Playing God...

Scene from "Bible Fight" video game

Following this week’s focus on violence at the intersection of Christianity and popular culture, I began to think about the argument put forth by Rachel Wagner in her article, “The Play is the Thing: Interactivity from Bible Fights to Passions of the Christ”, regarding the unsuitability of Jesus as a video game avatar.[1] Although her concerns regarding the ability of video games to disrupt the traditional linearity of biblical narration, and the dangers associated with increased immersion, identification and levels of play are well supported, I began to ask myself whether or not this really detracted from the ability of games to effectively convey Jesus’ message.[2] Wagner makes the argument that film is ultimately a better medium for the portrayal of Jesus due to the fact the audience has a far more limited interaction with the narrative.[3] However, as seen in Anton Kozlovic’s article, “The Structural Characteristics of the Cinematic Christ-Figure”, many films that effectively represent Christ, and what he represents, do so in an highly indirect manner, with those involved in its production likely having a far greater influence than any gamer would have while playing a video game.[4] Furthermore, many Christ figures, such as Superman and Obi-Wan Kenobi, have already transcended the realm of cinema, becoming prominent video game avatars. Thus, although the idea of playing Jesus himself may seem odd, perhaps many of us may have already had some experience playing as this character…

A montage of Superman video games over the past 30 years....Have we already played a Christ-figure avatar? 

To support her argument, Wagner draws upon a few extreme examples in which Jesus is portrayed in video games. Her examples are offensive and, in the case of the “Bible Fight" game, disturbing, highlighting the risks associated with representing Jesus in gaming.[5] However, as with many critiques concerning violence in games, the titles mentioned do not represent the full range of gaming experiences to be had. Furthermore, none of the examples Wagner provides have the players playing as Jesus himself. How, then, can we be concerned about issues such as immersion, identification and levels of play if we haven’t experienced it yet? The kinesthetic and cognitive interaction afforded by gaming may turn out to be an extremely effective outlet for modern youths to learn the message of Christ. As the level of interaction present in modern video gaming increases, with new systems such as Nintendo Wii and Xbox Kinect allowing players to operate avatars through physical movement, the potential benefits and applications are even beginning to surpass the expectations of the developers themselves. Perhaps by jumping on the bandwagon and embracing this new form of learning, the Church can hold onto to an audience it desperately needs.

The "Kinect Effect"... A commercial highlighting the potential and even unexpected uses of Xbox's Kinect system.

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[1] Rachel Wagner, “The Play is the Thing: Interactivity from Bible Fights to Passions of the Christ,” in Halos and Avatars: Playing Video Games with God, ed. Craig Detweiler (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2010), 47.

[2] Wagner, 51-62

[3] Wagner, 62

[4] Anton Karl Kozlovic, “The Structural Characteristics of the Cinematic Christ-Figure,” Journal of Religion and Popular Culture 8 (2004): 1.

[5] Wagner, 55-60