Editor’ s Notes
2 • The New Wine Press • February 2017
Sport as Religion or Religion as Sport? by Fr. Richard Bayuk, c. pp. s., Publications Editor
“ If a man watches three football games in a row, he should be declared legally dead.”-Erma Bombeck
These past months have been long and difficult. Lots of emotion on all sides; huge crowds gathering to cheer and chant; people holding signs and wearing caps and shirts; arguments and disagreements; families split down the middle. No, not the election. I’ m talking about the just ended football season( baseball applies here as well). So I write herewith something a little lighter this month.
I recently received an unsolicited email from a company that sells church goods and religious articles advertising a“ Sports Rosary.” It’ s a bracelet with beads, several of which are small footballs, baseballs, basketballs or whichever ball your favorite sport uses.( You might also want to check out the so-called Jesus Sports Statues.) The accompanying advertisement states,“ Our new Sports Rosary Bracelets are a great way to get teens, and even younger kids, interested in saying the rosary every day. Now they can combine their love for Jesus with their passion for sports! These rosary bracelets make it easy to teach all children that Jesus is with us continuously; all we need to do is pray. Each bracelet is crafted using strong nylon cord, durable moulded beads and is adjustable to fit kids and teens of all ages.”
My first reaction to this was, why are they marketing this only to young people? The real fans and the really big spenders are adults. I won’ t be watching the Super Bowl this year( I only do so when the Green Bay Packers are playing), but millions of others around the world will. Some will be there in person at nrg Stadium in Houston( as I write this I see there are still tickets available, ranging from $ 4194 to $ 16674 each). Most of the spectators in the stadium will be wearing( rather expensive) team-related clothing. I’ m willing to bet that if the aforementioned company would be there selling their Sports Rosary adorned with tiny footballs bearing the insignias of the Falcons or the Patriots, they could laugh all the way to the bank.
A definition of“ religion” according to Webster is“ an organized system of beliefs, ceremonies, and rules used to worship a god or a group of gods.” Brandon Anderson, in an online article on the website The Cauldron, asks his readers to consider their favorite sport:“ Is the sport organized? Are there rules in place, and penalties for not following the rules? Are there ceremonies when people congregate together to play the sport? Does the team make you believe, hope in something bigger? Do the men and women playing often seem larger than life, like deities on the field?” Yes, yes, yes, yes, and yes.
Anderson goes on to point out the shared vocabulary of religion and sports, e. g., such as faith, devotion, ritual, dedication, sacrifice, commitment, and celebration, to name just a few. He writes:“ Sports encourage passionate, devoted fans. We go to the game decked out in face paint and jerseys and costume, and continued on page 11