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Sports Fanatics:
How Christians have succumbed to the sports culture—and what might be done about it.
Jan. 30, 2010 - Shirl James Hoffman starts this article with shameful examples of sports fanaticism, pointing out that Americans are consuming sports on an unprecedented scale, and evangelicals are leading the way in adapting their personal and church agendas to this fascination.
- Less than a century ago, major segments of the evangelical community considered sports a cancer on the spiritual life; today their denominational progeny lead the parade to stadiums.
Sports can be used to spread the Gospel. Publicity surrounding recent Super Bowls have highlighted the faith of coaches and players, like Kurt Warner. But sports can bring out the worst in people as well, leading to scandals and corruption.
The narcissistic and materialistic culture of professional sports is the antithesis of Christian virtues such as servanthood, generosity, and self-subordination.
Hoffman calls for wisdom on the part of evangelical church leaders in three key areas:
- Development of a proper “sports theology,”
- Practice of ethical values in our exercise of sports.
- Consideration of how to use sport’s potential for spiritual encouragement and outreach.
- Source: Christianity Today
- Editor's Note: This article is posted under opposite topics - Apostasy and Revival. Like most powerful influences in life, sports can be a good or a bad influence, depending on how it is used.
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