Over on the website reformation21, one of Second Nature‘s contributors and editorial board members, T. David Gordon, recently reviewed D. Brent Layham’s new book iPod, YouTube, Wii Play: Theological Engagements with Entertainment. Gordon has glowing praise for the book:
I had hardly finished reading this book before I knew I would eagerly read it again. There is so much thoughtful reflection in the volume (including a very rich, pertinent bibliography and index) that few of us will benefit from it adequately by a single read. Laytham studiously refuses a simplistic analysis of such a significant cultural force; yet the analysis he provides is soundly and authentically Christian. Those willing to open Pandora’s Box to consider the challenge our entertainment-saturated culture makes to Christian discipleship will greatly benefit from reading this book, which I commend heartily.
Among other points in the book, Gordon highlights some interesting commentary Layham has for time-intensive online games such as World of Warcraft:
“If World of Warcraft were a denomination, its 11.5 million ‘members’ would exceed my own United Methodism by 48 percent (p.111)…If there is a conflict between gaming and discipleship, its root is not necessarily gaming content or the pursuit of pleasure, but simply time. The intensive natures of gaming and of discipleship suggest that we may not have time for both (p.120).”
