oa [The Connection of Religion and Play, De verbinding van religie en spel]

In scholarly literature, religion and play are connected in various ways: they are equalised to each other and subjected to each other in opposite and contrary senses. This article aims to bring more clarity about which connections and comparisons of religion and play are possible and plausible and which are not. The point of departure is that religion and play are forms of expression of a human being’s relation to reality. This relation is viewed as transcendental in two senses: a relation in and through which reality transcends the human being and the human being transcends reality. Religion and play express this, religion as the first form of transcendence, play as the second. It is concluded that religion and play can be connected as different expressions of different forms of transcendence.