Isaac rebounds: A video game retelling of the Aqedah

Abstract

This article engages with a video game retelling of the biblical Aqedah and particularly focuses on the interactive nature of video games. In the game The Binding of Isaac, Isaac runs away from his parent, ‘Mom’, and fights back, which contrasts significantly with the passive and silent Isaac of the biblical text. The interactivity and immersion created by a video game medium has a significant impact on a player’s interpretation of the biblical story. This article argues that the video game depicts the Aqedah as horrific as a means to critique corporal punishment as used in some conservative Christian child-rearing strategies. Unfortunately, the game’s misogynistic portrayal of Isaac’s mother is deeply problematic, which this article also addresses.