Ready Player Learn: Teaching Religion and Games through Challenges, Strategies, and Innovations

As games and gaming continue to shape contemporary culture, religious studies scholars are increasingly incorporating them as pedagogical tools. This roundtable brings together six scholars who explore diverse strategies for using games in religious studies classrooms, from analog and digital/virtual gameplay to studying game-related content on online platforms and in global tourism. Panelists discuss the logistical challenges of integrating games—such as accessibility, cost, and equitable assessment—while highlighting their potential to engage students with religious themes, historical narratives, and social dynamics. Topics include the use of analog and role-playing games, the design and approval of courses on religion and video games, teaching religion publicly through games and online creator platforms, and the afterlife of games in tourism and pilgrimage. By addressing both challenges and opportunities, this roundtable offers practical insights into the pedagogical value of games in religious studies.