Religion and Sport - Lorelei Franke-Woods

"With God on their side"


For some people, sports arenas function as cathedrals, athletes have become as gods and sporting teams and clubs serve as denominations. Magdalinski and Chandler (2002) argue against this. While accepting that there are meaningful links between sport and religion including sharing similar frameworks, this paper stresses that the relationship between sport and religion has often been uneasy, as they have different philosophical foundations. To support this argument, the role of sport in issues of religions’ boundary maintenance, identity formation and community are addressed. The mid 19th century ideology of muscular Christianity is also considered.

Modern religions differ according to their relationship to a transcendental god, distinguishing between divine and human and attributing authority to a transcendental god outside themselves. Religion requires a sense of the supernatural, and established rituals. The differentiation between the supernatural and the human is reflected in separating those who belong and those who do not. Such boundaries are important in the forming of collective identities in both sport and religion. Clear cut dogmas, rites, rules and teachings are used to maintain difference boundaries. Sport has been used as an instrument of religious difference and boundary maintenance, an example of this being in Northern Ireland where soccer is predominantly the sport of Protestants.

It is argued that religion is concerned with individual and social behaviour and cultural influence, significantly influencing group and individual identities. However, sport and religion have both arguably contributed to ethnic identities in Australia. Sporting rhetoric is significant for the boundary maintenance and religious identity of groups such as the Promise Keepers who have used the language and symbolism of American male-dominated sport to support their gender-ideological movement.

19th century British “Muscular Christianity” promoted health and body fitness through which commitment and loyalty, religious and moral discipline together was thought to enhance a moral elevation of the soul. Through both sport and religion, communities are unified and strengthened, while groups such as YMCA have used sport as a tool to promote religious morality and structure.

Magdalinski and Chandler have argued that sport does not represent a type of secular faith and have used the issues of boundary maintenance, identity formation and community to strengthen their argument.

Reference:
Magdalinski, T. & Chandler, T.J.L. Eds., (2002). With God on their side: sport in the service of religion. London: Routledge. ch.1 pp. 1-19.