THE POWER OF PLAY:

ESSENTIAL TO HUMAN BEING

Click to Watch: "A Play-Full Life: Slowing Down & Seeking Peace"                                                       

The Rev. Jaco J. Hamman, Ph. D., author of  “ A Play-Full Life: Slowing Down & Seeking Peace,”  spoke from 7:30-9 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 27, in Ritz Auditorium, Old Main. Also,  from 9-11 a.m. at WTS 254 on Friday, Oct. 28.

Hamman is professor of pastoral care and counseling at Western Theological Seminary. He received his theological training at The University of Port Elizabeth, where he earned Bachelor of Arts degrees in theology and psychology, at Stellenbosch University's Faculty of Theology in South Africa, where he earned bachelors and master’s degrees in theology, and at Princeton Theological Seminary, where he earned a PH.D. At Princeton Seminary he completed a dissertation on the Biblical figure Job’s emotional, spiritual, and relational experiences.

Prior to pursuing doctoral studies, Hamman was a hospital chaplain. He spent three years in New York City working as a pastoral psychotherapist, group therapist and marriage and family therapist at the Blanton-Peale Graduate Institute. He has a special interest in the confluence of theology and psychology in the lives of individuals, families, and groups.

Hamman has lectured internationally and has written numerous articles. He published “When Steeples Cry: Leading Congregations through Loss and Change,” in 2005, “Becoming a Pastor: Forming Self and Soul for Ministry,” IN 2007 and “A Play-full Life: Slowing Down and Seeking Peace” in 2011, all from The Pilgrim Press. Hamman is an ordained minister in the Reformed Church in America and is a fellow in the American Association of Pastoral Counselors. He is married to Michelle, a business owner. Together they parent two daughters.

The book “A play-full life: Slowing down and seeking peace” explores the ways of being and becoming informed by the life-giving and balance-inducing power of play.

“Whether subjective play, informal social play, or even professionals at play, play is fundamentally an attitude to life that goes beyond specific activities” said Hamman.

The author empowers readers to explore the meaning of a Sabbath-like life speaking of simplicity, serenity and sensing the fullness of life. The readers receive practical guidelines on how to balance their spiritual, personal and professional obligations in order to cultivate a play-full self with some experiences of ordinary people and faith communities living play-full lives.