If you have seen the film, "Was ist Godly Play?", and are not a German-speaker, you might have been curious as to what some of the longer interviews are about. Though you can catch much of the action just by watching it, understanding the dialogue can be insightful about how Godly Play can take root and flourish in the soil of another culture.
I spend the summer working on a translation that we debuted at the European Godly Play Conference 2012 in Sept. Hopefully, at some point, we will either be able to add subtitles or a voiceover. In the meantime, if you would like to read my translation of the screenplay, you can find it here. (Many thanks to Helen Spencer, David Pritchard, and Martin Steinhäuser for their help in editing it!)
This film indirectly tells the story of how Godly Play spread in Germany over the last ten years if you pay close attention to who the people in the film are. They are namely professors, theologians, religion teachers in both public and private schools, and kindergarten teachers. In a nutshell, Godly Play found its way into the natural academic network of religious education that already existed in Germany. Academics began to use it to research the broader field of children's spirituality (ironically in secularized Europe, there is great interest in this field, although it is largely ignored by academics in the States), while educators began practicing Godly Play with children in their various institutions. This is a very interesting contrast to the grassroots history that Godly Play has in the States and Canada.
One of my favorite parts of the film is where my colleagues from southern Germany, Martina Grass and Wolfhard Schweiker, speak of their experiences in using Godly Play with special needs children. I think Godly Play will be used much more broadly with special needs children in the future. Martina and Wolfhard's story inspired me to help prepare a special needs child for baptism this year. Getting to know that child and seeing how God has engaged her through Godly Play has enriched my life and broadened my perspective.
I spend the summer working on a translation that we debuted at the European Godly Play Conference 2012 in Sept. Hopefully, at some point, we will either be able to add subtitles or a voiceover. In the meantime, if you would like to read my translation of the screenplay, you can find it here. (Many thanks to Helen Spencer, David Pritchard, and Martin Steinhäuser for their help in editing it!)
"Was ist Godly Play?" ("What is Godly Play?")
One of my favorite parts of the film is where my colleagues from southern Germany, Martina Grass and Wolfhard Schweiker, speak of their experiences in using Godly Play with special needs children. I think Godly Play will be used much more broadly with special needs children in the future. Martina and Wolfhard's story inspired me to help prepare a special needs child for baptism this year. Getting to know that child and seeing how God has engaged her through Godly Play has enriched my life and broadened my perspective.
If you've seen the film or watch it "anew" with
the translation, I'd enjoying hearing
which part you liked the most!
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