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Sport and Christianity in the 21st Century
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Sport and Christianity in the 21st Century

A special issue of Religions (ISSN 2077-1444). This special issue belongs to the section "Religions and Health/Psychology/Social Sciences".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (5 February 2023) | Viewed by 12866

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Andrew Parker

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Ridley Hall, Cambridge CB3 9HG, UK
Interests: sport development; sociology in sport
Dr. Luke Jones

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Sport Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Hull, Hull HU6 7RX, UK
Interests: sport, Christianity, and spirituality/religion

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The aim and scope of this special issue is to bring together a number of key authors (both academics and practitioners) in the field of sport, spirituality and religion, all of whom are actively engaged in research concerning the specific relationship between sport and Christianity. To this end, the overall purpose of the collection is to present papers on a range of topics which collectively provide the very latest thinking on the central conceptual and theological/theoretical issues currently being debated in this area. A number of the featured contributors are leading authors in the field.

The special issue is based on the Keynote lectures/papers from the Third Global Congress on Sport and Christianity which took place at Ridley Hall, Cambridge, UK in August 2022. The Global Congress is a tri-annual event which brings together key academics and practitioners from across the sport and spirituality community. This is an interdisciplinary group of scholars, many of whom are regular contributors to the wider literature in this area. Abstracts will be reviewed by the guest editors for the purposes of ensuring proper fit within the scope of the special issue. Full manuscripts will undergo double-blind peer-review.

Prof. Dr. Andrew Parker
Dr. Luke Jones
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Religions is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • sport
  • Christianity
  • spirituality
  • religion
  • theology

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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17 pages, 1031 KiB  
Article
Emotions Are Not in the Way, They Are the Way: Abolishing Unhealthy Beliefs about Emotion and Cultivating the Spiritual–Emotional Development of Athletes
by Jane Lee Sinden and Lisa Devall-Martin
Religions 2024, 15(3), 270; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel15030270 - 22 Feb 2024
Viewed by 1545
Abstract
The emotional, physical, and spiritual health of athletes continues to be a concern at all levels of sport. With respect to emotions and health, previous studies have sought to understand the role of normalization of emotion on elite female rowers’ decisions to train [...] Read more.
The emotional, physical, and spiritual health of athletes continues to be a concern at all levels of sport. With respect to emotions and health, previous studies have sought to understand the role of normalization of emotion on elite female rowers’ decisions to train regardless of their health. This research demonstrated how athletes may be persuaded to accept that emotions are negative, irrational, and weak, and this may play a significant role in subsequent unhealthy behaviours. In turn, these findings have generated further explorations into a more comprehensive emotion education for all athletes, which have focused on athletes’ emotional awareness and spiritual growth. The present paper provides theoretical, educational, and practical insight into the areas of emotion and spiritual development. In doing so, it presents a conceptual model for sport chaplains, coaches, and/or sport advocates for educating and mentoring the emotional and spiritual formation of athletes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sport and Christianity in the 21st Century)
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10 pages, 227 KiB  
Article
‘Falling Upward’ into Sports Retirement: A Rohrsian Exploration of the Sports Retirement Experience
by Luke Jones and Nick J. Watson
Religions 2024, 15(1), 56; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel15010056 - 31 Dec 2023
Viewed by 1353
Abstract
Retirement from sport is widely reported as a challenging time of transition in the lives of elite athletes and is one that has been explored from a range of different perspectives both by sport psychologists and socio-cultural scholars of sport. However, of late, [...] Read more.
Retirement from sport is widely reported as a challenging time of transition in the lives of elite athletes and is one that has been explored from a range of different perspectives both by sport psychologists and socio-cultural scholars of sport. However, of late, a small number of scholars have considered athlete career transition within the context of religion and spirituality, identifying the religious identity and belief of athletes as central to their transition experiences. That said, this work does not go as far as developing a theological understanding of sports retirement. Here, we explore and frame the phenomenon of sports retirement through the theological lens put forward by the neo-Franciscan priest, Richard Rohr in his book Falling Upward: A Spirituality for the Two Halves of Life. In this paper, we suggest how Rohr’s ideas might help develop an alternative and more nuanced understanding of sports retirement, building on those currently promoted in sport psychology and the sociology of sport the literature. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sport and Christianity in the 21st Century)
16 pages, 280 KiB  
Article
Youth, Sport, and Faith: Identity Formation in High School Athletes
by Andrew Parker, John B. White and Andrew R. Meyer
Religions 2023, 14(10), 1293; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14101293 - 14 Oct 2023
Viewed by 2828
Abstract
It is widely accepted that the transition from youth to adulthood in western industrialized societies brings with it a series of tensions and dilemmas in terms of identity formation. One of the areas where such formational issues often manifest themselves is through the [...] Read more.
It is widely accepted that the transition from youth to adulthood in western industrialized societies brings with it a series of tensions and dilemmas in terms of identity formation. One of the areas where such formational issues often manifest themselves is through the faith journeys of young people. This paper presents empirical evidence from a small-scale qualitative study of one faith–sport initiative—Run the Race Well—a US-based venture which, through an annual retreat program, aims to provide theological support for high school athletes involved in the higher echelons of sport in their age group. Utilizing the “voices” of retreat participants, the paper uncovers some of the issues surrounding the Christian identity of the young people who have participated in the program and explores how the prioritization of lifestyle activities (e.g., education, sport, and faith) has the potential to give rise to particular problems and anxieties. The paper discusses some of the complexities of this prioritization process to reveal how young people seek to navigate and negotiate their identities, both as elite athletes and Christians, and how the tensions and dilemmas of teenage life shape their views of the overall relationship between sport and faith. The paper concludes by suggesting that amidst the wider anxieties of youth transition, intentional investment by others (via theological teaching, sports coaching, and one-to-one, group, and peer mentoring) can provide a catalyst for identity formation and personal/faith development. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sport and Christianity in the 21st Century)
10 pages, 227 KiB  
Article
Christianity, Identity, and Professional Football
by Graham Daniels and Andrew Parker
Religions 2023, 14(10), 1280; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14101280 - 11 Oct 2023
Viewed by 1366
Abstract
Empirical research on the lives of Christian elite athletes has focused primarily on their appropriation of faith-based behaviours and practices, and the ways in which their value and belief systems impact their performance. While these accounts provide useful insight into personal experience and [...] Read more.
Empirical research on the lives of Christian elite athletes has focused primarily on their appropriation of faith-based behaviours and practices, and the ways in which their value and belief systems impact their performance. While these accounts provide useful insight into personal experience and practical application, they are largely devoid of theological underpinnings. Drawing on the findings of a small-scale qualitative study of the faith journeys of 15 ex-professional footballers, this paper seeks to present a theologically informed understanding of identity formation within elite sport. We begin by problematising the disjuncture between theocentric and anthropocentric approaches to the ways in which the specific identities of Christian elite athletes are often formed. We then explore the key issues that shaped the contours of the respondents’ experiences as they sought to negotiate their faith amidst the harsh realities of professional footballing life. The paper concludes by highlighting the importance of appropriate support networks to identity formation in Christian elite athletes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sport and Christianity in the 21st Century)
9 pages, 235 KiB  
Article
“A Special Form of Derangement”: Karl Barth’s Approach to Sport Rooted in Prayer
by William Whitmore
Religions 2023, 14(10), 1242; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14101242 - 27 Sep 2023
Viewed by 1365
Abstract
In The Christian Life, his unfinished volume of Church Dogmatics, Karl Barth describes sport as “a special form of derangement”. Barth identifies sport as a lordless power, an element of society that humans believe they control, but ends up dictating the [...] Read more.
In The Christian Life, his unfinished volume of Church Dogmatics, Karl Barth describes sport as “a special form of derangement”. Barth identifies sport as a lordless power, an element of society that humans believe they control, but ends up dictating the terms of engagement. Situating his discussion of these powers in his discourse on the third petition of the Lord’s Prayer, Barth calls on Christians to revolt against these things. Readers may shake their heads at Barth’s rhetoric regarding sport and the labeling of it as ‘lordless power’; however, in situating his remarks on the topic in the Lord’s Prayer, Barth provides a new lens through which Christians might view sport. This paper focuses on Barth’s approach to sport, suggesting that Christians can, through invocation and correspondence, rebel against the lordless power that is sport. It begins by situating Barth’s approach to sport within the context of the sport and Christianity interface, the wider corpus of Barth studies, and his own work. After assessing Barth’s writings on sport, the paper shifts to a discussion of what Barth suggests God does and what we, as humans, are called to do when we pray “Thy kingdom come”. The paper concludes with reflections on how Barth’s approach to sport, rooted in prayer, can affect our understanding of the subject. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sport and Christianity in the 21st Century)
19 pages, 5436 KiB  
Article
Religiosity Moderates Goal Courage and Self-Worth in Collegiate Christian Athletes
by Elizabeth M. Bounds, Jenae M. Nelson, Karen K. Melton, Perry L. Glanzer and Sarah A. Schnitker
Religions 2023, 14(10), 1223; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14101223 - 23 Sep 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1986
Abstract
Research shows that the effects of athletics on virtue development are mixed. Religion provides people with a meaning-making system, community, and practices that can promote the cultivation of virtues and possibly enhance the impact of athletics on virtue development. Yet, little empirical research [...] Read more.
Research shows that the effects of athletics on virtue development are mixed. Religion provides people with a meaning-making system, community, and practices that can promote the cultivation of virtues and possibly enhance the impact of athletics on virtue development. Yet, little empirical research has assessed moral outcomes when religion and sport interact. The present study examines intrinsic religiosity as a moderator of the effect of athletic involvement on virtue and self-worth outcomes in collegiate student-athletes. Participants (N = 1930) were religious college students in the United States, 22% (n = 415) competing in an intercollegiate varsity sport. Moderated regression analyses revealed, contrary to predictions, that religiosity did not significantly moderate trait courage, trait patience, or goal patience. Consistent with predictions, religiosity significantly moderated goal courage, approval self-worth (i.e., the extent to which people base their worth on approval from others), and moral self-worth (i.e., the extent to which people base their worth on their own virtuousness). Whereas religiosity was associated with higher goal courage for non-athletes, the association was stronger for athletes. Religiosity was not associated with levels of approval self-worth for non-athletes, but the more religious athletes were, the less important other people’s approval was for their sense of self. Whereas religiosity was associated with higher moral self-worth contingency for athletes, the association was stronger for non-athletes. Applications for practitioners and future directions for researchers are discussed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sport and Christianity in the 21st Century)
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10 pages, 239 KiB  
Essay
Reflections on the Death of George Floyd and Its Impact on Sports Chaplaincy: Navigating Culturally Responsive Care for BIPOC People in Sport
by Steven N. Waller
Religions 2023, 14(12), 1481; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14121481 - 29 Nov 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1558
Abstract
On the evening of 25 May 2020, White Minneapolis police officer, Derek Chauvin, killed George Floyd, a Black man, by kneeling on his neck for almost 10 min. Floyd’s death sparked one of the most significant protests in the US. Moreover, it forced [...] Read more.
On the evening of 25 May 2020, White Minneapolis police officer, Derek Chauvin, killed George Floyd, a Black man, by kneeling on his neck for almost 10 min. Floyd’s death sparked one of the most significant protests in the US. Moreover, it forced a global conversation about reckoning with race, social justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion in society. Sport was used as a platform to address many of the social ills that plagued humanity in the US and other nations. Floyd’s tragic death created an alarm for chaplains across vocational strands, including sports chaplains, to immerse themselves in painful and often awkward conversations surrounding race, diversity, equity, and inclusion. Three years after the demise of Floyd, the task that lies ahead is to continue compassionately the work of recognizing harm, promoting reconciliation, and engaging in the collective work of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Furthermore, advancing conversations about moral harm, fairness, relevant theologies, and culturally responsive caregiving strategies must be given primacy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sport and Christianity in the 21st Century)
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