Through an exploration of the historical Christian understandings of the human body, human pleasure, and sport, and building on a biblical theology of creation, humanity, and pleasure, the student will develop a contemporary theology of sport for life and ministry.
All cultures in all times have engaged in sport. The contemporary student is faced with the reality that sports globally has developed into a vast enterprise verging on the idolatrous. This course will lead the student to examine the historical, biblical, and contemporary issues related to the Christian and sports.
Interest is sports, whether amateur or professional, has grown exponentially in the last half century. The sheer number of people involved, the money spent, and the socio-economic and political implications of global sports demands theological reflection.
Although the Bible says littles about sports specifically, a biblical theology of creation, humanity, rest, and pleasure will provide the foundation for developing a theology of sport.
The contemporary church has wholeheartedly embraced sports as a fact of life, whether seeing it as an evangelistic ministry or as a competitor on Sundays. This course will allow the student to think through the implications for sports and participation in sports as an aspect of a missional lifestyle for both the athlete and the spectator.
Sport is a global phenomena; however, how the church views sports, how sports have affected culture, and how the follower of Christ can approach sports missionally will depend on the context. Developing a theology of sport, which includes missional application, will be done with the student's context in mind.
There are few human endeavors that bridge cultures like sport does. The course will engage students from a variety of cultures, inviting them to learn from each other.
Building a theology of sport will be more than an intellectual exercise. The student will be expected to explore ways to turn that theology into practical missional steps.
Everyone has some experience of sports, whether they played, watched, or have even rejected sports. The course will encourage each student to reflect on their own perspective and experience of sports in light of biblical, historical, and practical issues.
