Toying with God: Religious Games and Dolls for Kids - Faith-Based Educational Toys for Sunday School & Family Devotion Time" （如果原始标题中的"Toying with God"是品牌/系列名则保留，否则可改为：） "Religious Games and Dolls for Kids - Faith-Based Educational Toys for Sunday School & Family Devotion Time

In Toying With God; the World of Religious Games and Dolls, Professors Bado-Fralick and Sachs Norris explore the problematic, constantly fluctuating boundary between organized religion and religiously themed dolls and board games. In undertaking this project, both authors drew on their impressive knowledge of the research in the areas of game theory and popular religion combined with their own experiences and observations of the way the young people in their own classes and programs interacted with these products. The result is a fascinating book that presents a unique view of an important and growing segment of the toy and game market while posing a series of provocative questions about the relationship between play and religion.As the authors indicate, the history of religiously themed games and dolls goes back almost to the origins of religion itself. Games were carved into the walls and roofs of Egyptian temples as far back as the fourteenth century BCE and ancient game boards have been found in both Jordon and Egypt dating back to 3500-4000 BCE. Moreover, ancient divinatory practices going back to at least 3000 BCE, that were designed to determine whom the gods favored, are directly related to today's dice games in which Lady Luck instead of the deity is called upon for assistance.Today's 7 billion dollar plus market for religious toys and games presents the consumer with products ranging from board games representing all of the major religions, to a variety of religious dolls. Christianity is well represented by such games as City of Bondage and Journeys of Paul, Judaism by Kosherland and Islam by Mecca to Medina and Race to the Kabah. Religiously themed dolls are oriented particularly toward young girls in an effort to model conservative and traditional feminine values like modesty (Gali Girls, Fulla) all designed to combat the "pernicious" influence of Barbie.But play, whether with dolls or within the magical circle formed by the board game is unpredictable and the relationship between the "lived" popular religion represented by toys and games and institutional religion is problematic in the extreme. The authors tell us that the more the creators of religious toys and games attempt to circumscribe play within traditional religious boundaries or mores, the more likely that children (and adult players) "will deviate from the approved script." The lesson of history appears to support the conclusion that while play has always been integral to religion; play has also presented its own unique set of challenges to religious institutions. Drawing a parallel between play and the rituals integral to religious practice, the authors point out that both "create permeable boundaries" and can invert "accepted procedures and hierarchies."The authors direct our attention to the problematic world that religious dolls and games can sometimes create. In doing so, Professors Bado-Fralick and Sachs Norris have not only advanced the cause of scholarship but provided the interested reader with a thoughtful and well written introduction to a little known but increasingly important field. It is the hope of this reviewer that the two authors will continue their research and experimentation as the universe of religious toys and games evolves from its plastic and paper manifestations to new formats that "blend" products combining board game and Internet play and using technologies (like the iPhone and the iPad) in new and unexpected ways.Stephen H. Haliczer Ph.D.Distinguished Research ProfessorNorthern Illinois University