ABSTRACT
While the relationship between sport and religion is deeply rooted in history, it continues to play a profound role in shaping modern-day societies. This edited collection provides an inter-disciplinary exploration of this relationship from a global perspective, making a major contribution to the religious, social scientific and theological study of sport.
It discusses the dialectical interplay between sport and Christianity across diverse cultures, extending beyond a Western perspective to include studies from Africa, South America and Asia, as well as Europe, the UK and the US. Containing contributions from leading experts within the field, it reflects on key topics including race, gender, spirituality, morality, interfaith sport clubs, and the significance of sport in public rituals of celebration and mourning. Its chapters also examine violent sports such as boxing and mixed martial arts, as well as reflecting on the cult of sporting celebrity and the theology of disability sport.
Truly international in scope, Global Perspectives on Sports and Christianity is fascinating reading for all those interested in the study of sport, sociology and religion.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
part 11I|34 pages
Some transdisciplinary considerations
chapter 1|16 pages
Challenging the secular bias in the sociology of sport
part II|114 pages
Non-Western perspectives on sport and Christianity
chapter 3|17 pages
Interreligious football
chapter 5|16 pages
Soccer victory authorized by the gods
chapter 7|15 pages
Religion and sport in multireligious Nigeria
chapter 9|13 pages
Playing and praying in the Premiership
part 160III|119 pages
Western perspectives on sport and Christianity