Book on "Muscular Christianity'
A football player praying in the end zone after scoring a touchdown, a spectator holding a banner inscribed with John 3:16, an athlete publicly thanking God when he or she wins a championship--in spite of apparent excesses, a serious religious undercurrent runs through American sports.
Wheaton College professors Tony Ladd and James A. Mathisen recently released a book, titled Muscular Christianity: Evangelical Protestants and the Development of American Sport (Baker Books, 1999), examining this phenomenon. It focuses on the historical and sociological intermixing of sport and the Christian faith, highlighting the often overlooked but integral contributions of evangelical Protestants to the evolution of American sports.
"While a considerable body of literature exists addressing the practice of faith in these two domains [sports and Christianity] separately, only limited attention has been given to evangelicals as sportsmen. It's that void we are taking a step toward filling," Ladd explains.
Ladd and Mathisen span the gap by telling the stories of well-known 19th- and 20th-century Christian sports figures and evangelists who made an impact on American sports, among them James Naismith, Bill Glass, Dwight L. Moody, Billy Graham, Amos Alonzo Stagg, Gil Dodds, Eric Liddell, Billy Sunday, and Bill McCartney. They also discuss the current status of muscular Christianity, including the impact of parachurch sports ministries such as Fellowship of Christian Athletes and Athletes in Action, and then offer suggestions for increasing the movement's effectiveness.
Speaking on the future of sports and the Church, Mathisen says, "On the short term, the organizational structure, a supportive ethos, and growing numbers of personnel and programs suggest things are getting bigger and better, especially in local church ministries. But we are struck with a seeming parallel between today and a century ago, when one could have made a similar observation. Within 20 years of that optimistic period, things unexpectedly changed. So for the long term, we foresee having to make changes--sooner or later--or things could come unglued again. Things are pretty positive, however, for now."
Pat Williams, senior executive vice president, Orlando Magic, commends the book: "I've spent my entire life in professional sports and been part of the muscular Christianity scene for over 30 years. This book put it all together for me, and now I understand the background of Christianity and sports as a powerful combination. I'll be recommending this book very enthusiastically."
Ladd, who earned his doctorate at Ohio State University, is an associate professor of kinesiology at Wheaton College. He serves as chair of the department of kinesiology and as the college's athletic director. He has held positions on the boards of several ministry groups, including Sports Outreach Chicago and Friendship Sport, Inc.
Mathisen earned his doctorate from Northwestern University. He is professor of sociology and serves as chair of Wheaton College's department of sociology and anthropology. He has made presentations to professional organizations, parachurch groups, and college audiences on sports ministry topics for over 10 years. He is a member of several professional groups, including the North American Society for the Sociology of Sport and the North American Society for Sport History.
For more information or to schedule interviews with Ladd and Mathisen, contact the college's public relations department at 630/752-5015 or [email protected].
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