Halos and Avatars: Playing Video Games with God

260 Pages·2010·5.712 MB·English

by  Craig Detweiler

INCLUDES BEHIND-THE-SCENES INTERVIEWS
ABOUT MYST, RIVEN, AND HALO
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HALOS AND AVATARS
Playing Video Games with God
Edited by Craig Detweiler
\A/ I
I X
JOHN KNOX PRESS
V V I JLX.
LOUISVILLE • KENTUCKY
© 2010 Westminster John Knox Press
First edition
Published by Westminster John Knox Press
Louisville, Kentucky
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Scripture quotations from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible
are copyright © 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National
Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. and are used by permission.
Book design by Sharon Adams
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Halos and Avatars : playing video games with God / edited by Craig Detweiler.
p. cm.
Includes index.
ISBN 978-0-664-23277-1 (alk. paper)
1. Video games—Religious aspects—Christianity. I. Detweiler, Craig, 1964—
GV1469.3.H35 2010
794.8—dc22
2009033750
PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements
of the American National Standard for Information Sciences—Permanence
of Paper for Printed Library Materials, ANSI Z3 9.48-1992
Westminster John Knox Press advocates the responsible use of our natural resources.
The text paper of this book is made from 30% post-consumer waste.
To Zoe and Theo and the next generation of gamers

Contents
Introduction: Halos and Avatars
Craig Detweiler
Section 1: Playing Games with God
1. From Tekken to Kill Bill\ The Future of Narrative Storytelling?
Chris Hansen
2. Ultima IV: Simulating the Religious Quest
Mark Hayse
3. The Play Is the Thing: Interactivity from Bible Fights
to Passions of the Christ
Rachel Wagner
4. Islamogaming: Digital Dignity via Alternative Storytellers
Heidi Campbell
5. W ii Are Inspirited: The Transformation of Home
Video Consoles (and Us)
Kutter Callaway
Section 2: Halos
6. My st and Halo: A Conversation with Rand Miller and
Marty O’Donnell
Lisa Swain
7. Madden Rules: Sports and the Future of Competitive Video Games
Matthew Kitchen
8. Poets, Posers, and Guitar Heroes: Virtual Art for a Virtual Age
Andrew McAlpine
viii Contents
9. BioShock to the System: Smart Choices in Video Games 135
Kevin Newgren
Section 3: Avatars
10. ’Til Disconnection Do We Part: The Initiation and
Wedding Rite in Second Life
Jason Shim 149
11. Role Playing: Toward a Theology for Gamers 163
Daniel White Hodge
12. Cybersociality: Connecting Fun to the Play of God 176
John W. Morehead
Conclusion: Born to Play 190
Craig Detweiler
Appendix: Beyond “Turn that Thing Off!” Elevating the Gaming
Conversation between Parents & Kids 197
Kara Powell and Brad M. Griffin
Notes 209
List of Contributors 231
Index 235