It wasn't that long ago that the Church of England was all over the video game industry - and Sony, in particular - for depicting a Resistance: Fall of Man combat mission inside a virtual representation of Manchester Cathedral (pic at left).
But the U.K. game biz, it would seem, is trying to woo the CoE, along with other religious and charity leaders. As reported by Yet Another Review Site, lobbying group ELSPA held a Faith & Gaming event this week in London. From YARS:
Mike Royal, national director of the Lighthouse Group, which helps to educate children who have been excluded from school, discussed the use of playing computer and video games to talk about 'boundaries' with young people and what behaviour is good and acceptable, not only in gaming but other aspects of life.
He also said that gaming helps to build a dialogue with parents as well as children, especially with regard to the types of games children are playing...
While the panel agreed that computer and video games can have a positive impact, they also explained that games must be utilised in the right way to yield the best results. Parental engagement and encouragement, as well as safe and social gaming, can help children develop and protect them in an increasingly online environment.
A podcast of the event is available from ELSPA.
Via: Kotaku
Comments
Re: Church of England Dropping Resistance to Video Games?
Good or bad, not many listen to them anymore. Still it's a nice change.
Gift.
Re: Church of England Dropping Resistance to Video Games?
Banning others because they are "different" is stupid instead bring them in and find common ground.. that is if you can dismiss the absolution of the religion.
When religion stops dividing people with petty and stagnate mindsets it becomes a wonderful thing.
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Re: Church of England Dropping Resistance to Video Games?
I remember the Church demanding an apology from Insomniac for the portrayl of Manchester Cathederal in Resistance. I also remember them retracting that demand when people started to show up to the church to see how accurate the layout of the church was compared to the video game version of it and it drove up tourism of the church dramatically.
In short, because it generated more revenue for the Church, it caused the higher ups to give a harder look at the medium instead of smashing it with the usual hate speech that comes as a knee jerk reaction to most things that are outside of its realm.
Re: Church of England Dropping Resistance to Video Games?
When groups that focus on the youth are understanding that Videogames like all new media can be a good way of communicating while the older generation of religious folks still reject everything that is new, you can feel that it is only in the new younger generation is where the real hope of the future lays.
Remember this is a group called the Lighthouse Group that focuses on the Youth.
So if they are talking positive things about Videogames, that means there are still those within the church who still have hope in Videogames and also a fair few are also gamers themselves.
Re: Church of England Dropping Resistance to Video Games?
CoE isn't all that bad, the big institutions, such as Cathedrals etc are still stuck in the past, might be something to do witht eh big Gothic architecture of the places, but a lot of the UK's christian population are not what could be called 'devout', in fact, the UK is one of the most non-religious countries in the world, despite the cries of 'Muslims taking over' etc that you hear in the rags.
The church realises that, in order to connect with this generation, they are going to have to meet them half-way, you cannot simply say 'This is the way you must live' and be done with it anymore, because people ask annoying questions these days, like 'Why?'.
Re: Church of England Dropping Resistance to Video Games?
I'm shocked too.
When Life gives you lemons, you find a new god.
Re: Church of England Dropping Resistance to Video Games?
Wow, a church saying something sensible instead of preying on peoples fears?
i'm shocked
Re: Church of England Dropping Resistance to Video Games?
Well, the Church of England believes in evolution and will hold services to bless gay couples undergoing civil partnerships.
So sense isn't too far off the plate.