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Religion, Sport, and Play

Submitted to Program Units
1: Religion, Sport, and Play Unit

Jeffrey Scholes, University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, Presiding

Abstract for Online Program Book (maximum 150 words)

This Unit provides an opportunity for scholars to engage in emerging research at the intersection of religion and sport, games, and play. We are interested in examining these topics across broad geographical areas, religious traditions, and historical eras. We encourage critical reflection regarding relationships of religious institutions to sport, play, and games; theological and spiritual experiences of participants and spectators invested in these activities; and the cross-cultural applicability of the received categories.

   

Papers

  • Zachary Simpson, University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma

    NHL Pride Nights, Religious Belief, and the Rhetoric of Fideism

    Abstract

    Pride Nights, events in support of 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals, sponsored by the National Hockey League, have recently caused controversy. A number of players, citing deeply held religious beliefs, have withdrawn from such events. Responding to this controversy, the NHL subsequently cancelled all special events, including Pride Nights. This response, along with the defenses of players, coincides with a cultural shift regarding the privacy and immunity from criticism of religious belief as codified in the Religious Freedom Restoration Act and the Hobby Lobby v. Burwell decision. Such events foster a form of fideism, where religious belief, along with is social consequences, is seen as individual and isolable from institutional or collective criticism.

  • Nevia Selmon, Harvard Divinity School

    Unveiling the Black Brute Archetype: Israeli Media's Portrayal of Palestinian and Arab-Israeli Athletes in the Context of Racial Discrimination and Nationalistic Assimilation

    Abstract

    Israeli media coverage perpetuates discrimination against Palestinian and Arab-Israeli athletes through the projection of the Black brute archetype onto these marginalized populations. Examining how Israeli media frames soccer as a symbol of Jewish-Arab coexistence, this paper reveals how Arab players are expected to embody this narrative, at the expense of their cultural identity and rights. Drawing parallels to broader societal dynamics, whiteness operates as a dominant force, reinforcing systemic violence and racial othering against Arab and Palestinian minorities. The analysis uncovers how Israeli media discourse, steeped in nationalistic rhetoric, silences dissenting voices and perpetuates religious and cultural hegemony. Arab athletes are pressured to conform to Jewish norms, including singing the national anthem and carrying the Israeli flag, further marginalizing their identity and perpetuating systemic violence. Ultimately, the paper argues that the portrayal of Arab and Palestinian athletes as "Black Brutes" enables unchecked violence and oppression by Israeli governance.

  • Kristin Graff-Kallevag, MF Norwegian School of Theology

    Flow, spirituality, and long-distance running. When heaven is under your feet.

    Abstract

    The flow concept developed by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi is well-established and applied in the field of sports, especially in sports psychology. Relating to previous studies of the relationship between flow and spirituality in sports, this paper explores experiences of spirituality in long-distance running by taking advantage of the concept of flow. The paper’s particular take is to bring this concept into dialogue with the notion of resonance, developed by sociologist Hartmut Rosa, thereby establishing a theoretical framework for analyzing spirituality in running. More precisely, the paper presents a study that analyzes written autobiographical narratives of long-distance runners. In these narratives, flow experiences are identified primarily in the subject’s resonant relationship to nature, the body, and the self. It is also argued that the concept of resonance proves helpful for a deeper understanding of spiritual flow experiences in long-distance running.

Business Meeting
Jeffrey Scholes, University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, Presiding
Kimberly Diaz, University of California, Riverside, Presiding
Audiovisual Requirements

Resources

LCD Projector and Screen
Podium microphone

Full Papers Available

No
Program Unit Options

Session Length

90 Minutes

Schedule Preference

Sunday, 3:00 PM - 4:30 PM
Schedule Info

Sunday, 3:00 PM - 4:30 PM

Tags

#Religious Freedom
#sport
# LGBTQIA
#Israel/Palestine
#black
#judaism
#running
# Spirituality
#flow
#Hartmut Rosa
#Csikszentmihalyi

Session Identifier

A24-331