Prof. Msgr. Vladimir Felzmann aka Father Vlad 

still working to help God make this World a better place 

Sport and the Church - 4

The first wave of feminism – 1848-1920 - was followed after WW2 by the second wave in 1963-1980s as women organized and fought for social equality and reproductive rights. Sports become part of the broader feminist movement and a place where women could claim a place of leadership. 

In June 1972, President Nixon signed Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 into law. Title IX is a comprehensive federal law that has removed many barriers that once prevented people, on the basis of sex, from participating in educational opportunities and careers of their choice. The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) initially fought the inclusion of Title 9, which focuses on schools (not just sports) and legislates against discrimination. 

As a result, The Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) became a women-led space for high-level competition for women in college. In the early 1980s, the NCAA reversed its course, embraced Title 9, and took over women's sports. It’s worth noting that before title 9, Christian engagement with sport, in general, supported women's involvement in competition. For women working on farms in the south, it wasn’t a huge stretch to see them play sports, unlike more progressive locations like New York. Their involvement in sports was seen as compatible with what it means to be a Christian. It wasn't “challenging” the system. Catholic churches had basketball leagues. People like Patsy Neal were accepted into The Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA). Cindy Smith started sports ministry in 1976 through FCA.

Despite these realities, Christian women involved in sports were faced with a constant dilemma: Do they conform to Christian expectations of what it means to be a woman or fully express themselves as athletes? At the same time, their faith often felt unwanted and unwelcome in progressive spaces. Christian women in sports were often stuck between two camps and struggled to feel fully at home in either one. 

Our last era is highlighted by five models of engaging in faith and sport that build upon the work of sports ministries from the previous era—as well as the rise of youth sports. The five models of sports theology are represented by the five Christian leaders below who pioneered sports ministries based on their theological bent. 

John Wooden believed that Christian character is developed naturally through sports—and that the development of character best positions you to win. 

Bill Glass followed the model set by Billy Graham and placed a strong emphasis on evangelism. He believed that it was a Christian priority to maximize their talent to elevate their evangelical platform. He was also an early pioneer in the area of psychology and the mental aspect of sport.

Wes Neal of Athletes in Action believed the Christian faith must be lived out at all times, including within the context of sports. Sport could be a form of worship to God. He believed “spiritual” Christians' access to the Holy Spirit gives them an edge when it comes to performance. 

Tom Skinner, the first black chaplain in sports ministry, saw athletes and coaches as part of a greater community. He prioritized participation in sports as a communal benefit for others. 

Shirl Hoffman believes Christians must rediscover the value of play in sports. He thinks there is an inordinate amount of value placed on winning.  

While other models of engagement of faith and sport exist, these five have proven to have decades of staying power during this era. 

The theological issue of idolatry is one consistent thread woven through the story of sport and Christian engagement since the first century. Of all things, that seems to be a common ground that all Christians, even to this day, have struggled to identify the clear line between the worship of God and the worship of sport—or even the worship of self through sport.

We see tremendous continuity with the theme of idolatry within youth sports. We can see it in parents making an idol out of their kids through sports. Their involvement (car rides, intensity from the sidelines, money spent) also reflects making an idol out of their present kid and his or her projected future athletic self. We also see it in kids who make an idol out of how they look—wanting the latest and greatest gear. Even the issue of youth sports falls under the category of “there is nothing new under the sun.” 

Back in the late 1970s, FCA staff member Gary Warner said that “If our goal is to produce skilled professionals and Olympic champions at the expense of play and fun, youth league sports are on target. If our goal is to produce a nation of playing, active, sport-involved-people-for-a-lifetime, then the youth sport concept needs overhauling.” 

Lastly, with the advancement of technology and access to the internet and social media, there are a growing number of voices at the intersection of faith and sport. New sports ministries are starting. Chaplaincy can be found within most professional sports. Esports are growing in popularity. And all of these voices involved in the ongoing conversation of faith and sport are building on top of the foundation laid by faithful men and women who have wrestled with what it means to be a Christian athlete over the last two thousand years.

As St John Paul II put it, “sports are a form on gymnastics of body and spirit”.

Over the past thirty years, sports chaplaincy in the UK has burgeoned. The charity was established in 1991 as SCORE, resulting from the pioneering work in sports chaplaincy of John Boyers, under the guidance and direction of leaders of the Baptist Union of Great Britain. Over the next 20 years the charity grew from its initial base in professional football to involve chaplaincy in Horse Racing, Rugby League, Rugby Union, Cricket and Athletics.

From the start the charity has been an interdenominational organisation equipping and resourcing individuals (predominantly clergy) from a wide variety of Christian backgrounds to serve the world of sport through chaplaincy. The model used has been that of building relationships from which pastoral and spiritual support can be offered as required.

Over the years the charity has also been involved with the provision of chaplaincy to major sporting events from Olympic & Commonwealth Games to World Championships in Rugby League, Rugby Union, Amateur Boxing, & Athletics.  The charity aims to work with local organisations and national the organising bodies of sport, a relationship which is exemplified by the provision of support from Racing Welfare, Premier League, Football League Trust & PFA and the Scottish Football Association to name but a few.

The charity is governed by Trustees elected at the AGM, and the staff are supported by an Administrator based in the Manchester office.

In 2011 the charity changed its name to Sports Chaplaincy UK, since then we have developed a wider leadership team and training packages. In January 2015 the charity appointed Warren Evans as its new CEO. Sports Chaplaincy UK continues to grow significantly as it serves the world of sport through excellence in chaplaincy.

As soon as I was told that ASPC – and thus SPEC (for secondary students) and its LOFT (centre for primary pupils) was being closed and sold - I suggested to the Cardinal that I might  - now that I would have spare time - be able to get involved with the 2012 Games. He invited me to Archbishop’s’ House for a cup of tea and appointed me – first ever “Catholic Chaplain for Sport”.

In this role and preparing for the 2012 Games, I was introduced to JP2F4S. It was, in fact just a list of names – worthy names. Nothing had happened. 

Therefore, I contacted the Chairman of this notional entity, Professor Simon Lee and we agreed I could convert that idea into a Registered Charity so we could start work and help young people develop their PIES.

I hear you cry, PIES? What is that?

Rather than the ‘mind, body, spirit’ - to emphasise the importance of relationships and our emotional life - I go with

PIES = The Physical, Intellectual, Emotional and Spiritual dimensions of human life

Thanks to the wonderful generosity of Paul Leonard – who I had to know on our WDP to Lourdes – which I launched in 1990 – JP2F4S became a Registered Charity (No.1144087) – with its website and logo  in 2011.

I went to see Vincent. I told him that The C of E have a Chaplain for Sport: The Bishop of Sherwood, Rt Rev Tony Porter, and The Vatican has not only Mgr. Melchor Sánchez de Toca in charge of sport at Department for Culture, who organised the Vatican’ “Sport at the service of humanity” conference in 2016 that I attended but also Dott. Santiago Perez de Camino at Laity, Family and Life. 

Not surprisingly, Vincent agreed that sport should come on board The Bishop’s Conference (CBCEW). Since May 2019, it is now there   in The Department of Evangelisation and Catechesis.  I attended its Youth Committee meetings, chaired by Bishop Ralph Heskett of Hallam Diocese.

Moving eastwards. The Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) is approaching sports from a position quite similar to that of the Russian state—as an important aspect of a healthy lifestyle (even though physical health is not a goal in itself) and as an expression of patriotism. In recent years, the ROC has developed its pastoral work among athletes and sportspeople, as evidenced by a religious service conducted by Patriarch Kirill for the Russian Olympic team upon their return to Moscow in February 2018. The team has its own Orthodox chaplain, since the church sees athletes as believers as well, 

Before the Olympic Games in Sochi in 2014, the ROC published a new edition of the book Christianity and Sports by Deacon Filipp Ponomarev. In December 2015, a Patriarchal Commission on sports and related topics was constituted. It express its views on sports, including their having a clear educational value for young people. Across Russian Orthodox dioceses, sports are seen as a way to interact with youth, but also to prevent addictions or to rehabilitate addicts. According to Elsner, the church also sees some missionary potential in sports events, at least as an opportunity to acquaint foreign visitors with Russian Orthodox culture. 

There are also those among Orthodox Christians in Russia who look at sports with suspicion as worship of one’s body and pagan enjoyment incompatible with Christianity. But church officials distance themselves from such attitudes and prefer to emphasize the balance between physical and spiritual health. The emphasis on sports as a contribution to the strengthening of national consciousness has been evident in talks by the Patriarch and other leading ROC figures, even more so at a time when accusations by international sports organizations regarding doping and corruption among Russian athletes have increased but are often seen as lies or foreign pressure. The church also shows eagerness to promote specifically Russian forms of sports.

On October 5-6, 2016, the Vatican held the Sport at the Service of Humanity Conference, the first global conference on sport and faith, an initiative promoted by Pope Francis and supported by the International Olympic Committee and the United Nations.

 This was followed by followed by "Giving the Best of Yourself," the Holy See's first integral document on sport published on June 1, 2018.

Then, on September 29 and 30, 2022, in the New Synod Hall at the Vatican, a second conference, responding to the Holy Father's calls on the social responsibility of sports and the importance of sports practice as a means of human, educational and spiritual growth.

 "Sport for All: Cohesive, Accessible and Tailored to each Person"  promoted by the Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life, in collaboration with the Dicastery for Culture and Education and the John Paul II Foundation for Sport. 

Pope Francis made it clear that “to give the best of oneself in sports is also a call to aspire to holiness,” He has made it clear that he knows that sports can be a great instrument of formation and sanctification, especially for young people.” To be good at a sport takes commitment, something often lacking in a ‘throwaway culture’.”

At the Orthodox Church and Sports panel, held at the St. Sava Parish Centre in Belgrade, Serbia, in December 2012, Metropolitan Porphyrios  (Prvoslav Perić)  said  “At a first glance, the Orthodox Church and sports don’t have much in common because they have different views of interest. The subject or topic of interest of the Orthodox Church is the soul and spirit ‐ the spiritual aspect of man's existence. When we think about sports, if we do not go deep into the topic we obviously think that sports are only about the body, and that the body is the most important aspect of sports. However, in order to find a connection between the Orthodox Church and sports, we first need to see what kind of a relationship exists between the spiritual and the physical, between the soul and the body, when speaking of the Orthodox faith.

 And the Holy Fathers, the Holy Tradition, and the Holy Bible can help us with it without exception. On the other hand, when St. John of Damascus (c676-c749), for instance, speaks of the creation of the world in his exact exposition of the Orthodox faith, he says that God first created the angelic, mindful, bodiless world, followed by a material world, and at the end of creation he created a man, as St. Gregory the Great (540-604) puts it as well, a mixture of the soul and the body, the spiritual and the physical; he actually created a man as a kind of link between the physical and the spiritual, between the heavenly and the earthly. That is precisely because man was created as a union of the spiritual and the physical.

In that unity for the Orthodox vision of the world, one is not more important than the other. The soul of the man is no more important than his body and vice versa. The soul and body were created at the same time, that is, an individual was created. In that unity between the spiritual and the physical there is a mutual effect, the effect of one on the other, the soul on the body, and vice versa. Everything that happens in the body is reflected in the soul and vice versa. 

And indeed, our body was created by God, and that is why it is physically so perfect for the Lord "invested His Love" in it. Apostle Paul wrote: ‘Therefore, glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's.’ (1. Cor. 6:20).”

Paul Elliott, CBE, MBE, Former English Professional Footballer, Member Of The FA Inclusion Advisory Board And Sports Chaplaincy UK Ambassador stated that “Sports chaplaincy is a must have for 21st century athletes.”

Sir Alex Ferguson, CBE, Director and Ambassador of Manchester United made it clear that “Chaplains can be of help to all sorts of people involved with sport, when crisis, need or difficulty comes.”

Manchester United managed to persuade Rev John Boyers to stay at the club after he expected to retire aged 65 in March 2014. Boyers had joined United in 1992 as the club's chaplain and he eventually bid his farewells to Old Trafford after more than 26 years of service in December 2018, which meant he had outlasted Sir Alex Ferguson, who brought him to Manchester.