Playstation worship - church embraces gaming

A Cathedral Canon who introduced a video game into liturgical worship, says that Playstations are to the church of today, what Pipe Organs were to the Christians of the Middle Ages.

Canon Anna Norman-Walker used the PS3 game ‘Flower’ in a service at Exeter Cathedral, with congregants passing the controls around, as they took part in the 45-minute gathering.

The game, which involves the player controlling the wind, in order to blow a flower petal across fields and farm land, was picked for the service, which had the theme of ‘creation’.

‘Flower’ was originally devised with the intention of arousing positive emotions in its players, and is based upon visual and emotional cues, rather than a narrative ark.

Clergy from the Cathedral came up with the idea of including a video game in their worship, after hearing a ‘TEDx’ talk given by Andy Robertson, an expert in ‘family video games’.

They invited Mr Robertson to help them create a service which utilised video game technology in a way which would include all the members of the congregation.

But while some dismiss the idea of incorporating such hi-tech elements into a Church service, Canon Norman-Walker says video games are just the latest in a long line of technical innovations that the Church has taken up.

“Church historically has been at the cutting edge, way back in history, of new innovation.

“People’s eyebrows went up, when organs were brought in!”