The Board Game Faith Newsletter, Issue 17
Hello, Board Game Faithful!
Kevin: It’s officially summer here in NC USA, hot and muggy. I fear a long summer. We did get some cleanup projects done at our church that were needed, and check out this freaky Crepe Myrtle that has some confused genes … this is the same tree in different growth stages. Nature is weird. Despite the angel’s instructions, though, I did not trim this shrubbery because it was just too heavy metal epic.
Daniel: Hooray! We were finally able to get our game room in order in our new home (check out the pics below)! I was surprised how much comfort I felt in being able to sit down at the same game table surrounded by our games again. I know all the great spiritual traditions teach the importance of detachment from physical items, but gee willikers do I love these games!
Behind the Episodes
Kevin: I’m learning some NEWFANGLED STUFF in Final Cut Pro, so check out our YouTube channel if you aren’t watching us in 40,000K HD UHD Dolby Atmoose! It’s epic!
Daniel: I think it’s fair to say that both Kevin & I count the most recent episode on the first 14 pages of Moltmann’s Theology of Play as one our favorites. Though the book is written in a different style than comparable books today, it’s nonetheless an inspiring expression of the potentially revolutionary role of play and games in the world.
Coming Up
We have some really amazing guests coming up! Next Sunday (July 9) we are dropping episode 34, which will feature the Rev. Alice Connor discussing what makes for a good religion-themed games…plus we will be sharing our own top religion-themed games! Then, on July 23, will be sharing an interview with game designer and publisher Jamey Stegmaier on where he sees the worlds of spirituality and board games intersecting. Stay turned for these great guests!
Games We're All About Right Now
Kevin: I’ve broken out Wayfarers of the South Tigris, and it’s such a fun meaty puzzle of a game. The solo AI version is super zippy once you master it, which I love, because I can keep my thoughts and strategies in my head without having to change tracks to ask “what does the AI bot decide to do now?” It just automatically takes certain actions based on its cards and board. It’s totally idiotic, except that I keep losing, sigh.
Daniel: One of our favorite games on the Nintendo Switch is Dorfromantik (Kristen is especially fond of it), so when it came out in board game form we were eager to try it. The tabletop version is similar to the original, but with enough twists to make it feel like its own experience. It’s also fully cooperative without any “win” condition to speak of (just try to keep bettering your score). As such, it’s a rather meditative experience, not unlike the video game. It’s a different kind of game which I recommend.
Spirituality
Kevin: We’ve added kids as acolytes at our church, and it’s so heartwarming to see them involved in worship. Even when they can’t light the candles it still makes you smile! Here’s to everyone getting a part to play in our worship services.
Daniel: What is the purpose of faith? Or, to put it more succinctly: why religion? There have been a lot of bad answers to that question over the centuries (“to control people,” “to get rich,” “to get people to vote a certain way,” “to eliminate our enemies”), as well as answers that may be OK but are not always very sustaining (“to bring us comfort,” “to get into heaven”). One of the biggest surprises of the book of Genesis for me is that when God “invents” faith by calling Abram in chapter 12, the purpose of this new thing called faith is unequivocally to bless others. It’s about others, and–-to the extent that we are connected to each other–-ourselves as well. “In you all the families of the earth shall be blessed,” God says in Genesis 12:3. Whenever I’m feeling discouraged by the less-than-inspiring goals we attribute to religion today, I always take comfort in remembering that when it all began (according to Genesis at least), the point of this strange thing called faith was to be a blessing to every single human being on earth.
Media We're Digging Right Now
Kevin: I’m still loving that “All My Life” song by Lil Durk, it’s the king of earworms. I finished Silo on Apple TV+ and it’s a great moody scifi story. I’m also working through Dante’s Purgatorio poem, slowly but surely.
Daniel: I recently made a playlist on Spotify titled “Happy & Funky” (yeah, it’s not a great name), which brings together different older songs that I find inspiring for their ability to communicate both the joy and fun of being alive. It started with Tim Maia’s “Do Leme ao Pontal,” but then quickly expanded to include Bill Withers’ “Lovely Day” (did you know he holds that note at the end for 18 seconds?!?!), Barbara Acklin’s “Am I the Same Girl,” and George Benson’s “Breezin’.” If you are looking for something to help you feel both happy AND funky, I hope you enjoy these songs as much as I do!
(Also, Kristen and I are really digging Silo too.)
Thank You!
Thanks so much for being a part of the BGF community. We are grateful for each of you and the ways you make the world more awesome. And if you haven’t had a chance to tell us a little about yourself yet, we would love it if you could fill out this form please!