CHRISTIANITY AND SPORTS

Seeing “the world of sport today” as “a field of Christian Mission” may be a novel concept for many people.

On the superficial level, the Spiritual values of Christian discipleship would seem to conflict with the ideals of sports, which are viewed primarily as a secular activity.

Sports have become extremely important in the modern day world.

Political supremacy is often settled in the athletic field.

Professional sports occupy an important number of hours of TV programming.

Millions of people are involved in competitive leagues of all sorts.

Christian individuals will constantly be involved in competitive sports in one way or another: participating, watching, listening to Christian athletes and even evangelizing and giving Pastoral cares to athletes.

Sports and religion (Christianity) are essential tools for development, unity, stability, togetherness and peaceful co-existence among sports men and women as well as spectators i.e. sports lovers.

The only time Nigerians come together without any religious and ethnic sentiment or bias is when there is competition.

Religion and the role of religion as it pertains to sports involvement remain an area of concern – it should be apparent that sport and religion do have various common bonds.

Throughout history, humanity has invented sports primarily as a means to meet socially with others to display skills and physical prowess and to entertain or offer excitement.

Sports are recreational or competitive activities that involve some amount of physical strength or skill that has a form of disport meaning a diversion and an amusement.

Sports act as physical outlets; they allow participants to work out aggressive energies and emotions through involvement in the competitive recreational activity.

The roles of sports among many other things include the following:

1. To pursue personal achievement and self-promotion.
2. To be instrumental and goal-oriented in whatever one does.
3. To always be prepared for competition
4. To promote and develop social co-existence.

Religion fosters friendship; most societies see it as a means of recreation.

People converge in Churches and on days of Worship to meet friends and business associates.

Some regards it as a form of leisure.

There is no racial prejudice as it knows no bounds.

Religion advocates for love, brotherhood and social cohesion even among brethrens.

Several inherent relationship exist between sports and Christianity (religion) for instance: character building, discipline, competition, crown, physical fitness, constant practice, mental fitness, fairness,
playing according to rules, nationalism, and religiosity etc.

As such, sports are simply religion-like because both sports and religions have a similar characteristic that produces similar consequences.

It is observed that “Sports-Religions” relationship started from the Bible where … Jacob wrestled with the unknown (Gen. 32:24-30).

The following are identified similarities between Religion (Christianity) and Sports:

1. Both have places or buildings for communal gatherings and special events. Most sports have stadiums and arenas where fans attend regularly scheduled games or contests, and most religions have churches where believers attend regularly scheduled services.
2. Both emerge out of a similar quest for perfection in body, mind, and spirit. Sports emphasize physical training and discipline for physical development, and religions emphasize physical control and mental discipline for spiritual development.
3. Both are controlled through structured organizations and hierarchical systems of authority. Sports have commissioners, athletic directors, and coaches, and religions have Bishops, Pastors and Priests.
4. Both have events that celebrate widely shared values. Sports have games and contests to celebrate competition, hard work, and achievement, and religions have ceremonies and rituals to celebrate commitment, community, and redemption.
5. Both have rituals before, during, and after major events. Sports have initiations, national anthems, halftime pep talks, hand slapping, band parades, and postgame hand shaking; and religions have baptisms, opening hymns, regular sermons, the joining of hands, and ceremonial processions.
6. Both have heroes and legends about heroic accomplishments. Sports heroes are elected to ‘‘halls of fame,’’ with their stories told repeatedly by sports journalists, coaches and fans, and religious heroes are elevated to sainthood or sacred status, with their stories told repeatedly by religious writers, ministers, and believers.
7. Both evoke intense emotions and give meaning to people’s lives. Sports inspire players and fans to contemplate human potential, and religions inspire theologians and believers to contemplate the meaning of existence.
8. Both can be used to distract attention from important social, political, and economic issues and thereby become ‘‘opiates’’ of the masses. Sports focus attention on athlete celebrities, scores, and championships, and religions focus attention on a relationship with the supernatural, rather than here-and-now issues that affect the material conditions of people’s lives.

SOME BASIC TRUTHS ABOUT CHRISTIANITY AND SPORTS

1. Being an athlete is not easy. The kind of patience and perseverance it takes to practice day in and day out for years, often without immediate reward, is not uncommon.

The true athlete follows all the rules in order to achieve his or her goal. Likewise it is not easy to be a Christian. The kind of righteousness and perseverance it takes to please God until the last day is available to us only because of God’s grace.

Both the Christian and the athlete know very well what it means to fight patiently now to be glorified later. They know how to live wholeheartedly for a goal.

Paul compares the Christian life to a race, but with a better prize in the end in 1Corinthians 9: 24-27.

1. The elite athlete is characterized by his Self-Discipline and Will Power.

He knows he can master his own body. He knows he is physically superior, and his will is stronger than most other people’s will.

But where is a Christian’s real strength? Not in his youth (Isaiah 40:30), nor in his Might and Strength (Psalms 33:16-17); likewise it’s not in his Greatness or Popularity (Psalms 118:8-9).

It is true that there is a physiological kind of Strength that has to do with physical fitness, and another one with will Power, but both are nevertheless limited by how much of them a person has at any particular time.

The kind of Strength and Might which come from God have nothing to do with those mentioned above.

They depend on the fear of God and trusting and hoping in Him.

If you are a Christian athlete you must avoid the temptation of thinking that Victory depends only on strictly following a training routine, thinking that you are in control of your life and thinking that you, by your own means only, can jump one centimeter higher (Matthew 6:27).

The athlete must give everything he has got in order to win, but the less he relies on his own Strength and the more he abandons himself in God’s Hands, the Greater his Might and Victories will be (Isaiah 40:28-31).

1. Athletes are used to giving priority to Sports before social life, rest, study, work, family, etc., and it is true that unless they do that, it will be very difficult to succeed.

At the same time, God wants the Christian to keep his/her priorities straight. God is number one (Deuteronomy 6:4-5), and Salvation should be everyone’s first concern.

It is necessary to give everything to sports in order to achieve success.

There will always be injuries, sickness, and failure; only the best however will get the prize.

And what is the prize? Is it worth all the effort?

The athlete fights for a medal or money prize, but the Christian strives to receive an eternal reward.

Should a Christian risk the latter in order to obtain the former? (1 Corinthians 9:24-25).

1. Worship is often used in the Bible with a restricted meaning, related to Service and bowing down.

In order to please God, Worship must meet several requirements: it must reflect a life dedicated to obedience and the service of God (1 Samuel 15:22-23; Micah 6:6-8).

The worshipper must live in Holiness (Psalm 15), and be Just (Isaiah 1:11-17).

The Bible’s Old Testament is full of prescriptions for acceptable worship.

Furthermore, the New Testament states that there is one way to Worship God: in Spirit and Truth (John 4:21-24).

It is a little risky, therefore, to try to fit Sports competition as Worship.

The use of the term celebration (notwithstanding that celebration is sometimes a form of Worship) would be more appropriate. Although real competitiveness ought to be a characteristic of the Christian athlete, one condition should be met: the Glory and Praise should always be God’s, not the winner’s.

This is very difficult because sport fans idolize their champions.

The whole structure is built with a secular perspective.

Olympic Games, for instance, are a celebration of man’s Victory and Great Capacities.

True Christian games would not award medals to the winners but would end with Praise and Adoration of God (Acts 14:8-17).

In conclusion therefore, the ‘‘uses’’ of Sports by rlReligion and the ‘‘uses’’ of Religion by Sports are shared.

The combination of Sports and Religion strengthen National Unity, Church Membership, Self-Discipline and Character Moulding to cope with uncertainty, stay out of trouble, and give meaning to sports participation and Christianity.

It also put Sports into proper perspective, establishes solidarity and cohesion among teams, and reaffirms the rules and authority of coaches and the faith of Christians.

Moses Durodola