Nazi Occultism, Jewish Mysticism, and Christian Theology in the Video Game Series Wolfenstein

Frank G. Bosman (Autor)

Buch | Hardcover

196 Seiten

2024
Lexington Books/Fortress Academic (Verlag)
978-1-9787-1551-6 (ISBN)

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The critically acclaimed if controversial game series Wolfenstein is famous for its inclusion of historical objects and figures from the realm of Nazi Occultism, including the Swastika, the Spear of Destiny, the Thule Medallion, Heinrich Himmler, Helena Blavatsky, and Karl Wiligut. The series was criticized for its alleged Nazi glorification and for completely neglecting primary victims of the Second World War, the Jewish people. But since its reboot with Wolfenstein: New Order in 2014, the series has a new, distinct filo semitic flavor, including a number of explicit Jewish characters, a playable concentration camp level, and several theological discussions on God and the existence of evil. In Nazi Occultism, Jewish Mysticism, and Christian Theology in the Video Game Series Wolfenstein, game theologian Frank G. Bosman critically examines both the Nazi occultist and Judaist inspirations and aspirations of the game series, putting forth the question if the series has not invertedly ventured into implicit antisemitic territory by including the Da’at Yichud, a fictional, ancient, and distinct Jewish organization harboring the great minds of history.

Frank G. Bosman is cultural theologian working as a senior researcher at the Tilburg School of Catholic Theology, Tilburg, the Netherlands.

Introduction

Part I: Preliminaries

Chapter 1: Why Nazis are Fun: Nazi Glorification

Chapter 2: From Blavatsky to Himmler: Ariosophy

Chapter 3: Hitler’s Deal with the Devil: Nazi Occultism

Chapter 4: The Kabbala: Jewish Mysticism

Chapter 5: Shooting Nazi Zombies: An Overview of the Series

Part II: Analysis

Chapter 6: Daggers, Spears, and Medallions: The SS Paranormal Division

Chapter 7: Don’t Pay Any Attention, Please: To Disclaim or Not to Disclaim

Chapter 8: Celebrating Streicher’s Purim: The Revenge of the Jews

Chapter 9: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: The Wrath of the Degenerates

Chapter 10: Failing Gloriously: Wolfenstein’s Theodicy

Part III: Evaluation

Chapter 11: Playing the Jew: Consequences for the Player

Chapter 12: Playing the War: Wolfenstein’s Esotericisms

Bibliography

Erscheinungsdatum	04.07.2024
Reihe/Serie	Theology, Religion, and Pop Culture
Sprache	englisch
Maße	159 x 237 mm
Gewicht	417 g
Themenwelt	Geschichte ► Allgemeine Geschichte ► 1918 bis 1945
	Geschichte ► Teilgebiete der Geschichte ► Militärgeschichte
	Geisteswissenschaften ► Religion / Theologie
	Informatik ► Weitere Themen ► Computerspiele
ISBN-10	1-9787-1551-X / 197871551X
ISBN-13	978-1-9787-1551-6 / 9781978715516
Zustand	Neuware