Godly Play can serve as an effective therapeutic and spiritual intervention for children experiencing physical, emotional, and/or spiritual stress. As many pediatric healthcare providers note, this type of intervention is an important component to a child's healing. This article situates Wolfson Children's Hospital's practice of Godly Play within two larger discussions that advocate for improved care for children with mental and physical impairments and concludes that this practice provides insight for the church and society to create a world in which children with mental and physical impairments belong.
AndrusD. (2010). Theology and its Impact on People with a Disability: An Ecclesiology Inclusive of People with a Disability. Missio Apostolica, 18(2), 142–148.
2.
AroraK. R. (2009). Models of Understanding Chronic Illness: Implications for Pastoral Theology and Care. Journal of Pastoral Theology, 19(1), 22–37.
3.
BarnesL. L.PlotnikoffG. A.FoxK., & PendletonS. (2000). Spirituality, Religion, and Pediatrics: Intersecting Worlds of Healing. Pediatrics, 106(4), 899.
BerrymanJerome W. (1991). Godly Play: An Imaginative Approach to Religious Education. San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco.
6.
BerrymanJerome W. (1995). Teaching Godly Play: How to Mentor the Spiritual evelopment of Children. Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press.
7.
BullA., & GilliesM. (2007). Spiritual Needs of Children with Complex Healthcare Needs in Hospital. Paediatric Nursing, 19(9), 34–38.
8.
CadgeW.EcklundE. H., & ShortN. (2009). Religion and Spirituality: A Barrier and a Bridge in the Everyday Professional Work of Pediatric Physicians. Social Problems, 56(4), 702–721.
9.
CreamerD. B. (2012). Disability Theology. Religion Compass, 6(7), 339–346.
10.
EieslandN. L. (1994). The Disabled God: Toward a Liberatory Theology of Disability. Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press.
11.
EricksonD. V. (2008). Spirituality, Loss and Recovery in Children with Disabilities. International Journal of Children's Spirituality, 13(3), 287–296. doi:10.1080/13644360802236615
12.
FarrellJ.CopeS. B.CooperJ. H., & MathiasL. (2008). Godly Play: An Intervention for Improving Physical, Emotional, and Spiritual Responses of Chronically Ill Hospitalized Children. Journal of Pastoral Care & Counseling, 62(3), 261–271.
13.
FastM. S. (2011). A Theology of Disability: Living as a Theologian of the Cross. Journal of Religion, Disability & Health, 15(4), 414–430.
14.
FosarelliP. (2002). Fearfully Wonderfully Made: The Interconnectedness of Body-Mind-Spirit. Journal of Religion & Health, 41(3), 207.
15.
GaventaW. (2006). Signs of the Times: Theological Themes in the Changing Forms of Ministries and Spriitual Supports with People with Disabilities. Disability Studies Quarterly, 26(4), 1–11.
16.
GeigerM. (2012). Through the Eyes of Children: Theological Lessons with and from Children with Severe Communication Disabilities. Journal of Religion, Disability & Health, 16(1), 102–113.
17.
GeorgeS. (2012). God of Life, Justice and Peace God of Life, Justice and Peace: A Disability-Informed Reading of Christology. Ecumenical Review, 64(4), 454–462.
18.
HelmJ. H.BergS., & ScrantonP. (2007). Documenting Children's Spiritual Development in a Preschool Program. Christian Education Journal, 4(2), 268–278.
19.
HexemK. R.MollenC. J.CarrollK.LanctotD. A., & FeudtnerC. (2011). How Parents of Children Receiving Pediatric Palliative Care Use Religion, Spirituality, or Life Philosophy in Tough Times. Journal of Palliative Medicine, 14(1), 39–44.
20.
Holder-FranzM. (2007). Life as Being in Relationship: Moving Beyond a Deficiency-Orientated View of Human Life. In SwintonJ. & BrockB. (Eds.), Theology, Disability, and the New Genetics: Why Science Needs the Church. London: T & T Clark.
21.
HryniukM. (2010). Theology, Disability, and Spiritual Transformation: Learning from the Communities of l'Arche. Amherst, NY: Cambria Press.
22.
HydeB. (2010). Godly Play Nourishing Children's Spirituality: A Case Study. Religious Education, 105(5), 504–518.
23.
HydeB. (2011). Berryman and the Purpose of Religious Education: The Significance of Berryman's Approach to Religious Education for Catholic Schools. Journal of Catholic School Studies, 83(1), 20–28.
24.
IozzioM. J. (2009). Thinking about Disablilities with Justice, Liberation, and Mercy. Horizons, 36(1), 32–49.
25.
LoweM. E. (2012). “Rabbi, Who Sinned?” Disability Theologies and Sin. Dialog: A Journal of Theology, 51(3), 185–194.
26.
McSherryW., & SmithJ. (2007). How do Children Express their Spiritual Needs?Paediatric Nursing, 19(3), 17–20.
27.
MilsteinJ. M. (2008). Introducing Spirituality in Medical Care. JAMA: Journal of the American Medical Association, 299(20), 2440–2441.
28.
MuellerC. R. (2010). Spirituality in Children: Understanding And Developing Interventions. Pediatric Nursing, 36(4), 197–208.
29.
NierenbergB., & SheldonA. (2001). Psychospirituality and Pediatric Rehabilitation. Journal of Rehabilitation, 67(1), 15.
30.
NyeRebecca (2009). Children's Spirituality: What It Is and Why It Matters. London: Church House Publishing.
31.
ReindersH. S. (2007). Life's Goodness: On Disability, Genetics and “Choice.” In SwintonJ. & BrockB. (Eds.), Theology, Disability, and the New Genetics: Why Science Needs the Church. London: T & T Clark.
32.
ReynoldsT. E. (2005). Love Without Boundaries: Theological Reflections on Parenting a Child with Disabilities. Theology Today, 62(2), 193–209.
33.
ReynoldsT. E. (2008). Vulnerable Communion: A Theology of Disability and Hospitality. Grand Rapids, MI: Brazos Press.
34.
ReynoldsT. E. (2012). Theology and Disability: Changing the Conversation. Journal of Religion, Disability & Health, 16(1), 33–48.
35.
SibingaE. M. S.ShindellD. L.CasellaJ. F.DugganA. K., & WilsonM. H. (2006). Pediatric Patients with Sickle Cell Disease: Use of Complementary and Alternative Therapies. Journal of Alternative & Complementary Medicine, 12(3), 291–298.
36.
StaintonT. (2008). Reason, Grace and Charity: Augustine and the Impact of Church Doctrine on the Construction of Intellectual Disability. Disability & Society, 23(5), 485–496.
37.
StonehouseC. (2001). Knowing God in Childhood: A Study of Godly Play and the Spirituality of Children. Christian Education Journal, 5(2), 27–45.
38.
SwintonJ. (2011). Who is the God We Worship? Theologies of Disability; Challenges and New Possibilities. International Journal of Practical Theology, 14(2), 273–307.
39.
SwintonJ. (2012). From Inclusion to Belonging: A Practical Theology of Community, Disability and Humanness. Journal of Religion, Disability & Health, 16(2), 172–190.
40.
VandeCreekL.GrossoehmeD. H.RagsdaleJ. R.McHenryC. L., & ThurstonC. (2007). Attention to spiritual/religious concerns in pediatric practice: What clinical situations? What educational preparation?Chaplaincy Today, 23(2), 3–9.
41.
WattsG. (2011). Intellectual Disability and Spiritual Development. Journal of Intellectual & Developmental Disability, 36(4), 234–241.
42.
YongA. (2007). Disability, the Human Condition, and the Spirit of the Eschatological Long Run: Toward a Pneumatological Theology of Disability. Journal of Religion, Disability & Health, 11(1), 5–25.
