Kevin Taylor

Episode 34: Games with Religious Themes, with Alice Connor

July 9th, 2023  |  1 hr 11 mins

game theory, lists, religious games

Alice Connor is an Episcopal priest, writer, blogger, and podcaster, and she shares her deep knowledge and interest in board games – and especially games with religious themes. What defines a good game or a religious game?

Episode 33: Moltmann's Theology of Play Part 1

June 25th, 2023  |  1 hr 17 secs

book club, game theory, suffering

Another glorious book club episode! We dig into Jürgen Moltmann's Theology of Play, published in English in 1972. Moltmann asks if it is moral to play games when the world is filled with injustice and suffering, and answers with a resounding yes. Games anticipate our true identity and freedom, and can liberate us from false identities. "Games ... afford us an opportunity to experiment with free expression and with new human relationships" (p. 13).

Episode 32: Ameritrash vs. Euro Board Games, which is better?

June 11th, 2023  |  47 mins 41 secs

game theory

The 2 great camps of board game design are Ameritrash and Euro, and we define them and argue for which is better. F-I-G-H-T!!

Episode 31: Using Games to Teach, with Mandi Hutchinson

May 28th, 2023  |  59 mins 49 secs

Mandi Hutchinson of Salt and Sass Games is a teacher and educator, and she explores ways that board games have shaped her life and work. Games help the art of teaching whether it's a middle school classroom or adults in their workplaces.

Episode 30: Satanic Panic, with TheGeekPreacher

May 14th, 2023  |  1 hr 10 mins

d&d, game theory

The Geek Preacher, Rev. Derek White, explains the moral panic of the 1980s that demonized (LOLZ) Dungeons & Dragons and the human imagination. Derek helps us understand power struggles, fundamentalism, Star Wars, church life, being a game master, and being a Christian pastor.

Episode 29: State of the Podcast: We Look Back and Look Forward

April 30th, 2023  |  43 mins 24 secs

podcasting

Daniel and Kevin discuss downloads stats for this INTERCONTINENTAL INTERFAITH podcast, including top episodes and downloads by county and US state. They reminisce about favorite moments of Board Game Faith and name some future hopes for the podcast and our mission.

Episode 28: Spiritual Lessons of Negotiation Games

April 16th, 2023  |  54 mins 52 secs

game theory, negotiation games, spiritual lessons

What are the spiritual lessons of negotiation games where players must negotiate with one another? We discuss how these sorts of games (Settlers of Catan, for example) create fun around the table, along with understanding others and ourselves.

Check out details of our upcoming Instagram contest in the description!

Episode 27: Colonialism in Board Games (AV Club #2)

April 2nd, 2023  |  58 mins 53 secs

a/v club, colonialism, game theory, war gaming

How do colonialist themes impact board games of the past and present? Daniel and Kevin discuss a relevant YouTube video panel discussion from the Homo Ludens channel.

Episode 26: Board Games and Buddhism, with Takuya Ono

March 19th, 2023  |  35 mins 50 secs

buddhism, house of worship, practice

Board Games and Buddhism, with Japanese Buddhist temple master Takuya Ono! Japanese Buddhist priest and temple master Ono-san discusses board games in Japan, his life as an abbot (or jushoku) in Japan, and how Buddhism and board games have intersected in the past and present.

Episode 25: Reflections on Teaching a College Class on Board Gaming

March 5th, 2023  |  52 mins 21 secs

bernard suits, game theory, mcgonigal, teaching

Kevin reflects on his experience teaching a college class on board game theory and religion. He and Daniel unpack what he's learned from the experience of selecting material, teaching game mechanisms, and exploring game theory.

Episode 24: 5 Spiritual Lessons from Cooperative Board Games

February 19th, 2023  |  53 mins 41 secs

cooperative games, spiritual lessons

What are some spiritual lessons from cooperative board games? We define board games and describe 5 important spiritual ideas from cooperative games.

Episode 23: Board Games as Devotion, with Daniel Thurot

February 5th, 2023  |  1 hr 2 mins

devotion, game theory, mormonism, representation

Daniel Thurot of Space-Biff! discusses board games as devotion and religious exploration, Mormonism, and religious identity.