. However, this healing work will not ultimately be
completed until humanity is delivered from the very presence of sin into “a new heaven
and a new earth” (Rev 21).
In summary, a Wesleyan answer to the question of whether video games are
inherently good or bad would focus on the human interaction with such games. While
certain games are so offensive to God‟s moral nature that they could be accurately
condemned as destructive, the list of such games would be quite small. Rather, it is more
often the case that the way in which we interact with video games will determine whether
or not they can be part of God‟s redemptive work in our present age.
It is important to remember the conviction of the apostle Paul:
“For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things
present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else
in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our
Lord” (Rom 8:38-39).
This is a central theme that we must keep in mind as we consider the ethical
dimensions of video games.
Scientific and Social Perspectives
This provides a basic theological framework for addressing whether video games
are “good” or “bad”, or at least what is good or bad about them. However, it is important
25
25
to consider the purely scientific or social disciplines as well. There are some compelling
studies from those fields of study that may help us understand these questions more fully.
In one study, several sociologists observed the social patterns of people playing a
directly competitive, online video game. Based on that observation, they make the
argument that multiplayer gaming is a positive activity for people to participate in. They
came to this conclusion because they saw the opportunities that gaming produced for
people to explore the significance of social standards through the creative interaction that
takes place between players.
15
Physicians are also exploring the use of video games to intentionally distract
frightened young patients. Some research demonstrates that using a video game to
distract a child before a surgical procedure may be an effective way of calming them
down. It even suggests that a video game may be more effective than traditional
treatments like tranquilizers or a parental presence in the room before surgery.
16
These studies reflect positive attitudes toward the use of video games, but other
evidence suggests otherwise. This writing has already mentioned the problem of video
game addiction that psychologists are seeing with increasing frequency.
There is also the issue of sexual and violent content in certain games that is so
degrading to a civilized understanding of human community that it is the subject of much
criticism. Mental health professionals have added their voices to this protest. Video
15
Talmadge Wright, Eric Boria and Paul Breidenbach, “Creative Player Actions in FPS Online
Video Games: Playing Counter-Strike,” Game Studies: The International Journal of Computer Game
Research (Volume 2, Issue 2, December 2002): par. 2. http://www.gamestudies.org/0202/wright/ (accessed
January 19, 2007)
16
Associated Press, “Video Games Calm Kids Before Surgery,” CNN.com, December 10, 2004,
http://www.cnn.com/2004/HEALTH/12/09/hospitals.gaming.ap/index.html (viewed December 11, 2004)
26
26
games that use what psychologist Leonard Sax calls a “moral inversion”, in which evil is
identified as good (and good is identified as evil), are clearly worthy of such criticism.
17
His observation has theological support as well. In Matthew 12:31-32, Jesus says
that there is only one unforgivable sin, which is speaking against the Holy Spirit. In other
words, the only thing that cannot be forgiven is when the ultimate good (God) is
identified as the ultimate evil. In Jesus‟ eyes, moral inversion is the most terrible sin that
could be committed, because it leaves the participants unable to recognize who God is
anymore.
Dr. Sax does moderate his perspective somewhat about violence in video games.
He believes that games with violent content can be considered acceptable if the ethical
parameters of the game are in line with societal norms. In fact, Sax argues such games are
healthy ways for young boys to express their identity, although he thinks that physical
activities like team sports are better ways for this to happen.
18
17
Leonard Sax, Why Gender Matters (New York: Broadway Books, 2005), 70-71.
18
Ibid., 71-72.
27
CHAPTER 4
THE RESPONSE OF THE CHURCH TO VIDEO GAMES
The church‟s response to video games has not been as balanced as the response of
the scientific and social disciplines.
The Current Response of the Church
The church has usually portrayed video games in only one of two ways: either as
offensive sources of sexual and violent content, or as “bait” that can be used to attract
young people into the church.
For example, a January 2007 search of the United Methodist Church‟s
denominational website (http://www.umc.org) for the phrase “video games” produced
dozens of links organized around protests against violent and sexual content.
1
News
reports are filled with stories about faith-based organizations staging protests against
video games containing violent or sexual content, and press conferences are often staged
by these organizations to advocate for the enactment of stringent laws against such
games.
In the web search mentioned above, only a single link mentioned video games in
any kind of positive or neutral light. That was an offhand mention by a pastor that
1
The United Methodist Church‟s “Social Principles”, contained in the 2004 Book of Resolutions,
make similar one-sided, unbalanced statements about video games. See ¶ 162Q.
28
28
technology (including video games, among other things) might attract younger people
into participation in the church.
2
One such example of this kind of technological evangelism was seen in 2004 at a
Christian outreach ministry in Oklahoma. The youth-focused ministry purchased a large
number of video game systems to be used by thousands of young people before worship
as a way of getting them in the door of their 92,000 square foot youth building. The
pastor, Blaine Bartel, explained the decision this way: “You‟ve got to have the hook —
the message of the Gospel. But you‟ve got have bait on the hook…We‟ve got to have
things that appeal to kids.”
3
The Inadequacy of the Church’s Current Response
Three arguments about the church‟s relationship to video games will be made at
this point.
The Church‟s Unwillingness to Recognize Gaming Culture
First, the church has been unwilling to recognize the scope and depth of gaming
culture, that many non-theological disciplines have long recognized, because of an
unjustified belief that all video games are fundamentally unethical.
While issues of sexual and violent content in any medium are worthy issues for
the church to deal with, it is the contention of this writing that many church leaders and
congregations have become so blinded by fear that they cannot view video games with an
2
John Coleman, “Black Youth Seek Leadership Roles, Respect In Church,” UMC.org, November
12, 2003, http://archives.umc.org/umns/news_archive2003.asp?ptid=2&story=%7BB3F03142-FF22-4915-
A890-BEB103E68D11%7D&mid=2406 (viewed January 19, 2007)
3
Kelly Kurt, “Ministries Use Tech, Flash to Attract Teens,” STNews.org, March 2004,
http://www.stnews.org/archives/2004_march/rlr_ministres_0304.html (viewed November 24, 2004)
29
29
objective lens. The reaction against a small, select list of games (like the controversial
“Grand Theft Auto” series) is so strong that many Christians have been led to believe that
there is nothing in the whole of the gaming world that is worthy of serious theological
analysis and reflection. This unjustified belief is an attempt to preserve the purity of the
Christian witness in a complex world.
Perhaps the church believes that video games are “unclean”, along the lines of
prohibited substances listed in the Pentateuch. In the Pentateuch, a system of laws
ordained by God is recorded for the sake of the Jewish people. These laws designate
certain things as “clean” or “unclean”. Contact is prohibited with unclean substances or
people.
However, as the biblical witness of the New Testament teaches us, God often
takes the “unclean” and makes it “clean” for the sake of reconciling broken relationships.
In Acts 10, the church is trying to find its feet after a fresh wave of persecutions has
scattered the church out from Jerusalem into the surrounding lands. While many attacks
have come from the Jewish religious establishment (see Acts 5:17-8:4), there is still a
justified fear among the disciples of interference from the occupying Roman army.
Peter, the recently appointed leader of the followers of Jesus, has a vision while in
the midst of prayer. In the vision, God commands him to eat foods that have been
declared “unclean” by God in the earliest recorded days of the Jewish tradition. Peter
refuses to do so, to which God responds by saying “What God has made clean, you must
not call profane” (Acts 10:15).
Peter believes he is in the right by preserving the previous boundaries set down by
God, and we would be hard pressed to disagree with the disciple‟s reaction. Peter‟s
30
30
theology of righteousness has its basis in the Jewish tradition, and he appears to be
standing on solid ground. Yet, God is bringing a new understanding of righteousness into
the world that Peter is not fully aware of yet. The vision that God gives to Peter prepares
the disciple for what will happen next.
Immediately following Peter‟s vision, some men seek out Peter on behalf of a
Roman centurion. This Roman soldier, Cornelius, is clearly not part of the Jewish
bloodline (although the Jews speak well of his God-fearing character). Cornelius had
been directed by an angel to seek out Peter so that the soldier could hear the gospel of
Jesus Christ. When Peter and the centurion finally meet, it is Peter‟s vision of God‟s new
work in the world that gives him the confidence to say “I truly understand that God
shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is
acceptable to him” (Acts 10:34-35). God has replaced the Jewish food laws with the
peace of Jesus Christ, so that the entire world—not only the Jews—might find new life in
the Lord.
We know that God can take anything that is considered “unclean” and make it
“clean”. In fact, it is the confession of Christians that this is exactly what Jesus‟
atonement on the cross was able to accomplish. Because of God‟s ability to perform such
redeeming work, we need not fear that by exploring the culture of video games, we will
be in any way compromising the theology of the Christian church. This is not to claim
that gaming culture has been declared righteous by God. Rather, it is to say that by taking
gaming culture seriously from a theological point of view, the Holy Spirit may find
creative new ways to show the gospel to people who might not otherwise experience it.
31
31
As this writing has already demonstrated, playing a video game is an opportunity
to form and build relationships, to explore complex social interactions, to tell and hear
stories (perhaps even the gospel?), to overcome challenges, and to take time for rest and
reflection in today‟s busy society. Church leaders and congregations that believe that
video games are inherently “unclean” will have a very difficult time seeing these positive
characteristics. However, those that recognize the potential good in gaming will see the
emerging technological age as an opportunity, rather than as a threat.
As we will explore in significant detail later, video games are also valuable tools
by which the church can understand something of the relationship between Christianity
and the surrounding culture. This is particularly true when game developers borrow the
language, images, symbols, and stories of Christianity and use them to serve their own
purposes.
Inconsistency in the Church‟s Treatment of Video Games
Second, the church is demonstrating inconsistency in its treatment of video
games. On one hand, social justice advocates are publicly attacking video games. On the
other hand, evangelists are using them as a tool to attract young people into the church.
Church leaders and congregations act in an unjustifiable manner when they attack
video games for being morally corrupt, and then turn around and use those games as an
evangelistic tool in the context of Christian fellowship and worship. Neither one of these
responses takes video games seriously, and when they are asserted simultaneously, they
are simply hypocritical.
First, attacking the entirety of gaming culture for being guilty of moral failure is a
reaction based on fear of the unknown. As the lesson from Acts 10 reminds us, although
32
32
fear is a normal human response, it is not what God intends for human relationships and
for creation. In fact, such fear hinders our ability to respond to God‟s grace working in
the world. While some criticism of gaming culture is justified, the church is far behind
the scientific and social disciplines when it comes to seeing video games as a legitimate
topic of study. Psychologists and sociologists are able to preserve their critical voice even
as they find topics in the gaming world that are worthy of further investigation.
Second, it is the contention of this writing that the “bait-and-switch” evangelism
practices that are taking place today undermine the prophetic voice of the church to speak
out against legitimately offensive video game titles. Bait-and-switch tactics are used by
congregations that hold a theology of scarcity. A theology of scarcity describes a
congregation that believes that God has not given them everything they need in order to
participate in God‟s mission in the world. Because of their perceived scarcity, they
believe they must resort to extreme measures in order to accomplish the work set before
them.
In the context of evangelism, this manifests itself when a congregation tries to bait
a person with something that is not the gospel in order to bring them into the context of a
worshipping community. Once the person is thought to have taken the bait (in this case, a
video game), the bait is taken away from the person, and is replaced by a concentrated
evangelistic effort. Since these congregations believe that the gospel itself is not
sufficient for evangelism, they feel that they must use these alternative tactics.
Bait-and-switch evangelism should not be confused with the recent move towards
“seeker-sensitive” worship led by church leaders like Rick Warren.
4
Bait-and-switch
4
Rick Warren, The Purpose Driven Church (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 1995), 79-80.
33
33
tactics use deceitful practices because of a theology of scarcity. On the contrary, while
seeker-sensitive churches use hospitality and cultural adaptation. They are often—but
not always—driven by a theology of abundance (a theology that says God has already
given them everything they need to participate in God‟s mission in the world).
5
While
this writing is not intended to investigate the strengths and problems of seeker-sensitive
churches, it is important to differentiate them from bait-and-switch congregations.
To be fair, some game programmers do believe that there are effective ways to
use popular video games for evangelistic purposes without endorsing objectionable
content in the process. These programmers use a variety of software tools to create a
“total conversion” of an existing video game. In a total conversion, the form of an
existing game is retained, while the details of the game (such as graphics, video, and
sound) are replaced by new content. The most common type of game that undergoes a
total conversion is the “first-person shooter”.
In a first-person shooter, the game player controls a single character, and looks
through the character‟s eyes as they move through a maze. Typically, the character is
armed with an impressive array of guns and missiles, which they use to attack anything in
their path. The PC video game series “Doom” has the player kill armies of grotesque
aliens with weapons like the shotgun and the Gatling gun. Some “Christian” total
conversions of Doom replace the aliens with unrepentant sinners, and substitute a cross
“weapon” for the shotgun. The cross “weapon” has the power to force the sinners to
accept Jesus when it is “fired” at them.
5
Ibid., 37-38.
34
34
“Christian” total conversions, however, are generally ineffective for the work of
evangelism. First, these efforts are usually undertaken from a fundamentalist point of
view, and generally do not reflect the theological perspective of most Christians. Second,
the quality of the re-programming is generally poor, making the gameplay uninspiring.
Third, the only people that have any genuine interest in playing a “Christian” total
conversion are people that already claim a Christian identity, meaning that these games
serve no real evangelistic purpose in reality.
On the whole, the existence of such modified games is not an adequate response
to the criticism raised in this section: that the church is demonstrating inconsistency in its
treatment of video games. Ultimately, this is a problem because inconsistent, hypocritical
practices contribute to an attitude of suspicion about the Christian church in the
surrounding culture. This suspicion makes the entire work of the church more difficult,
especially when it comes to evangelistic practices.
The Church‟s Denial of the Full Challenge of Culture
Third, by only valuing video games as a tool to attract youth, the church is unable
to critically reflect upon the challenges and opportunities that a technological consumer
culture presents to the mission of the church in the world.
The evangelistic practice of using video games as toys to attract the attention of
children and youth is flawed when we consider that industry research clearly
demonstrates that adults are playing video games as well. (Two-thirds of all “heads of
households” are gamers.)
6
This flawed practice sheds some light on why issues of change
and conflict can polarize congregational members along generational lines.
6
Entertainment Software Association. “Facts and Research [2006]: Game Player Data”.
35
35
For example, a congregation might observe that a lack of younger people present
during worship is a problem that needs to be addressed. It decides that the solution to this
problem is to buy a video game system for the youth room in order to attract youth into
the building, since many youth do play video games when they have access to them.
7
The
congregation works to implement this solution, and in doing so, associates video games
exclusively with the younger population.
The change and conflict author Gilbert R. Rendle identifies this pattern of linear
problem solving (problem solution implementation) as a tactic employed by
congregations that is often intended to prevent real change from happening. As Rendle
writes,
“By seeking quick but inappropriate solutions [to complicated problems], leaders
tend to add to the discomfort and disequilibrium of their situation and actually
subvert the opportunity to address deeper issues they face. Often quick fixes are
collusive exercises that are intuitively designed not to bring any real change to the
congregation but offer the feeling that something has been done.”
8
It is easy for a congregation to pretend as if only younger people are gamers. That
false assertion makes it possible for a congregation to use that misinformation to “solve”
a problem (low youth attendance in worship) that it may not really be interested in
solving in the first place. Including youth in more leadership roles (rather than distracting
them with video games) might bring about changes in worship, which could make some
congregation members unhappy.
There are three consequences that may result from a congregation that only sees
video games as “bait on the hook”. First, the youth may not take the bait—after all, they
7
Reuters, “Kids Prefer Video Games”.
8
Rendle, Leading Change, 35.
36
36
or one of their friends may already have access to video games at home—which means
that the congregation has just wasted several hundred dollars (or more). Second, the
congregation is avoiding its responsibility to deal with the very real issues of power-
sharing in church activities that may occur among people who have different ideas of
what worship, fellowship, and education should be.
Third, the congregation becomes less able to deal with the real complexities and
challenges that a technological culture presents to people of all ages. As the next section
of this writing will demonstrate, many popular games are challenging Christian theology
by borrowing and repackaging the language and symbolism of the church for the purpose
of selling their product.
The Challenge to the Church in a Technological Era
As this writing has already shown, video game players are spending far more time
with their games than they are with their church (if they have a church at all). How can a
congregation respond to the challenge of a technological, consumer culture—one that
sells unorthodox Christian theology for profit—if it denies that there is any challenge at
all?
Highly committed disciples are unlikely to be swayed in their faith by what they
experience in the course of playing video games. However, those who are less
committed, are new to the practice of faith, or (especially) those who have not yet heard
the good news are likely to be confused or misled by what popular gaming culture
teaches them about Christianity.
The biblical admonition recorded in the letter to the Colossians shows that the
clash between Christian belief and popular culture is an ancient one indeed: “See to it that
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37
no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deceit, according to human
tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the universe, and not according to Christ”
(Col 2:8). In fact, the letter to the Colossians is written as a warning to a group of
disciples who are tempted to turn away from Christ and adopt the empty practices of the
surrounding culture.
If the church wants to have effective evangelistic and discipleship practices in a
technological age, it must begin to understand how the technological culture is
influencing how the people of the world will hear—or misunderstand—the good news
about Jesus Christ.
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CHAPTER 5
COMPARING “AGE OF EMPIRES 2” AND “WORLD OF WARCRAFT”
At this point, we will consider how two best-selling PC video games, written and
developed in the United States, have borrowed and repackaged Christian theology:
Microsoft‟s “Age of Empires 2”
1
and Blizzard Entertainment‟s “World of Warcraft”.
2
Choosing games to examine from the United States avoids the problem of cross-
cultural theological interpretation. A game developer from a nation with little Christian
history (such as Japan) would likely interpret Christian language and symbolism in ways
that would be very different than the way a game developer from the United States would
interpret the same information.
Before we examine each game in detail in the next few chapters, it will be helpful
to conduct a brief overview of them. This will allow us to compare the games with each
other more effectively in the course of this writing. A table differentiating “Age of
Empires 2” and “World of Warcraft” can be found on the next page.
1
The Microsoft Corporation holds all applicable trademarks and copyrights regarding the Age of
Empires game series. “Age of Empires II” was originally called “The Age of Kings”, and a subsequent
game expansion pack led the game to be referred to as “The Conquerors”. For the purposes of this study,
The Conquerors version of Age of Empires II was examined.
2
World of Warcraft and Blizzard Entertainment are trademarks or registered trademarks of
Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. All data referred to in this writing
regarding “World of Warcraft” was gathered from version 2.0, after the release of the “Burning Crusade”
expansion pack in 2007. Incidentally, the Burning Crusade expansion pack sold 2.4 million copies in the
first 24 hours it was on the market. [Blizzard Entertainment, “World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade
Shatters Day-1 Sales Record,” Blizzard.com, January 23, 2007,
http://www.blizzard.com/press/070123.shtml (viewed January 24, 2007)]
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39
An Introduction to, and Comparison of, Both Video Games
Age of Empires 2
World of Warcraft
Designed by
Microsoft Corporation
Blizzard Entertainment
Release date
October 16, 1999
November 23, 2004
Game type
Real-time strategy (single-
player or multiplayer)
Massive Multiplayer Online Role-
Playing Game (MMORPG)
Sales numbers
Over 2,000,000 copies sold
3
(over 15,000,000 copies sold in
“Age of…” series)
4
5
Over 8,500,000 active subscribers
worldwide
6
Gameplay consists
of
Building a city, gathering
resources, controlling an army
Exploring a virtual world with a
single character; forming
adventuring groups with others
Goal of game
Defeating opposing armies
No goal other than making your
character more powerful; players
can't "win" or "lose"
Game setting
European Middle Ages,
Christendom world; “realistic”
game design
Fantasy world of Azeroth
Characters and
civilizations in game
Major civilizations of the Middle
Ages
Humans among many other
fantastic creatures (elves, trolls,
etc.)
Impact in society
Well-known among almost all
PC gamers
Cultural phenomenon; widespread
press coverage
Visibility of
Christian elements
Christian units and buildings
are a part of all armies
Specific character types are
"Christian" archetypes; many uses
of Christian language and symbols
Theological integrity
Generally speaking, historically
accurate in its use of
theological terms (with
some exceptions)
Theology is often deeply flawed in
uses of "Christian" elements;
church language and symbolism
used in bizarre ways
3
Microsoft Corporation, “Age of Empires II: The Ages of Kings Crowned No. 1 on Holiday Sales
Charts Around the World,” Microsoft.com, January 27, 2000,
http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2000/Jan00/CrownedPR.mspx (viewed January 20, 2007)
4
Microsoft Corporation, “Best-Selling Age Franchise Tops 15 Million Mark”, Microsoft.com,
May 7, 2004, http://www.microsoft.com/games/press/default.aspx?no=titans_20040507001 (viewed
January 20, 2007)
5
Microsoft‟s newer release, “Age of Empires 3”, is not included in these figures, because
Microsoft has not released official sales figures. Sales are estimated to be in the millions of units.
6
Blizzard Entertainment, “World of Warcraft Continues Record-Breaking Sales Pace,”
Blizzard.com, March 7, 2007, http://www.blizzard.com/press/070307.shtml (viewed March 24, 2007)
40
40
“Age of Empires 2”
Microsoft‟s “Age of Empires 2” (AoE2) is a defining example of the real-time
strategy genre of video games. Real-time strategy games are played in “real-time”
(without pauses or breaks in the action), and are “strategic” because the player must
manage a large force of units and buildings at any given time. These kinds of games put
the player in the role of a military commander. The job of the commander is to direct
their army to build a base, gather resources, train soldiers, and battle other armies.
While Westwood Entertainment‟s “Dune 2” and “Command and Conquer” games
were important initial explorations of the real-time strategy genre, it was Microsoft that
made this genre a dominant form of PC gaming. The first Age of Empires game put the
player in command of a civilization that existed in the time between the Stone Age and
the Iron Age. Age of Empires 2, which we are exploring in depth here, allows the player
to control a civilization from the Dark Ages to the Renaissance.
An interesting element to note about Age of Empires 1 and 2 is their focus on
historical realism. Microsoft took few creative liberties in the development process as
they designed a realistic set of units, buildings, and player-controlled civilizations. The
game story is told from a distinctly European perspective (although the player does have
the option of controlling a civilization from another part of the world, such as Japan).
Given that the Christian church was such a dominant cultural force in much of the
known world during the time between the Dark Ages and the Renaissance, Microsoft
included a Christian building (the monastery) and two Christian units (the monk and the
missionary) to be featured in AoE2. It is true that the monastery, monk, and missionary
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41
are not explicitly referred to as being Christian during gameplay. However, the reference
to Christianity is obvious due to the pictures and language used to describe these
elements, as well as the focus on historical accuracy that is a defining characteristic of the
game itself.
To play Age of Empires 2, a player constructs buildings. Buildings, such as
castles, stables, or universities, have two primary purposes. First, buildings can produce
units. A unit is a single controllable game piece that may be moved around the game
board. In AoE2, examples of units include foot soldiers (swordsmen, archers, etc.)
mounted soldiers (like knights or horse archers), and siege weapons (such as catapults or
battering rams). The second purpose of a building is to research new technology. For
example, researching the wheelbarrow makes farms more productive, while researching
chain mail armor makes some units more resistant to damage.
The monastery building in Age of Empires both produces units and researches
new technologies. Primarily, the monastery produces the monk unit, because the
missionary unit can only be produced by the monastery of a single civilization—the
Spanish. In AoE2, missionaries are basically similar to monks, except that they move
more quickly.
7
The Monk in “Age of Empires 2”
In AoE2, monks are clothed in a simple robe, and they carry a staff. Like all other
units, monks are only male. However, the monk is an unusual unit in AoE2. Most units,
like swordsmen or archers, have the ability to directly engage in combat with other units.
7
There are other differences in AoE2 between monks and missionaries, but they are irrelevant for
the purposes of this writing.
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42
However, monks cannot attack. Compared to other more military unit types, monks are
slow, have few “hit points” (which determine how many hits a unit can take before they
are defeated), and are very vulnerable to enemy attacks, since their robe doesn‟t offer
much armor protection to stop a sword or an arrow. Monks only have three purposes in
AoE2: healing, gathering relics, and conversion.
The Monk’s Healing Ability
When a military unit returns from battle, they may be injured. There are only two
ways to heal them: either a long period of rest inside a building, or the much quicker
process of using a monk to heal them. The way in which the monk healing process takes
place is quite interesting, and it is worthy of investigation.
Rather than using techniques from medical science (which was admittedly quite
primitive in the Middle Ages) to heal injured soldiers, monks rely on faith healing
techniques to do the job. When a monk encounters an injured unit, they begin waving
their staff around and making exaggerated gestures. By performing this ritual, the injured
unit is slowly healed, and soon is in perfect fighting condition once again. It is clear in
the game that the monk is calling upon divine influence to perform the healing, because
healing occurs at some distance. The healing ritual performed by monks never fails to
work.
The healing ability of the monk in AoE2 shows us that the designers presuppose a
world in which God‟s power to restore life is absolute. Yet, that power requires an
intermediary (the monk) in order to function. Furthermore, when the monk asks God for
help, God faithfully and consistently responds by granting the monk exactly what they
want.
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43
The biblical witness, especially the wisdom literature, teaches us that God‟s
action is rarely so consistent with our will. The book of Ecclesiastes tells of a wise
teacher struggling with the potential meaninglessness of life, while the book of Job
presents to us a fully righteous person who, nevertheless, experiences great suffering. In
both situations, God could immediately act to remedy suffering, but chooses not to do so.
Both of these books help to put Jesus‟ teaching on prayer into perspective:
“So I say to you, Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock,
and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and
everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be
opened” (Lk 11:9-10; see also Mt 7:7-8).
Without the testimony of the wisdom literature, Jesus‟ words can be used to
support the idea that God will give us anything we want (a “prosperity gospel”).
The idea in AoE2 that the monk‟s healing power is consistent and effective is
necessary for the video game to function in a playable way. Balance is a crucial element
in any successful game, as players would hardly consider it fair if they lost a game
because God did not respond to their prayers for healing at a crucial moment.
Yet, that is exactly what characterizes the mysterious nature of God‟s power to
mend and heal: at times, its presence seems miraculous; at other times, its absence seems
frustrating and unjust. This is simply the nature of the divine-human relationship, in
which we do not possess all of the wisdom, knowledge, and power of God. If we did have
these characteristics, it is unlikely we would act any differently than God does, since God
is the ultimate good and must be interacting with humanity in light of that reality.
Perhaps it is better that the final say in matters of life and death is left in the hands
of a just and merciful God, and not in the hands of an all-too-limited and unwise human
race. Rather, it is best that we remember the Christian confession that God is most clearly
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44
revealed in the suffering and death of Jesus Christ on the cross. As we testify to the fact
that God has willingly taken on such suffering for the sake of the human race, it puts our
own experiences of suffering and prayers for healing in a new light.
Interestingly, a lesser-used form of healing in AoE2 uses scientific principles as
the basis for its works. The game player can research the “herbal medicine” technology at
the monastery, which rapidly speeds the healing process of units that rest inside
buildings. The founder of the American Herbalists Guild is quite skeptical of the concept
of Christian faith healing, but he does trace the herbal healing techniques that were
practiced in the Middle Ages back to the work of early Christian monks:
"It is no wonder that due to previous Roman lack of compassion, the new religion
of Christianity was able to make significant headway, despite its early emphasis
on faith healing. This occurred with the evolution of monasticism and a renewed
spirit of humane compassion, exemplified by the tradition of maintaining a
medicinal herb garden and a monastic pharmacy, available to its reclusive
residents as well as to the local people."
8
Overall, the concept of healing presented in AoE2 is as accurate as it could be
from a historical perspective, given the obvious restriction that the presentation of healing
had to fit the needs of the strategic gameplay. In particular, the placement of a technology
in herbal medicine at the monastery shows the effort the game designers went to in order
to recreate the world of the Middle Ages in a historically accurate way.
The Monk’s Relic Gathering Ability
In most games of AoE2, five “relics” are scattered around the map. If a monk
finds a relic, they can pick it up and return in to their monastery, where it gives the player
a consistent supply of gold over time. (Gold can be used to produce units and research
8
Dr. Michael Tierra, The Herbal Tradition (2005): Roman Herbal Medicine, par. 6,
http://www.planetherbs.com/showcase/docs/herbhist.html (viewed January 27, 2007)
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45
new technology.) If all five relics are held in a single player‟s monastery for a given
length of time, that player immediately wins the game.
9
In historical terms, a relic is a symbolic object whose meaning comes through the
significance given to it by a particular community.
10
They have value in their relationship
to specific communities; when examined apart from a community, they have no value.
11
In the Middle Ages, relics for the church included items purported to be related to key
events in Christian history. This included the remains of objects (like a piece of the cross
that Christ was crucified on) and the remains of the saints (such as a bone or a burial
chamber of a venerated Christian patron or leader from the past). For a Christian
community, these items could be given significance. However, apart from a Christian
community, no one would find value in a piece of old wood or in a decrepit tomb.
In medieval times, relics were seen as the primary way that God‟s power could
find its way into one‟s ordinary, earthly life.
12
Some people saw them as magical
objects. When they were properly used, the relics could provide miraculous effects.
13
As
such, they were very significant in the devotional life of Christians in that era. Relics
were used as “companions” on journeys, in burial rituals, in the eucharist, in prayers, and
for miracles (including miraculous healing and, oddly, the ability to fight fires). G.J.C.
9
Interestingly, one civilization — the Huns — can research the “atheism” technology, which
increases the amount of time it takes for any player to automatically win the game after they have claimed
all five relics. Perhaps an atheist civilization would not be impressed by religious relics, and therefore
would be less likely to give into the influence of a civilization that had many such relics in their possession.
10
Patrick J. Geary, Furta Sacra: Thefts of Relics in the Central Middle Ages (Princeton, New
Jersey: Princeton University Press, 1978), 5.
11
Ibid., 5-8.
12
Ibid., 37.
13
Ibid., 37-38.
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46
Snoek‟s book
14
on the relationship between relics and personal piety is an excellent
resource for understanding these phenomena.
While relics were sought by powerful Christian political leaders and members of
the church hierarchy,
15
Age of Empires 2 accurately reflects the reality that the reclusive
monastic communities also tried to claim relics for their own.
Monasteries in the Middle Ages were entirely dependent on gifts of funding and
resources from patrons for their survival. Given the high regard that virtually all
Christians of the era (including the monks) placed on relics, monks knew that securing a
relic could also secure the continuing patronage of financial supporters. This placed the
monastic orders in direct competition with each other, in a world in which subsistence
living was typical for virtually all people.
16
Given that the primary benefit of securing a relic in AoE2 is to provide a steady
stream of gold income, it appears that there is a strong correlation between this video
game and the historical reality when it comes to relics. A player observing the
relationship between monks and relics in the game would be accurately introduced to a
facet of life for most monasteries in the Middle Ages.
The Monk’s Conversion Ability
The monk‟s most powerful ability in AoE2 is that of “conversion”. At a
significant distance from an enemy, a monk can begin singing and chanting loudly. As
this “communication” takes place, there is a chance that the enemy unit will suddenly
14
G.J.C. Snoek, Medieval Piety from Relics to the Eucharist: A Process of Mutual Interaction
(Leiden, The Netherlands: E.J. Brill Publishers, 1995)
15
Geary, Furta Sacra, 68.
16
Ibid., 69-70.
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47
change sides and fight for the monk‟s civilization instead. In AoE2, conversion is forcible
and permanent. Converted military units will obey all orders from their new civilization
without question. However, conversion is resistible. Monks failing to convert an enemy
military unit will sometimes be killed by that enemy unit. The monk‟s conversion ability
in AoE2 is a compelling subject for theological analysis.
By its design, the game defines conversion as a one-way conversation.
Conversion is a persuasive effort, carried out by a person officially representing the
church, with the goal of convincing another person to see the wisdom of their position. It
is the interaction between an “insider” and an “outsider”, and is an interaction that is
filled with conflict.
This model of evangelism is certainly present in the church today. For example,
youth ministry strategies encouraged by some “Evangelical” megachurches utilize a one-
way conversation strategy for conversion. This strategy includes telling a friend you are a
Christian, inviting that friend to an appropriate program, telling your friend why you are a
Christian, telling your friend how you became a Christian, and asking your friend if he or
she would like to become a Christian.
17
Persuasive evangelistic techniques have been used to great effect by preachers
through history. The most prominent persuasive/evangelical preacher recorded in the
Bible is Paul of Tarsus, though there are many more examples of such people (especially
in the book of Acts). In the United States in the 18
th
and 19
th
centuries, the Methodist
preachers George Whitefield and Charles Finney were well-known revivalists that used
17
Todd Hobart, “Megachurch Evangelism Models,” presented at Luther Seminary, St. Paul,
Minnesota, December 5, 2006.
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persuasive evangelical preaching styles. Our 20
th
and 21
st
century context has produced
the likes of Billy Graham and Luis Palau.
All of the examples listed above, including the video game Age of Empires 2,
demonstrate a “warrior” approach to evangelism. Spencer Burke and Colleen Pepper
contrast the warrior image of evangelism with the “gardener” strategy.
18
They argue that
a warrior evangelist uses war imagery to explain the work of sharing the Good News: it is
a battle, a fight, a seized opportunity, a struggle between light and dark, in which a
Christian goes to war with the culture to conquer the hearts and minds of the lost for
Jesus. Certain sections of some of Paul‟s letters are used to justify this warrior approach,
such as Ephesians 6:10-18:
19
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power. Put on the whole
armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For
our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers,
against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against
the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole
armor of God, so that you may be able to withstand on that evil day, and having
done everything, to stand firm. Stand therefore, and fasten the belt of truth around
your waist, and put on the breastplate of righteousness. As shoes for your feet put
on whatever will make you ready to proclaim the gospel of peace. With all of
these, take the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the
flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the
Spirit, which is the word of God. Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and
supplication. To that end keep alert and always persevere in supplication for all
the saints.
Also, the martyrdom of Christians in the early church shows that, like the monks
attempting conversion in AoE2, evangelism can be a dangerous task. Christians living
18
Spencer Burke and Colleen Pepper, Making Sense of Church: Eavesdropping on Emerging
Conversations About God, Community, and Culture (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 2003), chapter
8.
19
Some people argue that Ephesians 6:10-18 is actually intended to encourage Christians to not
fight, because of the prevalence of defensive terminology (armor, shield, etc.) over offensive terminology.
However, it is certain that passages such as these are more often used to support “warrior” evangelism
strategies than “gardener” evangelism strategies.
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49
under the rule of the Roman Empire in the first few centuries after the resurrection and
ascension of Christ experienced a number of threats that challenged their faith.
Because the early church claimed that Jesus was Lord (and not the Roman
emperor, who expected to be worshipped as a god), Christians were routinely charged
with the crime of disloyalty to the state, which was an offense punishable by death.
20
They were considered to be the worst possible form of human being by the Roman
citizens for their “superstitious” behavior, because they foolishly worshipped a god they
could not see.
21
A Christian who publicly engaged in evangelistic practices would be
putting their life at risk, as attacks could come from hostile Jewish groups, Roman
religious cults, or imperial authorities. Clearly, “warrior” evangelism is an
understandable strategy when a person feels so threatened by the surrounding culture that
they must publicly stand against it in order to preach the gospel.
In contrast to the “warrior”, the “gardener” evangelist uses agricultural imagery to
explain the work of sharing the Good News: one must find good soil, plant seeds, take
time to faithfully care for and nurture new plants, understand the value of persistence, and
recognize the impact of the weather and the seasons on their work. Burke and Pepper
argue that gardening imagery is more appropriate to use than warrior imagery, especially
as we consider the way in which Jesus actually lived out his ministry in the world.
Even as the early church used battle imagery to describe some of their struggles
with the powers and principalities of their world, they were committed pacifists.
Christians refused to join the Roman legions up until the third century, when some began
20
Michael Green, Evangelism in the Early Church (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Eerdmans, 2003),
63.
21
Ibid., 59, 64-65, 69-71.
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50
to participate in local police work. As one follower of Jesus put it, “I am Christ‟s soldier;
I am not allowed to fight.”
22
However, it is obvious that the “warrior” imagery is dominant in the United States
context today (in the eyes of the general public, at least). The loudest and most vocal
evangelists make the news, while the “gardeners” are not part of the public‟s awareness.
The conversion ability of the monks in Age of Empires 2 reinforces the idea of
evangelism as a battle. While AoE2 is essentially accurate in its presentation of warrior
evangelism, it makes the work of “gardeners” a little more difficult. Such stereotypes
make it more difficult to teach others about the peace-loving nature of God‟s enduring
work in the world, as told by the prophet Isaiah (underlining added for emphasis):
The word that Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. In days
to come the mountain of the Lord‟s house shall be established as the highest of
the mountains, and shall be raised above the hills; all the nations shall stream to it.
Many peoples shall come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the
Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; that he may teach us his ways and that we
may walk in his paths.” For out of Zion shall go forth instruction, and the word of
the Lord from Jerusalem. He shall judge between the nations, and shall arbitrate
for many peoples; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears
into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they
learn war any more. O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the Lord!
(Isa 2:1-5)
The Use of Theological Language in “Age of Empires 2”
All of the monk “technologies” that can be researched at the monastery in AoE2
have their names taken from theological terms. The terms used include sanctity,
redemption, atonement, illumination, faith, fervor, heresy, and theocracy.
22
Alan Kreider and John H. Yoder, “Christians and War,” in Introduction to the History of
Christianity, ed. Tim Dowley (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2002), 52.
51
51
This writing will investigate three of those terms in depth (sanctity, redemption,
and atonement). A description of their significance in the game, and a comparison of that
significance with their actual meaning in reality, is provided below.
The Sanctity, Redemption, and Atonement Technologies
First, the sanctity technology in AoE2 makes monks harder to kill by giving them
more hit points.
The term “sanctity” refers to “sanctification,” or the process of living a life of
Christian holiness in order for one to become more conformed to God‟s good desires for
humanity. John Wesley viewed holiness as the Great Physician‟s work to deliver the
pardoned Christian believer from the “plague of sin”.
23
Wesley was adamant that this
“growth in grace” had a very real effect on the thoughts and actions of a person.
24
As this writing has already mentioned, Wesley believed that God‟s relational
grace could strengthen the mind as well as the body. In AoE2, sanctity strengthens the
bodies of monks. This shows a remarkable consistency in the use of the term “sanctity”
between AoE2 and its actual theological significance, especially when considered in the
context of the Wesleyan Christian tradition.
Second, the redemption technology in AoE2 allows monks to convert buildings.
The term “redemption” refers to God‟s redeeming work. This assumes that our
human existence is in need of redemption from sin, whether that sin is behavioral or
existential. As the Lord said through Isaiah, “But now thus says the Lord, he who created
23
Maddox, Responsible Grace, 176.
24
Ibid., 177.
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you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have
called you by name, you are mine.” (Isa 43:1)
Isaiah speaks of God‟s people as the subject of redemption. God‟s people are also
described as being the possession of God because of gracious, redemptive action (“you
are mine”).
In AoE2, monks with the redemption technology can take possession of buildings
with their conversion ability. The idea of converting an object (or in the case of the game,
claiming a building) is rather nonsensical in the typical use of the term conversion.
However, if God‟s redemptive work has to do with claiming God‟s people for divine
purposes, then there is an indirect connection between that work and the redemption
technology in AoE2.
Third, the atonement technology in AoE2 allows monks to convert other monks.
The term “atonement” refers to Jesus Christ‟s work on the cross to absolve us of
our sin. Western theologians throughout history have varied in their specific explanation
of the atonement, describing it as liberation, pardon, a display of God‟s love, or
otherwise. However, they have been in basic agreement that Christ‟s death was the
atonement for sin.
In AoE2, the use of the term atonement has absolutely no relationship to the
theological use of the term.
Reflections on Theological Language in Age of Empires 2
It has now been demonstrated that games use theological language for
entertainment purposes. In the case of AoE2, examples can be found in which that
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language is used correctly (sanctity), bears some relation to normal usage (redemption),
or is used in an inaccurate, irrelevant manner (atonement).
A more detailed analysis of every monastery term used in AoE2 would reveal that
the use of most of the game‟s theological language bears a strong resemblance to the use
of those terms in real life. In fact, every religious term — except for “atonement” —
shows some degree of accuracy when considered in relationship to its standard definition.
Since the percentage of terms used accurately is so high, this demonstrates a clear
commitment on the part of the designers of the game to take theological language
seriously. A request made to Microsoft to interview the design team of AoE2 about this
topic was declined. However, in a previous interview, one of the lead designers of the
game revealed that he claims a Christian affiliation,
25
and that he has a personal interest
in the study of history. He explains the emphasis on accuracy in AoE2 this way:
Anonymous Gamer: “It might not be historically accurate down to the last detail,
but it „feels‟ RIGHT.”
Sandy Peterson, AoE2 Designer: “Thanks. That makes me content, esp.
[especially] coming from a fellow history buff. Our goal was, of course, to „feel‟
right, not to be right.”
26
Comparing Theological Language and Theological Content
This is an interesting comment from Peterson. Why would he describe the goal of
the designers to make AoE2 “feel” right rather than to “be” right?
The focus of this writing has been exclusively focused on the “Christian”
elements in the game: the monastery and the monk. These historical elements are
generally represented fairly and accurately. However, the monastery and the monk are
25
Heaven Games, “Quotes from Sandy Petersen, Part 13,” AOK.Heavengames.com, 2004,
http://aok.heavengames.com/thegame/sandy/sandy13.shtml (viewed March 11, 2007)
26
Heaven Games, “Quotes from Sandy Petersen, Part 2,” AOK.Heavengames.com, 2004,
http://aok.heavengames.com/thegame/sandy/sandy2.shtml (viewed March 11, 2007)
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located within the context of a real-time strategy (RTS) video game. All RTS games are
classified as such by a certain set of unwritten rules that every game follows.
RTS games presuppose a world in which several different factions are battling for
supremacy. Each faction gathers resources, and those resources are used to build an army.
The armies then engage in a campaign of total war against the enemy factions.
The concept of total war in the modern period is traced back to the American
Civil War. The Union Army general William Tecumseh Sherman‟s 1864 “March to the
Sea” campaign in Georgia led him to kill and burn virtually everything in his path. As his
troops marched from Atlanta to Savannah, they destroyed everything they saw (whether
it was civilian or military target) in order to demoralize the enemy and weaken their
desire to fight back against the Union troops.
In RTS games, victory can usually only be achieved when every trace of the
enemy is removed from the face of the earth. This means killing all life and destroying all
property, whether that life and property is civilian or militaristic in nature. In AoE2, this
means that the player must kill farmers, attack miners, and burn houses in order to win
the game.
While the deliberate killing of civilians has been a part of the United States‟
military campaigns in the past (including the use of nuclear weapons in Japan and the
firebombing of the city of Dresden in World War II), this is an obvious affront to the
teaching of the Prince of Peace. When RTS games require the slaughter of non-
combatants in order to ensure victory, they come dangerously close to the “moral
inversion” that Leonard Sax speaks of.
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55
There is nothing particularly special about the way AoE2 uses the concept of total
war, except the fact that some Christian elements (the monastery and the monk) are
represented with historical accuracy within the game. How, then, are we to consider the
value of a game like AoE2?
Age of Empires 2: Summary and Conclusions
Age of Empires 2 is a video game that has used Christian theological language
and symbolism to support the historical realism that it is based upon. It has taken that
language and symbolism seriously, and the presentation is generally fair and accurate
(even though it is imperfect in many areas). However, AoE2 is part of the real-time
strategy category of video games. This genre requires the player to engage in a campaign
of total war in order to achieve victory, which orthodox Christian theology would never
support.
Given that the goal of the designers was to create a compelling real-time strategy
game, and not to write a theological treatise, AoE2 is a remarkable example of the way a
video game can responsibly integrate Christian history into great gameplay. Yet, it is also
a powerful example of the limited way in which Christian theology currently affects
video game design. It is important to recognize that AoE2 was created by a secular
company, and to reinforce the fact that the game has no evangelical or confessional
purpose. Its depth of content and historical realism makes it a valuable resource for any
Christian educator who wants to explore the significance of video games for the church,
but such games must be used with caution because of the underlying violent elements that
they contain.
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56
As this writing will investigate next, not all video games that represent Christian
history do so in an accurate, responsible, or informed way. Such games may actually
make the work of the church more difficult, because of the effort that is necessary to
correct flawed assumptions based on bad adaptations or interpretations of Christian
theology.
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57
“World of Warcraft”
Blizzard Entertainment‟s “World of Warcraft” (WoW) is the most popular
Massive Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game (MMORPG) of its generation. Boasting
more than eight million subscribers, who pay a monthly fee of about $15 to play the
game, WoW has become a cultural phenomenon. When the expansion pack to WoW, the
“Burning Crusade”, was released in January of 2007, the British Broadcasting
Corporation posted it on their website as one of their top three world news stories —
alongside articles about major political figures and the war in Iraq.
27
Unlike Age of Empires II, the setting of World of Warcraft is a fantasy universe
known as Azeroth. In Azeroth, humans exist in a medieval world alongside fantastical
creatures like elves and goblins. Game players control a single character and use that
character to explore the land of Azeroth, defeating enemies and completing quests as they
go. The game is typical of the MMORPG genre in that the player can never “win”; they
can only make their character more powerful as they gain experience. WoW is a game
that never ends, and this is a major factor why so many people continue to participate in it
for years after they begin.
Each player‟s character is a certain “class”, which is one of nine different
archetypes that affect the skills and talents of that character. Classes in WoW include the
warrior, paladin, hunter, rogue, druid, shaman, priest, mage, and warlock. Warriors, for
example, wear heavy armor and fight enemies with weapons like swords, while mages
use magic to attack their opponents from a distance.
27
British Broadcasting Corporation, “Hordes Queue for Burning Crusade,” BBCNews.com,
January 16, 2007, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/6263987.stm?ls (accessed March 25, 2007)
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A person might expect that a game set in such a fantasy world would have no
connections to reality, and therefore might be unsuitable for theological analysis.
However, the creators of WoW have derived the land of Azeroth directly from reality.
For example, the creatures known as the “Tauren” have a society directly based on the
culture of Native Americans, while the “Dwarves” speak and behave like stereotypical
citizens of Scotland.
This writing will focus on WoW‟s presentation of the human race itself. This will
make it possible for definitive conclusions to be drawn from the appearances of Christian
language and symbolism in the game, because such conclusions will not be clouded by
the obvious fantasy elements included among the other creatures of WoW. In particular,
we will investigate the two “Christian” classes — the paladin and the priest. First,
however, we will turn our attention to the WoW concept of the “Light”.
The “Light” in “World of Warcraft”
The “Light” is World of Warcraft‟s word for God. The Light “protects all the
land,”
28
“builds character and makes you stronger,”
29
and is “inside” the faithful.
30
It
“shows you the true path and keeps you safe from evil”.
31
Devoting oneself to the Light
28
Blizzard Entertainment, World of Warcraft, version 2, first paladin quest series (accessed
January 30, 2007)
29
Ibid., “In Favor of the Light,” level 5 human priest quest (accessed January 30, 2007)
30
Ibid., “Garments of the Light,” level 5 human priest quest, completion screen (accessed January
30, 2007)
31
Ibid., “Tome of Divinity,” paladin quest give by Tiza Battleforge in the dwarven city of
Ironforge (accessed January 30, 2007)
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59
puts a paladin “on the path to greater virtue”.
32
A paladin magical spell called Holy Light
has the power to heal characters from almost any injury.
The Light is used as a blessing — “Light be with you” is commonly said by
computer-controlled citizens — and as a curse (“What in the Light do you want?”).
33
The Light is explicitly identified with the “church” in WoW. Another Christian-
themed class, the priest, receives a quest to see whether “they‟re worthy of wearing robes
denoting their place in the church”. This is important in order to “help people recognize
you as a priest.”
34
The robes a priest receives upon completing the quest are called the
Friar’s Robes of the Light. The most powerful paladin and priest leaders make their home
in the Cathedral of Light, a European-style steeple-topped church building in the human
city of Stormwind.
The Light, put simply, is the WoW word that means God. The word God,
however, is never used in any capacity in the game, though “god” is commonly used (to
describe a powerful player‟s role-playing character). The word Light appears to be the
attempt of the designers of WoW to come up with a generic religious term for God that
means “good”.
However, the word “light” is used to directly refer to Jesus or to the disciples
nearly fifty times in the gospels. This is most noticeable in several examples from the
gospel of John (underlining added for emphasis):
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was
God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him,
32
Ibid.
33
Ibid., “Bazil Thredd,” quest given by Warden Thelwater in the Stockades of Stormwind
(accessed January 30, 2007)
34
Ibid., “Garments of the Light,” level 5 human priest quest (accessed January 30, 2007)
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and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him
was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness did not overcome it. There was a man sent from God, whose
name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might
believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the
light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. (Jn
1:1-9)
„For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who
believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. Indeed, God did not
send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world
might be saved through him. Those who believe in him are not condemned; but
those who do not believe are condemned already, because they have not believed
in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgement, that the light has
come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their
deeds were evil. For all who do evil hate the light and do not come to the light, so
that their deeds may not be exposed. But those who do what is true come to the
light, so that it may be clearly seen that their deeds have been done in God.‟ (Jn
3:16-21)
Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, „I am the light of the world. Whoever follows
me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.‟ (Jn 8:12)
„As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.‟ (Jn 9:5)
If the designers of WoW did think that the word “Light” would be a non-specific
religious term, it seems that they were incorrect. (Blizzard Entertainment deflected a
request for an interview, so it is impossible to specify the exact intentions of the game
designers on this point). In any case, this is a thought-provoking example of the way that
video games adopt theological terms and repackage them to serve their own purposes.
The Paladin in “World of Warcraft”
In WoW, the paladin is a heavily armored fighter that can use defensive magical
skills. On the character creation screen, they are described as “champions who call upon
the Light to heal wounds and combat evil.”
35
Paladins are a common class in the genre of
35
Ibid., “Alliance Character Creation Screen” (accessed January 30, 2007)
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role-playing games. They tend to be based upon a popularized version of the Christian
crusader that lived in the Middle Ages.
The identity of a paladin in WoW can be most effectively described as the
combination of three distinct factors. Those three factors are Christian theological
language and symbolism, a militaristic notion of protection for the weak, and the
glorification of acts of revenge.
The factor of Christian theological language and symbolism will be examined
shortly. As to the concept of protection, crusaders did not charge into battle in order to
protect the weak, but rather did so with the understanding that they were following Christ
into battle in order to do battle with the devil.
36
They also understood that there was a
devotional component to their efforts (they fought because they believed they would
become closer to experiencing the love of Christ), and knew that by following the
Crucified One into battle, they were following him into death.
37
While a crusader might
indirectly protect their fellow soldiers and countrymen by going off to war, such was not
the intent (as WoW claims).
As to the concept of revenge, there is absolutely no evidence that crusaders
understood themselves to be soldiers that were exacting vengeance on their enemies.
Their enemies were not so much soldiers, armies, or nations as they were the devil
himself. The purpose of fighting was to be part of Christ‟s final victory over the devil, not
to right an injustice that had been committed against the crusader or his nation. Again, the
portrayal of the crusader in WoW on this point has no basis in history.
36
Christoph T. Maier, Crusade Propaganda and Ideology: Model Sermons for the Preaching of
the Cross (Cambridge: University Press, 2000), 59.
37
Ibid., 60.
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62
Now, we can move on to the more substantial factor in the identity of the paladin
in WoW: that of the use of Christian language and symbolism.
The Paladin: Christian Language and Symbolism
Paladin abilities, known in the game as “skills” and “talents”, are a primary
source by which to observe the use of Christian language and symbolism in WoW. When
we compare the number of paladin skills and talents in WoW with Christian language to
the number of monk abilities and technologies in Age of Empires II, the difference is
astounding. While AoE2 contained roughly a dozen such uses of language, the WoW
paladin (only one class of many) has about one hundred uses of theological language in
the title names of its skills and talents. When skill and talent descriptions are included in
this calculation, the number of theological terms doubles.
There is simply not enough space in this writing to investigate every use of
theological language in WoW—such an analysis could be a book in itself. However,
some words or phrases that are included in the names of skills and talents are
righteousness, sanctity/sanctified, grace, blessed/blessing, spiritual, holy, devotion,
sanctuary, sacred, conviction, judgment, crusade/crusader, repentance, lay on hands, and
eye for an eye.
38
These examples are not only theological in nature—many have biblical
connections as well. We will investigate one such phrase: lay on hands.
38
Ibid., “Paladin Talent Screen” (accessed February 4, 2007)
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63
The Use of Language in the Paladin’s Lay on Hands Skill
The phrase “lay on hands” is a prominent phrase in the Bible that carries great
significance in both the Old and New Testaments. In the Old Testament, the laying of
hands on an offering was used as a form of prayer for the people of Israel. God
commanded the Israelites to do so as a sign of their repentance from their unfaithful acts.
By laying their hands on the offering, the Israelites were giving up those sins. The sins
were either “left in the wilderness” (Lev 16:20-22) or “sacrificed” (Ex 29:15-18).
In the New Testament, the laying on of hands becomes a way for healing to take
place, and for the Holy Spirit to come alive among people. Jesus lays his hands on the
sick to heal them (Mk 6:1-6), and when Jesus does so, the demons recognize that he is the
Christ (Lk 4:38-41).
The Holy Spirit finds life among new converts when Peter and John pray for and
lay hands on them (Acts 8:9-25). The Holy Spirit leads the Christians in Ephesus to speak
enthusiastically and prophetically when Paul lays hands on them to give the gift of the
Holy Spirit (Acts 19:1-10).
The author of Hebrews sees the laying on of hands as part of the basic foundation
of Christian teachings (Heb 6:1-2). Both letters to Timothy recorded in the Bible
reference the laying on of hands, sometimes equating it with ordination (1 Tim 5:21-22, 2
Tim 1:6-7).
In World of Warcraft, the paladin skill of lay on hands uses Jesus‟ healing powers
as the inspiration for its function. The paladin skill can instantly heal any player up to
their maximum hit points, regardless of how injured they are. The WoW version of the
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laying on of hands shows a usage of language that is consistent with one of the Christian
theological understandings of the term, though it does not represent the depth of the term.
Inconsistent Use of Language, and Hostility towards Christianity
However, a further investigation into the use of language and symbolism in the
WoW paladin reveals that the accuracy of the term lay on hands does not carry over to
the hundreds of other skills and talents. Theological terms like holy, spiritual, grace, and
sacred are thrown around with little or no connection to their meaning in reality. For
example, the word repentance means to turn away from one‟s own sins. However, in
WoW, repentance is a special ability that allows the paladin to strike an enemy and
prevent them from taking any action for a period of time. This reveals the bias that the
game designers feel towards the very idea of repentance: it is a tactic used by deceitful
religious people who trick others into being reflective for a period of time so that they can
be taken advantage of.
In addition, most terms are used inconsistently in the course of the game. In one
example, the word holy might symbolize an altruistic act. In another example, the same
word might be invoked to justify the vengeful execution of an enemy. A specific category
of magical spells are referred to as being holy, with some spells designed to heal one‟s
friends, and other spells designed to kill one‟s enemies. For the designers of WoW, holy
is nothing more than a religious-sounding word that has no inherent meaning.
Further analysis would show that most theological terms in WoW are treated as
such. Even overtly Christian symbols, like the cross, are tossed around apparently at
random in the game. Many pictures include the cross, but since Christ (or an overtly
Christian worldview) is not part of the WoW design, this is nonsensical. Sometimes, the
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cross is associated with healing abilities; sometimes, to powerful attack abilities; but most
often, it appears to be “eye candy” that is present to make the game look more attractive.
A Postmodern/Relativist, Young White Male Theology for Sale
Based on these observations, it is logical to conclude one of two things. First, it is
possible that the designers of WoW know the proper uses of theological language and
symbolism, but felt they had to radically repackage almost all of it to sell their product.
However, this is unlikely, given that the designers of AoE2 managed to use theology and
history in an accurate, responsible manner, and still sell millions of copies.
This is also unlikely, given the fact that the overwhelming majority of video game
designers today belong to a specific demographic category. The “typical” game designer
is a 31 year-old, heterosexual, white male. (83.3% of game designers are white.) 88.5%
of all game designers are male, which goes a long way towards showing why sexual
content is portrayed in the way it is in popular video games today.
39
Young men are one
of the least likely demographic groups to be involved in a church community, which
means that it is probable that the “typical” game designer has had little or no interaction
with theological terms and symbols. This explains some the unusual use of these
elements in WoW.
Second (and much more likely), it is possible that the designers of WoW are
postmodern/relativist. In short, this means that they challenge the very idea of whether
the truth can even exist. If truth does exist, the only thing that can determine truth is an
39
International Game Developers Association, “Game Developer Demographics: An Exploration
of Workplace Diversity,” IGDA.com, 2007,
http://www.igda.org/diversity/IGDA_DeveloperDemographics_Oct05.pdf , p. 9-10, 12 (viewed March 25,
2007)
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individual‟s opinions. Blizzard Entertainment, the creator of WoW, is based in
California, a state that is well known by the church as being a post-Christendom culture.
The relativist worldview has been identified as a factor in the decline of the church, and
in a pluralistic area of the United States like California is, it is quite possible that this
philosophy has had some impact on the designers of the game.
This might explain the bizarre use of terms like holy in the WoW. A postmodern,
relativist person could claim that because all truth is relative, the word holy has no real
definition. Therefore, they can claim that they are free to define it in any way they please,
and can choose to be as consistent or inconsistent as they like.
If we take the available evidence that WoW was created by a demographic of the
population which is very unlikely to be involved in the church, and we take the evidence
that the theological terms and symbols are used without apparent concern for accuracy or
consistency with reality, it follows that WoW is a repackaging of Christian theology from
a relativist, postmodern, young white male point of view.
This would not ordinarily be a concern for the church, except that games like
WoW now have (potentially) more influence over the younger generations than the
church does. As we have already noted, the video game industry is growing at an
incredible rate. Even the most dedicated Christians, on average, are spending more time
playing video games than participating in church activities. It would seem obvious to
point out that people play video games for very different reasons than they participate in
church activities. Still, with the growing cultural influence of video game companies that
repackage Christian theology and sell it for profit, there is sufficient cause for the church
to engage in serious theological reflection and analysis of this emerging culture.
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CHAPTER 6
THE PRIEST IN ROLE-PLAYING VIDEO GAMES
Role-playing video games that contain any religious references—such as World
of Warcraft—almost always include a priest character class (often referred to as a
“cleric”). In video games, priests have certain defining characteristics similar to those of
the monks in Age of Empires II. They use defensive skills or magic, and are generally not
very strong.
The Origins of Priest Weapon Restrictions in Video Games
One of the more curious characteristics of priests in video games is the restriction
that priests may only use “blunt” weapons. A blunt weapon is any weapon that does not
have a sharp edge or a point on it. Therefore, a club, mace, or staff would be considered a
blunt weapon, but a sword, axe, or spear would not.
The restriction on blunt weapons for priests in video games was solidified in the
2
nd
Edition Rules of the Advanced Dungeons and Dragons (AD&D) role-playing game.
AD&D was originally conceived as a table-top, pencil-and-paper game, but in the 1980s
and 1990s, AD&D games began to be created for the personal computer. The 2
nd
Edition
Rules were in place for many AD&D games that were created during this time, and this
popular fantasy universe set the standard by which all other fantasy role-playing games
were judged. Before long, the decision to disallow religious character types from using
anything than a blunt weapon in combat had become an unbreakable law of role-playing
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video game design.
1
These video games were making a theological statement about the
way religious people viewed war, but what was the basis for this rather odd characteristic
of priests in video games?
One Theory Explaining Priest Weapon Restrictions
One explanation for this development is that some Christian warriors during the
crusades of the Middle Ages saw battle as an expression of their biblical piety. In reading
Genesis 9:6 (“Whoever sheds the blood of a human, by a human shall that person‟s blood
be shed…”) and the Ten Commandments (“you shall not murder”) these pious crusaders
could obviously see that God did not condone killing.
The explanation goes that the crusaders interpreted these passages as
commandments against shedding blood. Since they desired to go to war—which would
obviously involve killing—they designed blunt, crushing weapons that could kill without
cutting, like the mace and the morning star. In doing so, they could claim to be following
God‟s commandments while they were engaging in warfare.
2
Support for this theory
comes from a reference to Thomas Aquinas, perhaps the most influential scholastic
theologian of the Middle Ages. Aquinas, quoting from the common teaching of the
church of his time, said that “it is altogether unlawful for clerics to fight, because war is
1
In the early 21
st
century, some game designers—responding to the demands of gamers who
wanted more flexibility in their characters—loosened the restriction on priests and weapons. Bioware‟s
“Neverwinter Nights” is an example of this, though this change is still not a common sight in the gaming
world.
2
The historical files contained within Age of Empires II make this argument, though they do not
list sources for their information.
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directed to the shedding of blood.”
3
Thus, the theory says that video game designers used
this explanation as justification for the characteristics of priests in their games.
There is definitive evidence that many church leaders during the time of the
Crusades reinterpreted the Bible in such a way that it could support the idea of a
“Christian holy war”, in response to their critics who believed that such a concept was
clearly against Christian teachings.
4
Such reinterpretations were the core of theological
arguments in favor of the Crusades.
Historical Practices of Priests of the Middle Ages in War Situations
However, there is virtually no historical evidence to support the fact that there
was any real relationship between priests, weapon selection, and biblical piety. Church
canon taught that members of the priesthood were forbidden to fight or carry any
weapons. Any priests that did would be humiliated, confined to a monastery, and omitted
from the prayers of their brethren.
5
Biblical reinterpretations that encouraged citizens to
fight in a holy war were not applied to priests, who were expected to hold themselves to a
higher standard by refusing to take up arms. Like women and children, priests were
considered non-combatants.
6
Until later in the Crusader Era, they were not even allowed
to travel alongside the soldiers without the special permission of the bishop. Most were
3
Ronald C. Finucane, Soldiers of the Faith: Crusaders and Moslems at War (London: J.M. Dent
& Sons, 1983, 71.
4
Christopher Tyreman, Fighting for Christendom: Holy War and the Crusades (New York:
Oxford University Press, 2004), 96.
5
James A. Brundage, Medieval Canon Law and the Crusader (Madison: University of Wisconsin,
1969), 28.
6
Finucane, Soldiers, 71.
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expected, by the church authorities, to travel with the families that followed the military
forces to the Holy Land.
The actual practices of clergymen on the expeditions differed considerably from
the official teachings of the church. Given that they were far away from church authority
in a hostile land, many priests did not hesitate to arm themselves and charge into battle.
As one historian writes of this practice, “…not all clergymen were interested in the
subtleties of canon law or spiritual counsel.”
7
When they did fight, priests most often joined with the ranks of footmen, which
primarily used the spear (clearly, a weapon intended to shed blood) to defend the knights
that fought on horseback.
8
A short spear could be concealed beneath the traditional robes
that a priest wore. The other melee weapons used by the footmen (that the priests fought
alongside, and shared weapons with) were the short sword, the axe, and the pike—all of
which are obviously weapons intended to cut one‟s enemy.
9
The only soldiers that
commonly used blunt weapons like morning stars were the knights. However, these
mounted warriors preferred the use of weapons designed to cut, like the sword or the
lance, over the use of crushing weapons.
10
The best available evidence clearly shows that the relationship between a priest‟s
sense of piety and the use of blunt weapons has no basis in historical fact. How, then, can
we explain such a peculiar and pervasive characterization of religious clergy in video
games?
7
Ibid.
8
Ibid., 68-69.
9
Ibid., 69.
10
Ibid., 68.
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The Convergence of History with the Needs of Game Designers
The problem for game designers comes when they want to include real-world
elements in their games that are inherently peaceful in nature. Designers wanted to have
religious character types that resembled Christian clergy, but—the exceptions mentioned
above notwithstanding—they knew that priests were not exactly the combative warriors
that would make for exciting gameplay. (Does the idea of playing a video game in which
your character spends all of their time reading the Bible and praying silently sound like
fun?) The designers knew that virtually all video games that generate large profits for
gaming companies include violent themes, graphics, and gameplay. Every game
mentioned in this writing, except the classic game “Pong”, has a violent component to it.
As the old saying goes, “necessity is the mother of invention”. By giving their
priest characters the ability to use blunt weapons, the designers felt they were serving the
needs of the violent style their gameplay required without making the priests appear to be
acting in a way that was contrary to their identity in reality. While it is unlikely that
anyone who plays video games will actually expect members of the clergy to begin
wielding clubs in their daily lives, this is a fascinating and rather odd example of what
can happen when Christian theology intersects with video game design.
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CHAPTER 7
OTHER EXAMPLES OF THEOLOGY IN VIDEO GAMES
Strong theological statements are also being made in many other popular video
games. Many such games only occasionally reference religious issues—but when they
do, a definitive point of view is presented. This point of view is usually hostile towards
religion in general and Christianity in particular.
The Theology of “Galactic Civilizations”
One example is Stardock Entertainment‟s “Galactic Civilizations”, an outer-space
turn-based strategy game. The player can win the game and defeat one‟s opponents in
several different ways, including what is called a “technological victory”. To achieve
such a victory, the player must research so much technology that they are able to turn the
people and armies they control into “gods” that “transcend” the mortal life. One of the
final technologies, “Beyond Human”, is described this way: We are the alpha and the
omega!
This is an obvious reference to the book of Revelation, which says of the savior,
Jesus Christ, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the
end.” (Rev 22:13; see also 1:8 and 21:6). In other words, the theology of Galactic
Civilizations is that humanity can be its own savior, and our salvation will come through
our own technological capabilities. In a way, they believe that Jesus Christ will become
obsolete through humanity‟s self-initiated creative development.
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The Theology of “Rise of Nations”
Another game, Microsoft‟s “Rise of Nations”, believes that Jesus Christ will (or
has) become obsolete through philosophy. Rise of Nations, like Age of Empires 2, is a
real-time strategy game that has the player commanding large armies. However, it does
so over the course of many millennia. Along the way, the player can research religious
technologies that give certain powers to the player. Monotheism, one such technology, is
rendered obsolete once one “researches” Existentialism.
Existentialism, a 20
th
-century philosophical school of thought, argues that life has
no higher purpose. There is no God (or gods), and all of life is utterly meaningless.
Existentialists argue that the only thing to do in life is to pursue reason, create art, or seek
pleasure. The designers of Rise of Nations believe that this school of thought not only
cancels out the monotheism of Christianity (and any other related understandings), but
that this nihilistic philosophy is superior to it. If you refuse to research Existentialism
while playing a game of Rise of Nations, your civilization will be less powerful than
those of your enemies.
The Theology of “Civilization IV”
Yet another game puts religion on the free market, to be used or discarded at will
by a player seeking certain powers. “Civilization IV” by Firaxis has the player command
an entire civilization through the course of history using a turn-based strategy model.
Along the way, a player can choose between a number of different religions to practice.
Different religions give different powers to one‟s civilization.
The theology being demonstrated here is that of consumer religion (common in
the capitalistic, free-market Western world) where people look at what benefits they will
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receive upon choosing a religion, and commit to it on that basis. Religious loyalty and
commitment in such a society only lasts so long as the individual feels like they are
receiving the benefits they believe they are entitled to.
Pastors and church leaders that combine Christianity with consumer capitalism
are often accused of preaching a “prosperity gospel”. This is a derogatory term that
implies that the true gospel is being undermined by leaders that claim that Jesus wants to
make them rich, successful, and happy. Critics say that such desires are inherently selfish,
and directly contradict the commandments to love God above all—and to love one‟s
neighbor as one‟s self.
More importantly, they are contrary to the “theology of the cross”—held most
strongly by the Lutheran reformers—that God is most clearly recognized in the person of
Jesus Christ dying on the cross for the sins of humanity. This identification of God as an
agent of sacrifice and reconciliation is the basis by which most Christians see the
prosperity gospel movement as an expression of human greed.
Civil religion, which results from the merger of nationalistic ideals and religion,
inevitably leads to the claim that what God wants and what the nation wants is the same.
In the capitalistic United States, this manifests itself when people replace the Christian
narrative with one that says that God wants a specific group of chosen people to have
money, power, and the “freedom” to do whatever they want. The video game Civilization
IV is one example of civil religion replacing orthodox practice.
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CHAPTER 8
IMPLICATIONS FOR MINISTRY IN THE HOME
Over the course of this writing, we have established that video games are
becoming a dominant source of entertainment in Western culture. We have also
established that game designers are now using Christian theology (appropriately or
inappropriately) to enhance the immersive character of their video games. Now, it is time
to explore the implications of these developments for the church in this technological era.
If the church can only do one thing in response to the emergence of video games
in popular culture, that one thing must be to learn how to use existing video games as a
tool to pass on the Christian faith to the next generation. If parents can be trained to
critically examine gaming culture in a partnership with their children, this ministry could
have a significant impact on the faith formation of innumerable youth—as well as the
adults themselves.
Redefining Ministry to Include the Home
The concept of “ministry in daily life”, grounded in the mission of the Triune God
to all of creation, seeks to redefine the term “ministry” in order to broaden the
understanding of Christian witness. This redefinition is critical in order to come to an
understanding of how video games relate to the practice of ministry.
The historical Protestant denominations identify ministry as the work of the
ordained pastor. While official confessional documents might support the priesthood of
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all believers (1 Pet 2:9), many congregations have identified the pastor as the “minister”
who is charged with the task of providing care for a congregation. In contrast, the
contemporary evangelical traditions have often equated the term “ministry” with the
work of evangelism. If an activity does not have the goal of bringing about the
conversion of an unbeliever, that activity is not ministry. Since any Christian can testify
about their faith, ministry (as evangelism) can be undertaken by anyone, and does not
require any pastoral presence.
Both of these definitions of ministry are inadequate for the missional church. The
congregational practice of identifying the pastor as the only minister is driven by a
Christendom worldview that sees everyday Christian witness as largely unnecessary.
Since the clergy-centered institutional church is struggling to survive in the pluralistic
culture of the Western world, continuing to restrict “ministry” to pastors will only
increase the attrition rate of the clergy without improving Christian witness among
contemporary disciples in their daily lives.
On the other hand, the practice of ministry as exclusively evangelism (seen in
many newer Protestant churches) is sometimes driven by a dispensationalist theology that
reduces the holistic scope of God‟s work to providing lifeboats to a few faithful people
who wish to escape the sinking ship that is God‟s fallen creation.
Redefining Ministry: The missio Dei
In opposition to both of these definitions of ministry is the confession that the
Triune God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—is a missionary God. God is on a redemptive
mission to bring new life to the world: to love, to bless, and to save all of creation.
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God‟s ultimate goal is the renewal of all of creation in the original divine image,
not the destruction of all creation in an act of anger and vengeance. Ministry, therefore,
cannot be appropriately equated with an evangelistic witness that is driven by a
dispensational eschatology.
There is no part of the world in which the missio Dei is not occurring. God didn‟t
send the Son because God so loved the church; God sent the Son because God so loved
the entire world! (Most biblical scholars argue that the most accurate translation of the
word “world” from its original meaning in Greek in this famous John 3:16 passage is
“cosmos” or “universe”, which broadens the scope of God‟s mission even further.)
Because of this reality, we can know that ministry is not exclusively the work of
the pastor within the congregation. Ministry isn‟t so much about what we are doing on
our own; it is the process by which everyone can participate in the missio Dei, which is
taking place everywhere.
Four categories have developed in the study of “ministry in daily life” to help us
understand the locations in which this process can take place in, around, and through us.
These four categories are the home, the workplace, the community, and the congregation.
Video games relate most strongly to the home, and it is in that context we will consider
the implications of video games for the work of ministry.
Redefining Ministry: Martin Luther
The sixteenth-century church reformer, Martin Luther, believed that the home was
the most important location in which ministry could take place. Luther had a strong sense
that Christian identity must be focused on loving others rather than fulfilling self-
righteous standards of piety. This made the home a natural place for Christian ministry—
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ministry being the process by which God‟s calling for us to love God, and to love one
another, was lived out. Luther did not use missional language to describe ministry, since
this language did not come into practice until the second half of the twentieth century.
Nevertheless, his basic theological assertion that God calls us into ministry in the midst
of our ordinary, daily lives is a powerful missional statement in the context of his time.
Although it seems to be an unusual idea today, Luther understood that the home
was the primary location for the work of evangelism. He argued that the Christian faith
was primarily learned when a parent passed on the story of Jesus to their children. (For a
variety of reasons, Luther had little faith in the ability of the existing church institution of
his time to do this work.) Passing on the faith was not just the work of biological
parents—it was the responsibility of all adults to do so for the children that they
interacted with.
In our 21
st
-century context, we are living with the consequences of turning over
this responsibility to a select group of church professionals. Without the holistic support
and witness of Christian parents and adults in daily life, the younger generations have
been giving up on the Christian journey at astounding rates. Now that many
congregations are struggling to pay the salaries of people employed in youth ministry, we
are forced to reconsider the wisdom of Luther‟s assertion that the home is a vital place for
ministry to take place.
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Five Principles for Using Video Games in Faith Formation
We will consider the insights of David Anderson and Paul Hill as we discern
strategies for engaging video games in the home. Anderson and Hill identify five
principles that describe the way in which the Christian faith is passed on:
1
1) Faith is formed through personal, trusted relationships
2) The church is a living partnership between home and congregation
3) Where Christ is present in faith, the home is church, too
4) Faith is caught more than it is taught
5) If we want Christian children and youth, we need Christian parents and adults
Faith is Formed through Personal, Trusted Relationships
If it is true that the Christian faith is formed through personal, trusted
relationships, then any attempt to engage video games in a meaningful way must be done
in community. Some critics of Western culture point out that parents are increasingly
turning to technology to “raise their children”, often using things like television or video
games to distract their children so the parents don‟t have to spend the time to engage
them in significant ways.
While the percentage of children that play video games is very high, only about
one-third of parents play video games. While most gaming parents do play video games
with their children, parents only play about nine hours a month, which is approximately
the same amount of time their children are playing video games each week.
2
This means
1
David W. Anderson and Paul Hill, Frogs Without Legs Can’t Hear: Nurturing Disciples in
Home and Congregation (Minneapolis: Augsburg Fortress, 2003), 11.
2
Entertainment Software Association. “2006 Sales, Demographic, and Research Data: Essential
Facts.”
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that two-thirds of children that play video games are doing so without any parental
engagement in their activity. The other one-third of gamer children only play video
games with their parents 20-25% of the time.
If parents want to engage video games in order to help pass on the Christian faith,
they must do one of two things (in response to these statistics). Either more parents need
to start playing video games with their children—and play those games more often; or
parents must start placing restrictions on the amount of time that their children can play
video games without supervision. We have gone to great lengths over the course of this
writing to show the way that bizarrely altered Christian theology (heretical, in some
cases) is being presented in video games. If children are formed into the faith by playing
video games more than by learning from other adults, those children will grow up with
very distorted ideas about who God is and what God is about.
Neither one of these two decisions will be easy to make. For parents who feel
stretched between so many different demands on their time, the idea of giving up other
activities in order to play video games with their children may seem absurd. Many
parents may have no interest in video games, and are probably happy to have their
children playing games instead of bothering them. Conversely, children who were
accustomed to playing two hours of video games every day by themselves would likely
rebel if they were allowed to play games for “only” 30 minutes at a time—especially if
the rules dictated that an adult had to be present while they were playing.
However, it will take these types of courageous decisions by parents who are
committed to forming personal, trusted relationships with their children around gaming if
video games will be able to be used as a method for passing on the Christian faith. Such
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decisions will be well worth the effort. Anderson and Hill have discovered that parents
are the most powerful relational influence that a child has when it comes to faith
formation:
“For years we have asked groups of Christians in parenting or Sunday morning
education classes, or lay and clergy leaders in workshops, training sessions, or
retreats, „Who or what has influenced your life of faith?‟ In one group of about 50
adults in a Sunday morning forum, the first answer placed on the chalkboard was
„mother.‟ The second was „father.‟ The third, „grandparent,‟ and then
„godparent.‟…These observations are consistent with formal research on the
topic…Youth from seventh to twelfth grades were asked this same question. The
number one and two answers they gave were „mother‟ and „father.‟ ”
3
The Church is a Living Partnership between Home and Congregation
The church is no longer the only voice that is defining Christian theology. The
rise of a secular culture has not generally been a threat to the church‟s orthodox belief
and practice, because the surrounding culture has usually seen little value in the language,
symbols, and practices of the church. However, now game developers are using these
(modified) Christian elements to sell their products, and children playing video games
will have a very difficult time differentiating between what is good theology and what is
bad theology. Because of this, parents can no longer assume that the language and
symbolism of the church will mean the same thing to their children as it has to them.
This is where the ministry of the congregation intersects with the ministry of the
home. The discipline of weekly worship teaches families about how good theology is put
into practice in community. It is out of this gathered congregation that the people can be a
resource for bridging the current gap between worship life and home life:
“…[one way in which] the church is experienced as a partnership between home
and congregation is through the edification of the home that enables the witness,
3
Anderson and Hill, Frogs, 28.
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leadership, and service of the larger Christian community. Not only public
preaching grew the church, but the „breaking of bread‟ from house to house. Acts
2 identifies public and domestic worship, generosity, and praise that resulted in
the good will of all the people and the evangelization of the greater population
(2:46-47)…Just as the public ministry of the church builds up individuals and
households, so individuals and households build up the public ministry of the
church.”
4
Congregation members who enjoy language (book readers, writers, poets, and
musicians, for example) can offer insight into how words shape our Christian identity, as
a way to help families see how game designers alter Christian language for entertainment
purposes. Members that are sensitive to visual symbols (like painters, communion
stewards, liturgical arts directors, carpenters, architects, gardeners, and the like) can help
families to interpret the symbols of Christianity, so that they can compare those symbols
with the ways the game designers use them.
Pastors who have some knowledge of gaming culture can use a reference to a
video game in a sermon to illustrate a point (where a reference to a movie, book, or song
would also be appropriate). Sunday school classes help children learn about God‟s love
and God‟s hope for their lives, themes that are generally not present in today‟s
entertainment-based popular culture. Educated and experienced leaders (whether clergy,
staff, or otherwise) have the ability to nurture relationships that connect the home and
congregation more closely together, whether this happens through a formalized small
group program or through conversations over coffee.
In these ways—and many more—a partnership can be formed between the home
and the congregation. The congregation can take the gifts, graces, and talents that God
has given them and use them as a resource to equip families for ministry in their homes.
4
Ibid., 47-48.
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As life in the home begins to be transformed through these acts of devotion and
discipleship, the very identity of the gathered worshipping congregation is bound to be
publicly transformed as well.
Where Christ is Present in Faith, the Home Is Church, Too
Congregations that use a Christendom paradigm to define the word “church”
restrict the practice of ministry to weekly worship, where the people gather in the official
church building in the presence of the pastor to receive certain benefits. (“I went to
church this week. Did you go to church?”) In contrast, advocates of “ministry in daily
life” identify the home, the workplace, and the community as locations for church to
happen (as well as in the gathered congregation). This is because the church isn‟t the
steeple—it‟s the people!—and embracing ministry in daily life means taking this literally.
The identity of the church isn‟t about gathering; it is about sending! As the Father
sends the Son, and as the Son sends the Holy Spirit, we are sent out into the world for the
purpose of participating in God‟s redemptive mission to all of creation. Weekly worship
is still important, but it is when we are sent in the world—into our homes, into our
workplaces, and into our communities—that “church” really happens. Ministry is what
takes place when the people that make up the church intersect with God‟s mission out in
the world, and then return to worship to celebrate and reflect upon their experience.
When Christ is present in faith, the home is church, too. When parents spend time
playing video games with their children in order to help bring them up in the Christian
faith, their work is just as important as the pastor preaching the sermon on Sunday
morning. By using “sending” language related to the missio Dei, a congregation will have
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the theological grounding to direct the resources that parents and adults need to carry out
effective ministry in the home.
Anderson and Hill believe that the home can be church even amidst the
brokenness of contemporary society and its related family structures:
“We need to acknowledge, of course, that not every Christian child, youth, and
adult lives in a home (residence) filled with other Christians. This has been true
since the beginning of the church…our assertion is that the principles…can be of
immeasurable support to those who feel alone in their own homes...”
5
Where God has been sent before us (into a broken world), and where Christ is
acknowledged in faith (where we are), we can have confidence that the Holy Spirit will
intersect with the lives of ordinary people, in extraordinary ways, in their ordinary lives.
Video games may seem like quite an ordinary part of life in the technological era, but we
have an extraordinary God who can be revealed through these ordinary things.
Faith is Caught More Than it is Taught
The Christian faith is learned most powerfully when it is experienced. As
Anderson and Hill put it:
“Today learners and teachers are increasingly encouraged to acquire valuable
insights and data from daily life encounters, and to attach valuable insights to
these encounters. One of the great challenges of education is to connect
information and life experiences…the principle that faith is caught more than it is
taught simply reminds pastors, Christian educators, godparents, grandparents, and
parents that Jesus often taught his followers in a classroom without walls.”
6
The central role that experience plays in current educational thought means that
video games can be an important tool for passing on the Christian faith. Putting aside the
concerns we have raised in the course of this paper about language and symbolism for the
5
Ibid., 59-60.
6
Ibid., 71-72.
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moment, we can recognize that the immersive and interactive characteristics of video
games are specifically designed to engage the human brain on a complex level.
Knowing that, how can we use video games for faith formation in such a way that
we do not teach youth to accept their altered and flawed theology? A church can institute
a program that puts the theology of the church and the theology of video games side-by-
side.
Leaders could observe the symbols present in a video game that were borrowed
from the Christian tradition. Then, they could find those symbols in the architecture of
their own church. By structuring a program that gave learners the chance to play the
video game and experience the symbols of the church architecture, a conversation could
begin as to what symbols mean for Christians.
For example, the game World of Warcraft uses the Roman cross of crucifixion as
a symbol, as does virtually every church worship space in the world. Yet, there are
obvious differences between each use of this symbol. For example, there is no such thing
as a Roman civilization, execution by crucifixion, or Christ in World of Warcraft. What,
then, does the symbol of the cross mean in the game (if anything)? How does that
compare to the meaning of the cross for Christians?
Through the use of creative, structured experiences, congregations can help
people engage the world of video games in their homes in order to help Christians pass
on the faith to the next generation.
It Takes Christian Parents and Other Adults to Raise Christian Youth
Although we have been focusing on how parents and other adults can help pass on
the Christian faith in this section, the reality is that those adults often feel that they are not
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capable of the task. This has been a strong factor in the rise of church professionals who
specialize in youth ministry in the 20
th
and 21
st
centuries:
“The old paradigm for youth ministry assumed that the congregation would
delegate the faith formation of children and youth to a youth pastor, a youth
director, or a charismatic volunteer. But one cannot hire out faith formation. The
act of „faithing‟ the next generation is directly related to the faith formation
activity that takes place in the home.”
7
At the same time that professionals have taken the place of parents in the
catechetical process, the parents themselves are in need of the same education:
“…the faith maturity of half of all men in their 40s is not that different than that
of adolescent youth…only 32 percent of U.S. Christians have a mature
faith…given this lack of adult faith maturity, one-third of mainline Protestant
adults believe that „through meditation and self-discipline I come to know that all
spiritual truth and wisdom is within me‟; a decidedly un-Christian theology, but
appropriate to a consumer culture that worships individual cravings at any cost.‟
8
We must remember that video games are not just toys for children, but are being
played by people of all ages—even seniors! If the faith of many of our adults isn‟t any
more mature than that of our teenagers, many of these adults will be influenced by the
flawed “Christian” theology in video games today. If our adults can‟t tell a good theology
from a bad one, they won‟t be capable of teaching their children how to do so either.
Any congregational program that attempts to engage video games seriously as a
ministry in the home must take into consideration the reality that some parents are in
need of faith-formative practices just as much as their children are. In fact, some children
may be more mature in their faith than their parents are! It would be a remarkable act of
witness and discipleship to see the younger generations using video games to engage the
older generations for the purpose of faith formation. A congregation seeking the
7
Ibid., 84.
8
Ibid., 92.
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87
resources to begin a program to support ministry in the home should not neglect to ask
whether God has given them children and youth who could be equipped as leaders in that
ministry area.
Final Reflections
Over the course of this writing, we have attempted to address some of the
challenges that a technological, consumer culture presents to the Christian faith. After
describing and analyzing the world of video games, some practical suggestions for
engaging this emerging context have been given.
In the same way that parents cannot help but pass on values to their children, the
church cannot help but respond to the “theology-for-sale” phenomenon taking place in
this post-Christian world. Will we see this as a threat, or as an opportunity? Perhaps it is a
little of both.
The prophetic word to us today is that the church must find creative ways to
engage the new realities of life for people living in the 21
st
century. Choosing not to
respond to these changes is a response in itself. Such a choice will virtually assure that
future generations of faithful Christians will have an even more difficult time dealing
with these questions than we do.
The pastoral word to us today is that we already know who wins! The Crucified
One, the Lamb of God, who has already triumphed over death itself, will ultimately
preside over the new heaven and new earth. At that time, the missio Dei will be fulfilled,
and the ministry of reconciliation given to us by God will be complete. Surely, that will
be a time of great joy and celebration.
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God‟s work in, through, and around us has begun. But, it is not yet finished. Only
one question remains. What will we do now?
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