"I love the sense of satisfaction that I get when I’ve done a swimming workout or race, and know that I gave my whole being and heart to God in every moment of the swim. It’s the best worship I can offer him."
God's Joyful Runner
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God's Joyful Runner, Russell Wilcox Ramsey, Bridge-Logos, 1998.
The author acknowledges the help of John Keddie, a Church of Scotland minister who has studied the life of Liddell in great detail and also quotes a letter from Eric's sister.
The book states: "Eric believed that the Olympic Games were a superb way to demonstrate the kind of muscular Christianity that made such a difference thousands of lives". (Page 60) Whether Eric saw himself as part of a Muscular Christianity movement is open to question.
There is an interesting assessment of DP Thompson, who "had an unfortunate tendency to equate the beginning of Eric's Christian commitment with the April 1923 public witnessing appearance at Armadale. With the advantages of time and distance, it becomes clear that Armadale was Eric's conversion to public evangelism, but that his commitment to missionary service long pre-dated Armadale". (Page 184)
A fine book but one which adds little to McCasland and Magnusson.