Jesus and Football
A football game can be compared to a religious experience; there are legendary or mythological figures, game day rituals, and sacred fields. In a study done, people explained their football experiences as fellowship, community, excitement, tradition, inspiring, passion, spirit, love and hope. Similar expressions are used to explain religious experiences as well. In his book, The Joy of Sports, Michael Novak- a theologian, historian and author- says that “sports are at their heart a spiritual activity, a neutral religion, a tribute to grace, beauty and excellence… football for example, can ‘touch you deeply, and to probe further and further in the depths of your psyche, you will find
that it can go far more deeply than you ever imagined” (Novak 1994, 187). It is appears that there are many different characteristics to describe a game day experience but not one specific word; it is similar to rituals found in religious sacraments and Mass. The Daoist sage Laozi says “a name that can be names is not the constant name” (Bain-Selbo 2008, 2). Therefore religion and church go beyond our senses and imagination into our psyche. An Alabama football fan tells Bain-Selbo that when the Crimson Tide plays, it is more than a game; it is a way of life, he is a religious man and a football fan. Religion is more than a religious experience, but it influences football fans greatly.
Another Alabama fan said that they pray for each player every night before a big game and at the end of the game is thank God for a win.
Religion was initiated into the world of football when Herbert Lusk, a Philadelphia Eagle, completed a long touchdown run against the Giants and knelt in the end zone to pray. Before this, players did not express their religious tendencies publically. After that, prayer on the field become contagious as seen in athletes today like Terrell Owens,
Antwaan Randle El, Ike Reese, Curtis Martin, Troy Vincent, Deion Sanders, Roland Williams, Reggie White, and Tim Tebow. Lusk recalls his memory of that day to Christian congregations in the rough side of Philadelphia. Tom Krattenmaker writes, “Barely a pro football or pro baseball game passes today without Christian combats praying at the mound or home plate, pointing triumphantly to the heavens after a touchdown or home run, or praising their God in post-game interviews. These gestures are emblematic of something deeper in sports: an engagement by evangelical Christians that has progressed to the point where born-again believers make up something approaching 40 percent of the rosters of many major league teams in baseball, basketball, and football” (Krattenmaker 2009, 13). In much of what Lusk preaches, he influences the idea that believers are called upon to spread the good word of God. Sports figures like himself, White, and Tebow are spreading that on and off the field. Don Mclanen had similar ideas when he developed Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA). “His idea in sum is to use sports and their cultural influences to spread
the gospel” says Krattenmaker when describing FCA. (Krattenmaker 2009, 18). The FCA is in about roughly eight thousand schools across the country and over a hundred thousand athletes who go onto play professional sports are members of the Fellowship. These players then come back to speak at camps, influencing athletes to
live Christian lives and become good citizens.
The NFL is also a big fan of Christian athletes and coaches. Tony Dungy and Lovie Smith are the first African American head coaches to make it to the Super Bowl in 2007. Not only are they the first African Americans but they are also known to talk freely about their faith. Mark Moring, writer of Fumbling Religion, quotes Lovie and Dungy as saying, “I think it’s great that we’re able to show the world not only that African American coaches can do it, but Christian coaches can do it in a way that we can still win… God is the center of my life. I hope I don’t have to spend my time telling my players I am a Christian. I hope they see it in my life everyday” (Moring 2007, 32).
The NFL keeps Christianity present in their league because they know that a lot of fans have the opportunity to connect with religion. One example is Marcus Borden who is a New Jersey high school football coach who took his argument to the Supreme Court. The state argued that that it was unconstitutional and ordered all school officials to stop praying before sports events but Borden believed it was his right to take a knee with the players as they lead the prayer. Louis Thompson, a high school football coach for Lincoln County High School responded to Borden’s case by saying, “Everyday when we finish practice, we take a knee, bow our heads and say the Lord’s Prayer- every day. We don’t miss a day… along with the Lord’s Prayer at practice, we have a silent prayer before each game where I tell them to pray from themselves and their teammates” (Boston 2009, 3).
The Gilman High School football team is known as a powerhouse who loves each other. L. Gregory Jones is the dean of Duke University who wrote about that high school and their defensive coach Joe Ehrmann, who played for Tony Dungy on the Baltimore Colts for thirteen years. In Jones article, Loving Football,Ehrmann’s method was to make a difference in his players through football. He wanted to transform boys into men using religion and he did. In 2001 the team lost a heart breaking game and when the two star players went for an interview one said to the other, “I’m so proud of you man” and the other responded, “So proud of you too” (Jones 2004, 1).
This symbolized friendship that has developed through football. One of the players is an Africa American raised by a single mother in a working class section of Baltimore and the other is a white kid from a well known family in the suburb of Towson.
A very popular team known for their religious influence is the Fighting Irish. Notre Dame has had memorable coaches, players and plays. The majority of Notre Dames fans, according to Mark Massa the author of Catholics and American Culture: Fulton Sheen, Dorothy Day, and the Notre Dame Football Team, are Catholics who have never stepped foot on the Notre Dame campus. These people support the team because of the religious atmosphere the team presents by going to mass before every game, and the presence of the touchdown Jesus who overlooks the field. Knute Rockne was a famous Notre Dame Football coach who implemented the Christian values to the team making sure the students were academically successful, disciplined, focused, and goal oriented. “Knute enforced the idea of the team as an aspect of the school’s community, rather than its own separate organization. He embraced the community that the founder’s initially created, thus maintaining within it the initial Catholic ideals. So, the University never failed to maintain its image as a Catholic University, and never ceased its Catholic practices”(Massa 2001, 267).
There are always going to be negative connotations to religion in football. In 1999, the NCAA applied a rule for all sports that championships had to accommodate religious affiliated schools. Therefore, competition cannot be held on a particular day for religious reasons. Another incident involving the NCAA and religion was the rule adopted in 1991 to eliminate the end zone celebrations following touchdowns. Liberty University, a Christian school, was outraged when one of their football players was flagged because of a player dropping to one knee to pray after a touchdown. A lawsuit was filed against the NCAA saying the rule violated Title II of the 1974 Civil Rights Act which “prohibits places of public accommodations from the discrimination on the basis of religion” (Christianson 2006, 131). The NCAA adjusted their rule to allow
players to pray in the end zone. David Evans believes football and sports in general, “build character, instill discipline, encourage teamwork, and give confidence in
abilities” (Evans 1991, 313). Although, some notable Christian coaches push their players past the brink and do not seem to incorporate their beliefs into their actions. John Heisman, a football coach at Georgia Tech, who opposed smoking, drinking, and swearing along with losing would slaughter teams including a 130-0 victory over the University of West Virginia. Amos Alonzo was a coach at the University of Chicago whose “religion never interfered with his compulsion to win. Guided by his
twin philosophies that ‘the objective of football is to win rather than to player merely for pleasure’” quoted from Shirl James Hoffman’s Good Game (Hoffman 2012, 132). Bill
Glass was a four-time Pro Bowl player for the Cleveland Browns who believed in the tough man version of the New Testament of masculinity and warrior. He pushed many of his beliefs on other players. These coaches and players are said to be Christian but push their players past the endurance of physical body. Two other coaches that have made the game of football more than a game are Vince Lombardi, who coached for the Green Bay Packers, and Darryl Royal , coach at University of Texas. According to their players, Lombardi and Royal are known as coaches who treat their players like dogs not as brothers but it is okay, because they win.
With all the perks, statistics, and fame that come along with being a professional football player or coach comes a lot of responsibility. The football experience for fans is similar to their religious experience therefore the NFL encourages the values and disciplines of Christian players because they are such good influences and role models.
The “Minister of Defense”, two-time NFL Defense Player of the Year Reggie White was the first player to really open the door to professing faith on the field after Lusk’s first attempt in the end zone in 1977. White and Lusk influenced religious professional players after them like Terrell Owens and Tim Tebow to thank God for their talent.
Tebow was a player who came out of FCA then influenced younger players to be recognizing their faith on the field. Coaches are very influential to young athletes as well, so coaches like Dungy, Ehrmann, and Borden help boys grow into Christian men through football.
Annotated Bibliography
Bain-Selbo, Eric. "Ecstasy, Joy, and Sorrow: The Religious Experience of Southern College Football." Journal of Religion and Popular Culture 20 (2008): 1-14.
Eric Bain-Selbo, argues that a football fan feels similar emotions as someone in a religious experience. The essay explores the possibility that it game day provides opportunities for fans to have a religious experience. All of the data and support for this assumption is from fan surveying how they feel when there favorite football team is on. Fans used words like fellowship, excitement, tradition, inspiring, passion, love, and hope. Many of these words were also used to describe how religious people feel during religious organizations, rituals, or churches. This essay concluded that the experience of a football game is similar to a religious experience.
Boston, Rob. "Touchdown at the Supreme Court." Church and State 1 (2009): 76-78.
Boston examines the case of Marcus Borden, a High School football coach at East Brunswick High. For 23 years Borden has participated in religious activity with his players whether it is post or pre game prayers. Some parents did not approve of this activity and brought it to the school boards attention. The situation escalated to Borden versus Americans United to a Supreme Court. The court ended up banning employees from engaging in religious activity with any of the students. This statement was an uprising for many football coaches who practiced religious activity with their teams. In the end all the coaches said was they will continue to encourage team prayers no matter what the law says, they’re just talking a knee while a player says the prayer
Rina, Arya. "The Religious Significance of Football." In Holy Terror: Understanding Religion and Violence in Popular
Culture, edited by Eric S. Christianson and Christopher H. Partridge, 122-139.The University Of Chicago Press, 2006.
Rina focuses on focus on how the NCAA has changed because of Religion. It examines two NCAA rules that have
been adapted and modified to benefit football for religious colleges. The first issue was playing games on Sundays or during a religious tradition.
All NCAA leagues have to modify their games around the religious needs of colleges. The second issue was argued because touchdown celebrations are not allowed in college. But when a student from Liberty University was flagged for praying after a touchdown, the NCAA had to make a quick transition to allow prayer but not
other types of celebration.
Evans, David. "God Is My Quarterback: Theology and Football In America." Theology Today 1(1991): 309-320.
This particular article showed the hypocrites of the football and religion world. Evans points out how football is a masculine sport and how it affects millions of fans and
viewers. The pressure to win is very high and although some coaches are able to implement religion in their coaching and follow the “Christian way” a lot of the coaches fall and crumble under the pressure pushing their players past their physiological abilities. Examples of these coaches are Vince Lombardi and Darryl Royal who are very well known coaches because they win.
Hoffman, Shirl James. Good Game: Christianity and the Culture of Sports. Waco: Baylor University Press, 2012.
Hoffman details the rise of Christianity in sports from World War I to today. A lot of professional players were religious and once their careers were over, took into consideration careers in the ministry. These athletes were given higher recognition because of their “All-American” lifestyles. This influenced other religious players to profess their faith on and off the field. Although, some of the people who professed their faith did not seem so religious. Winning is an important part of playing a profession sport and some players and coaches allowed that to overcome their religious priorities. Those athletes that did maintain the faith were able to be part of organizations like FCA, Athletes in Action, and Pro-Athlete Outreach.
Jones, L. Gregory. "Loving Football." The Christian Century 1 (2004): 1-3.
Jones examines a particular coach’s ability to reach his players on a faith based level through football. Coach Joe Ehrmann is a defensive coach for the Gilman High School football team. Ehrmann’s main goal is to allow the boys to love each other and love themselves with the help of football. Constantly relying on each other in the sport and outside of the sport. These boys are also making friendships that are developed “against-all-odds.” This team is compared to the film Friday Night Lights because they ignore the acts of the community and the prejudices of the town and plays, works, and is friends with people they are not expected to.
Krattenmaker, Tom. Onward Christian Athletes: Turning Ballparks into Pulpits and Players into Preachers. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc, 2009.
In Krattermaker's first Chapter, he starts off Onward Christian Athletes with an explanation of how politics, faith, and sports are all tied together using Herbert Lusk as an example. He is an Africa American minster who teaches all his homilies through football stories. Lusk opened up the doors to professing faith on the field and off the field. But with strategies like his there is going to be a political argument between conservatives and liberals. Making the separation between church and state already more difficult. Religion is in all of us, so no matter what faith a professional athlete is, it effects all the sports fans of America.
Massa, Mark S. Catholics and American Culture: Fulton Sheen, Dorothy Day, and the Notre Dame Football Team. Emporia: The Crossroad Publishing Company, 2001.
Massa explores Notre Dame college and its religious entity. A majority of its fans never set foot on Notre Dame campus. It is because with the influence of Knute Rockne, the football program has become one of the most religious teams in the nation. Rockne set up a program in the 60’s for disciplined men who were well educated and good role models. Since then, all the players attend mass before games and must maintain an average GPA. Notre Dame is also known for its touchdown Jesus that is printed on the library that overlooks the football field.
Moring, Mark. "Fumbling Religion?" Christianity Today 1 (2007): 32-38.
Moring analyzes how the NFL has reacted to all its players professing their faith on the field. At first the NFL was hesitant to allow any propaganda of Religion and even went after some churches for hosting Super Bowl parties. Their reasoning was that the churches were using the NFL logo and a television screen bigger than 55 inches. American’s did not react to this issue very well so the NFL did some damage control allowing its players to profess their faith and churches to hold Super Bowl parties. In the end, the NFL encouraged Christian players because they prefer to have men of integrity and good role models on the field.
Novak, Michael. The Joy of Sports. Lanham, MD: Madison Books, 1994.
Almost all Americans can call themselves some type of sports fan. Novak analyzes how sports and religion influence one another. A lot of people can find God in their particular sport while others thank God every time they are able to make a touchdown or score a goal. Sports can include spiritual activities and can influence others through legends, rituals, sacred sites and emotions.
Eric Bain-Selbo, argues that a football fan feels similar emotions as someone in a religious experience. The essay explores the possibility that it game day provides opportunities for fans to have a religious experience. All of the data and support for this assumption is from fan surveying how they feel when there favorite football team is on. Fans used words like fellowship, excitement, tradition, inspiring, passion, love, and hope. Many of these words were also used to describe how religious people feel during religious organizations, rituals, or churches. This essay concluded that the experience of a football game is similar to a religious experience.
Boston, Rob. "Touchdown at the Supreme Court." Church and State 1 (2009): 76-78.
Boston examines the case of Marcus Borden, a High School football coach at East Brunswick High. For 23 years Borden has participated in religious activity with his players whether it is post or pre game prayers. Some parents did not approve of this activity and brought it to the school boards attention. The situation escalated to Borden versus Americans United to a Supreme Court. The court ended up banning employees from engaging in religious activity with any of the students. This statement was an uprising for many football coaches who practiced religious activity with their teams. In the end all the coaches said was they will continue to encourage team prayers no matter what the law says, they’re just talking a knee while a player says the prayer
Rina, Arya. "The Religious Significance of Football." In Holy Terror: Understanding Religion and Violence in Popular
Culture, edited by Eric S. Christianson and Christopher H. Partridge, 122-139.The University Of Chicago Press, 2006.
Rina focuses on focus on how the NCAA has changed because of Religion. It examines two NCAA rules that have
been adapted and modified to benefit football for religious colleges. The first issue was playing games on Sundays or during a religious tradition.
All NCAA leagues have to modify their games around the religious needs of colleges. The second issue was argued because touchdown celebrations are not allowed in college. But when a student from Liberty University was flagged for praying after a touchdown, the NCAA had to make a quick transition to allow prayer but not
other types of celebration.
Evans, David. "God Is My Quarterback: Theology and Football In America." Theology Today 1(1991): 309-320.
This particular article showed the hypocrites of the football and religion world. Evans points out how football is a masculine sport and how it affects millions of fans and
viewers. The pressure to win is very high and although some coaches are able to implement religion in their coaching and follow the “Christian way” a lot of the coaches fall and crumble under the pressure pushing their players past their physiological abilities. Examples of these coaches are Vince Lombardi and Darryl Royal who are very well known coaches because they win.
Hoffman, Shirl James. Good Game: Christianity and the Culture of Sports. Waco: Baylor University Press, 2012.
Hoffman details the rise of Christianity in sports from World War I to today. A lot of professional players were religious and once their careers were over, took into consideration careers in the ministry. These athletes were given higher recognition because of their “All-American” lifestyles. This influenced other religious players to profess their faith on and off the field. Although, some of the people who professed their faith did not seem so religious. Winning is an important part of playing a profession sport and some players and coaches allowed that to overcome their religious priorities. Those athletes that did maintain the faith were able to be part of organizations like FCA, Athletes in Action, and Pro-Athlete Outreach.
Jones, L. Gregory. "Loving Football." The Christian Century 1 (2004): 1-3.
Jones examines a particular coach’s ability to reach his players on a faith based level through football. Coach Joe Ehrmann is a defensive coach for the Gilman High School football team. Ehrmann’s main goal is to allow the boys to love each other and love themselves with the help of football. Constantly relying on each other in the sport and outside of the sport. These boys are also making friendships that are developed “against-all-odds.” This team is compared to the film Friday Night Lights because they ignore the acts of the community and the prejudices of the town and plays, works, and is friends with people they are not expected to.
Krattenmaker, Tom. Onward Christian Athletes: Turning Ballparks into Pulpits and Players into Preachers. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc, 2009.
In Krattermaker's first Chapter, he starts off Onward Christian Athletes with an explanation of how politics, faith, and sports are all tied together using Herbert Lusk as an example. He is an Africa American minster who teaches all his homilies through football stories. Lusk opened up the doors to professing faith on the field and off the field. But with strategies like his there is going to be a political argument between conservatives and liberals. Making the separation between church and state already more difficult. Religion is in all of us, so no matter what faith a professional athlete is, it effects all the sports fans of America.
Massa, Mark S. Catholics and American Culture: Fulton Sheen, Dorothy Day, and the Notre Dame Football Team. Emporia: The Crossroad Publishing Company, 2001.
Massa explores Notre Dame college and its religious entity. A majority of its fans never set foot on Notre Dame campus. It is because with the influence of Knute Rockne, the football program has become one of the most religious teams in the nation. Rockne set up a program in the 60’s for disciplined men who were well educated and good role models. Since then, all the players attend mass before games and must maintain an average GPA. Notre Dame is also known for its touchdown Jesus that is printed on the library that overlooks the football field.
Moring, Mark. "Fumbling Religion?" Christianity Today 1 (2007): 32-38.
Moring analyzes how the NFL has reacted to all its players professing their faith on the field. At first the NFL was hesitant to allow any propaganda of Religion and even went after some churches for hosting Super Bowl parties. Their reasoning was that the churches were using the NFL logo and a television screen bigger than 55 inches. American’s did not react to this issue very well so the NFL did some damage control allowing its players to profess their faith and churches to hold Super Bowl parties. In the end, the NFL encouraged Christian players because they prefer to have men of integrity and good role models on the field.
Novak, Michael. The Joy of Sports. Lanham, MD: Madison Books, 1994.
Almost all Americans can call themselves some type of sports fan. Novak analyzes how sports and religion influence one another. A lot of people can find God in their particular sport while others thank God every time they are able to make a touchdown or score a goal. Sports can include spiritual activities and can influence others through legends, rituals, sacred sites and emotions.