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The Legend of Zelda and Theology
The level of interactive adventure, exploration, immersion and storytelling The Legend of Zelda brought to television screens across the world was unheard of and it planted an integral seed in the garden that one day would grow into the diverse gaming landscape we know today. Far from stopping there, The Legend of Zelda series has continued to release top-shelf games adored by critics and fans alike. Zelda, like all of our greatest fairy tales, legends and myths, presents that elusive and exclusive kind of enlightenment that only the fantastic can provide. In this collection, various contributors explore the connections between this cultural zeitgeist and theology.
150 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 16, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
January 1, 2022
The fact that this book isn't titled Zelda and CHRISTIAN Theology is abhorrent, and just another example of how Christian Apologists view the world as their own and disregard all other theologies.
I purchased this book with the excitement of seeing how Zelda might tie in with existing theologies. Sure I expect Christianity to be covered (perhaps in making connections between the three goddesses and the holy Trinity), but considering this was a game made by all Japanese people I definitely expected a look into it's connections with Shintoism. What I received instead was a 170 page book filled middle school levels of thought that we will generously call essays considering they read more like a hip youth leaders sermon, in fact I was surprised upon reaching the end of the book that I wasn't greeted with a page dedicated to the sinners prayer asking me to say it with them. Christianity is the only theology discussed across all 10 essays except for a single sentence that mentions the cyclical nature of dying and returning in the game being loosely connected to Hinduism before the immediately (within the same sentence) write that connection off as something you see in other games too so it could not be connected to that.
Now don't get me wrong, I'm not strictly against Christian apologetics and would have probably still actively sought out reading this book at some point had it been truthful in it's presentation, rather than alluding to a coverage of all theology and not the shoehorned christian theology that it exclusively covers. But even granting this book that error, the arguments made within are laughable. Not only do they barely fit bits of the Zelda narrative into their long and repeating evangelizing sections, when they do actually try to make points they assume a broad range of unsubstantiated ideas as facts that they then center every conclusion around.
As someone whose probably far to obsessed with the Zelda series it seems immoral to create a book about this game and theology and not even have a single mention of the many MANY concepts shared between the Shinto beliefs and what we see in the game. Rather than bending over backwards to fit a narrow (western) world view into a book about theology, and then try to hedge that gross oversight in the forward, the editor and collaborators on this book should have found Non-Evangelists to cover the broader range of theology that they are clearly unaware of.
That's not to say every essay was bad, sure there were the laughably under researched essays like the guy who spends the better part of a chapter trying to take down Atheism with Morality arguments that sound straight out of the mouth of Kent Hovind, but then there was the essay on Tolkien's Faerie world's that I found really interesting.
Overall, it's a garbage Evangelist propoganda book that's not worth anyones time.
I purchased this book with the excitement of seeing how Zelda might tie in with existing theologies. Sure I expect Christianity to be covered (perhaps in making connections between the three goddesses and the holy Trinity), but considering this was a game made by all Japanese people I definitely expected a look into it's connections with Shintoism. What I received instead was a 170 page book filled middle school levels of thought that we will generously call essays considering they read more like a hip youth leaders sermon, in fact I was surprised upon reaching the end of the book that I wasn't greeted with a page dedicated to the sinners prayer asking me to say it with them. Christianity is the only theology discussed across all 10 essays except for a single sentence that mentions the cyclical nature of dying and returning in the game being loosely connected to Hinduism before the immediately (within the same sentence) write that connection off as something you see in other games too so it could not be connected to that.
Now don't get me wrong, I'm not strictly against Christian apologetics and would have probably still actively sought out reading this book at some point had it been truthful in it's presentation, rather than alluding to a coverage of all theology and not the shoehorned christian theology that it exclusively covers. But even granting this book that error, the arguments made within are laughable. Not only do they barely fit bits of the Zelda narrative into their long and repeating evangelizing sections, when they do actually try to make points they assume a broad range of unsubstantiated ideas as facts that they then center every conclusion around.
As someone whose probably far to obsessed with the Zelda series it seems immoral to create a book about this game and theology and not even have a single mention of the many MANY concepts shared between the Shinto beliefs and what we see in the game. Rather than bending over backwards to fit a narrow (western) world view into a book about theology, and then try to hedge that gross oversight in the forward, the editor and collaborators on this book should have found Non-Evangelists to cover the broader range of theology that they are clearly unaware of.
That's not to say every essay was bad, sure there were the laughably under researched essays like the guy who spends the better part of a chapter trying to take down Atheism with Morality arguments that sound straight out of the mouth of Kent Hovind, but then there was the essay on Tolkien's Faerie world's that I found really interesting.
Overall, it's a garbage Evangelist propoganda book that's not worth anyones time.
February 11, 2017
As a long-time Legend of Zelda fan, this was an enjoyable read. In a lot of ways, it helped me appreciate the games more and convinced me to take another go at Majora's Mask. However, I go back and forth between just "liking" this book and "really liking" it.
First off, roughly 70% of the essays contained in the book, I thought, were very good. From discussing Ganon and the corrupting power of sin to Link being chosen as the Hero of Time and if that negates free will, I enjoyed the discourse. Though, for a book titled "Legend of Zelda and THEOLOGY", there were a far essays that didn't really deal with theology. Rather, a few of the essays dealt with logic and philosophy. Sure, these have some dealing with theology but not entirely. I had hoped for a more critical engagement with the Biblical texts rather than what Kant's philosophy was. Also, I thought the obsession with C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien was incredibly repetitive. Don't get me wrong: I like both authors. But their views of the fantasy genre is hardly what I'd label as theology.
Second, while there were examples of comparison between the games and theology, I found them to be either surface-level or too scarce. And the examples given also became repetitive, echoing in the later essays of the book. That's not to say they were bad examples; on the contrary, they were quite good. It just became a bit too boring reading the same examples again and again.
Overall, I would have loved to of seen an in-depth look at more of the Zelda games rather than a focus on the first two games in the series and A Link to the Past. The essays over Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask were fascinating but I would have preferred to of seen more. Also, I think the contributor's could have done a better job at resolving the issues they bring forth at the beginning of their essays, rather than just providing a summary and leaving it at that.
In the end, I did enjoy the book. I think that anyone that is a Christian and is very invested into the world of Legend of Zelda will find a treasure chest of fascinating parallels that will surely bring one to a deeper appreciation of the series.
First off, roughly 70% of the essays contained in the book, I thought, were very good. From discussing Ganon and the corrupting power of sin to Link being chosen as the Hero of Time and if that negates free will, I enjoyed the discourse. Though, for a book titled "Legend of Zelda and THEOLOGY", there were a far essays that didn't really deal with theology. Rather, a few of the essays dealt with logic and philosophy. Sure, these have some dealing with theology but not entirely. I had hoped for a more critical engagement with the Biblical texts rather than what Kant's philosophy was. Also, I thought the obsession with C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien was incredibly repetitive. Don't get me wrong: I like both authors. But their views of the fantasy genre is hardly what I'd label as theology.
Second, while there were examples of comparison between the games and theology, I found them to be either surface-level or too scarce. And the examples given also became repetitive, echoing in the later essays of the book. That's not to say they were bad examples; on the contrary, they were quite good. It just became a bit too boring reading the same examples again and again.
Overall, I would have loved to of seen an in-depth look at more of the Zelda games rather than a focus on the first two games in the series and A Link to the Past. The essays over Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask were fascinating but I would have preferred to of seen more. Also, I think the contributor's could have done a better job at resolving the issues they bring forth at the beginning of their essays, rather than just providing a summary and leaving it at that.
In the end, I did enjoy the book. I think that anyone that is a Christian and is very invested into the world of Legend of Zelda will find a treasure chest of fascinating parallels that will surely bring one to a deeper appreciation of the series.
April 16, 2019
If you happen to enjoy both Legend of Zelda AND the subject of theology, worth a read. Creative and interesting points. Be aware that the book states: in no way is it trying to prove the Zelda creators purposely put Christian themes in their work OR are specifically Christians. Rather, it bases points on the universal hero’s journey and good vs. evil using a Christian viewpoint.
July 27, 2012
As a long-time fan of the Legend of Zelda series and a graduate level theology student, I was overjoyed when I stumbled upon this book. My joy only grew greater as I actually read it--"The Legend of Zelda and Theology" contains several thoughtful and provoking essays that seek to compare and contrast the themes of various Zelda games with major themes in Christian theology. Contrary to what some may think, these connections are not the product of a superficial eisegesis, but rather the result of a thoughtful discourse between the authors of the book and the creators of the games. For example, one of the essays, "Take Your Time, Hurry Up, the Choice is Your: Death and the Afterlife in the Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask" discusses how Darmani and the cleansing of Snowhead Temple relate to the concepts of redemption and sanctification. Overall, these connections are very reasonable.
It is obvious that the authors have a genuine passion for Zelda. It is also obvious that most of them have studied theology in a formal setting (this book contains a lot of "good" theology, which is rare for a text of this nature). "The Legend of Zelda and Theology" is fun, thoughtful, and incredibly provoking. I recommend it without hesitation.
It is obvious that the authors have a genuine passion for Zelda. It is also obvious that most of them have studied theology in a formal setting (this book contains a lot of "good" theology, which is rare for a text of this nature). "The Legend of Zelda and Theology" is fun, thoughtful, and incredibly provoking. I recommend it without hesitation.
October 17, 2013
Two of the articles were really great and inspiring...
The rest read like those sermons where pastors discuss same-old Christian theology, but randomly toss in popular culture to sound more hip. The theology wasn't anything interesting (to me) or original and I felt like some of the articles were trying to witness to me. Disappointing overall.
The rest read like those sermons where pastors discuss same-old Christian theology, but randomly toss in popular culture to sound more hip. The theology wasn't anything interesting (to me) or original and I felt like some of the articles were trying to witness to me. Disappointing overall.
February 17, 2018
This should be called Zelda and Christianity, since it doesn’t steer anywhere else but there. For that realm it’s not bad, since it takes a smart mind to make this many applications, but it’s just myopic.
January 4, 2019
Like Legend of Zelda and Philosophy, this text’s essays focus more on using the games to write about other things rather than using the other things to alter how we think about the games themselves. There is one essays that I find incredibly fascinating in its composition,i.e. Philip Tallon’s “The Birth of Gaming,” but this mostly reads more like a general introduction to various Christian theological concepts. It’s not a bad read, but academic audiences may be a bit disappointed.
February 22, 2020
Generally good, but limited in scope
I love the Legend of Zelda series and am always looking for new ways to appreciate the games. I knew there was potential for theological readings, which is why this book interests me. While the content is good, the reason why the rating is lower than I expected is an issue of scope. It takes about 3/4 of the book to get beyond Christian values when the series draws from so many different faiths and mythologies.
I love the Legend of Zelda series and am always looking for new ways to appreciate the games. I knew there was potential for theological readings, which is why this book interests me. While the content is good, the reason why the rating is lower than I expected is an issue of scope. It takes about 3/4 of the book to get beyond Christian values when the series draws from so many different faiths and mythologies.
April 2, 2022
Es un libro necesariamente pensado en creyentes que gustan de este juego de video. Sus paralelismos, en varios ensayos, están bien logrados, pero dos escritos están completamente fuera de lugar (el de Philip Tallon, que dedica su texto a una crítica literaria al legendario ensayo de Tolkien sobre los cuentos de hadas y no toca ni por el borde la cuestión teológica, y el Justis Hunter, que habría construido un mejor texto desde el abordaje de cómo construir virtud heroica, cómo la construyó el héroe).
Obtuve valiosas reflexiones, operativas y prácticas, con todo y todo.
Obtuve valiosas reflexiones, operativas y prácticas, con todo y todo.
December 1, 2020
4.5 Stars
While there were a few essays (articles?) that I found hard to grasp, overall these were well written, well backed up, and well researched essays on Zelda and Christianity on a variety of topics. I particularly loved how C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien were referenced numerous times in serval of the essays and one even brought in Thomas Aquinas. I would recommend this to anyone who loves Zelda and is a Christian.
While there were a few essays (articles?) that I found hard to grasp, overall these were well written, well backed up, and well researched essays on Zelda and Christianity on a variety of topics. I particularly loved how C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien were referenced numerous times in serval of the essays and one even brought in Thomas Aquinas. I would recommend this to anyone who loves Zelda and is a Christian.
April 7, 2023
Interesting essays, but overall nothing too enlightening. I'm probably biased not being religious though, because there was one essay where the author was having a one sided anti atheist Jesus jerk off that soured me for the rest of the book. The others were okay, though, just a little dense to somebody not steeped in Christianity double talk.
August 23, 2017
Such a fascinating and interesting read. Loved it!
September 17, 2019
graet book
March 13, 2017
Great Read for any gamer!
All the essays show a great deal of thought on issues such as good and evil, Destiny vs. free will, the nature of God and more.
All the essays show a great deal of thought on issues such as good and evil, Destiny vs. free will, the nature of God and more.
July 12, 2016
I can see why some reviewers complained that the essays in this book focused on Christian theology and veered into proselytizing. I can certainly empathize with picking up a book and being blindsided by an opposing worldview, repeatedly and without remorse.
I loved this book though. I found it thought provoking and nourishing to a Christian worldview, which is rare in academic writing. Some of the connections to the Zelda series felt forced, but if you're like me, you're thrilled someone tried (and mostly succeeded) at making connections between Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, faerie stories, Christian theology, chivalric virtues, and this beloved video game series. There is value in play—even video game play—and fairy tales.
For me, the standout essay was "The Birth of Gaming from the Spirit of Fantasy: Video Games as Secondary Worlds with Special Reference to the Legend of Zelda and J.R.R. Tolkien" by Philip Tallon.
Some essays leave more questions than answers, like the piece on Destiny versus Free Will, so don't read this as a devotional by any means.
Good for an intellectually curious person who isn't afraid to think outside the box and ponder mysteries of the Christian faith. And likes Zelda. A lot.
I loved this book though. I found it thought provoking and nourishing to a Christian worldview, which is rare in academic writing. Some of the connections to the Zelda series felt forced, but if you're like me, you're thrilled someone tried (and mostly succeeded) at making connections between Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, faerie stories, Christian theology, chivalric virtues, and this beloved video game series. There is value in play—even video game play—and fairy tales.
For me, the standout essay was "The Birth of Gaming from the Spirit of Fantasy: Video Games as Secondary Worlds with Special Reference to the Legend of Zelda and J.R.R. Tolkien" by Philip Tallon.
Some essays leave more questions than answers, like the piece on Destiny versus Free Will, so don't read this as a devotional by any means.
Good for an intellectually curious person who isn't afraid to think outside the box and ponder mysteries of the Christian faith. And likes Zelda. A lot.
January 10, 2014
The Legend of Zelda and Theology offers some interesting thoughts on finding religious meaning in the various games of the franchise, even if the franchise was never intended as such. A handful of essays deliver on their promise to make one see aspects of the games in a different light, while a handful of others go on fascinating tangents dealing with human nature. Where the book falls apart a bit for me is its primary focus on the theology of Christianity. While I understand that it makes for a more cohesive theme, as a reader, I felt its focus makes some of the essays seem a bit repetitive and less impactful than intended.
February 25, 2014
This was rough. I enjoyed the parts where actual scenarios in the Zelda games were discussed but the other stuff was not enjoyable for me to read at all.
November 29, 2022
This was fun read but not very edifying. The authors are self aware their trying to read Christianity into The Legend of Zelda series which was inspired by primary eastern influences.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews