If I had to choose between my wife and my putter... well, I’d miss her.
Has the game gone?
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(Moral and missional reflections on sport), Matthew Prior, Grove Books, 2025 ISBN 978 1 78827 484 5
It is good to see another new theological reflection on sport. The title may just be intended to be provocative but did come across unnecessarily negative.
As far as theology is concerned there are 18 references to Rob Ellis (Games people play), six to Lincoln Harvey and one to Shirl Hoffman. The Ellis book is the best but, as they say, other books are available.
Having just written a Grove booklet myself, I fully understand the constraints of space but at times I thought the book was better at raising questions than answering them: Examples would be whether sports is “a valuable vehicle for Christian community, a wonderful means of outreach”, which is raised without really discussing whether sport has intrinsic or just extrinsic value. Similarly the reference to instrumentalizing sport by Christians was probably worth more space. The More than Gold movement which instrumentalized the London 2012 Olympics for evangelistic purposes would have been a great example to discuss.
The author asks “Should Christians play sport on Sundays as an expression of their worship of the one true God?” This is a subject about which I am passionate, having written In Praise of God: Sport as Worship in the Practice and Self-Understanding of Elite Athletes. I loved the reference to Sunday as “a day to embrace creativity and recreation in the image of God rather than simply rest” but the conclusion that Sunday is a good day for amateur sport but not professional sport seems rather unconvincing.
A footnote states that “Christians in elite sport deserve respect and need committed mentors” but the point is not developed with no reference to sports chaplaincy.
The booklet asks the question: “Do you think playing or watching sport can be a vehicle for Christian ministry and mission?” but does not really help give an answer. There is a mention of Christians in Sport in the footnotes but no reference to their helpful publications like Born to play on how to play as a Christian or Spiritual Game Plan on how to be part of the world or sport as a fan, parent etc as a Christian.
That said, I welcome another Grove booklet on sport.