Sport and Christianity: Practices for the Twenty-First Century

Many people are passionate about sports, yet few give much thought to its role and importance in their lives - let alone its relationship to their faith. This book explores the potential of sports and challenges readers to consider how it relates to their deepest passions, behaviours and actions. Written in an accessible and stimulating way, this edited collection provides newcomers to the field with a framework around which to think seriously about the way in which sports participation and faith-based values connect.

Featuring academic writers from a range of disciplinary fields, i.e. philosophy, theology, sports studies, and education, the book facilitates a deeper examination of the meaning of sports and play for Christians as participants and as practitioners. Key topics include sports and the value of play, sports as a means for dialogue between faith traditions, prayer and religious experiences in sports, and sports as a place to cultivate virtue and the Christian spiritual life. The result is a text that promotes new ways of thinking about the sports-Christianity relationship while at the same time developing a deeper understanding of the place of sports in our everyday lives.