About the show
Daniel and Kevin explore the meaning of play for human flourishing – what it is, what it means, and how people create and maintain playful lives. We explore books, people, places, and ideas committed to engendering play in the midst of busy, working lives.
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Episodes
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Episode 35: Spirituality and Board Game Design, with Jamey Stegmaier
July 23rd, 2023 | 26 mins 56 secs
game design, inclusivity, spirituality
Daniel interviews Jamey Stegmaier of Stegmaier Games (Wingspan, Scythe, and Viticulture) about his journey into board game design and his religious background, and how he sees his religious background informing his design ethic and work today.
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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?
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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).
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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!!
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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!
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.