The Spirit of the Game: American Christianity and Big-Time Sports

by Paul Emory Putz

The star quarterback takes the field for the national championship game, "John 3:16" scrawled on his eye black. The NBA's Most Valuable Player leads his team in Bible study. The newly crowned World Series champion thanks God in a postgame interview while wearing a t-shirt that declares "Jesus Won." Such displays of faith have become commonplace on America's baseball diamonds, basketball courts, football fields, and beyond. How did religion become so entwined with big-time sports in America?

The Spirit of the Game provides the answer to this question by offering a sweeping history of the Christian athlete movement in the United States. Beginning in the 1920s, American Protestants sensed that sports were becoming a rival for Americans' devotion, so they sought to carve out a home for religion within big-time sports. Their success was remarkable. By the end of the twentieth century they had created a thriving religious subculture that provides spiritual support for coaches and athletes while also recruiting successful sports stars to promote an evangelical Protestant version of the Christian faith and the American story. The Spirit of the Game tells the story of this remarkable movement and its impact on American religion--and America's religion of sports.

Genres: Sports, History

280 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2024

Reviews

[Darcy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating read that is well researched and documented, Putz traces Christian engagement with sport and the development of Christian sports ministries. One of the strengths of the book is its consistent reflection on both evangelical and mainline ministry approaches (and conflicts) as well as an intentional engagement with race. Though the extensive details at times makes for laborious reading, the scope and depth of the project merit the four stars. A very important book in tracing the evolution of American evangelicalism, leveraging the angle of the American passion for sports.

[Zach Ferrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dr. Putz has done an incredible amount of work on how Christianity and Sports have intersected over the course of History. His thorough analysis of Christians and Christian’s organizations through the centuries and especially in the last 100-150 years is helpful for all believers interacting with the Sports world. If you like history and sports you will absolutely love this book by Dr. Putz.

[Derek Davidson · Rating 5 out of 5]

No book does a better job of outlining the history of faith and sports in America. Paul writes with grace and clarity on what that has entailed!

[Zak Schmoll · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an interesting book that explores how sports and religion have interacted since approximately 1900. I was particularly interested in the transition from mainline influence on athletics to evangelical influence in athletics, which roughly parallels what we have seen in all of society. For example, Fellowship of Christian Athletes began as largely mainline but was soon challenged by the much more evangelical Athletes in Action. One began to rise as the other one fell, kind of like we have seen in many denominations. Also, sports have always been at the front lines of discussions about race, so those dynamics also intertwine with religion in fascinating ways. Overall, this is a well researched history, and the author is a very good writer who keeps the story moving effectively.

[Will Whitmore · Rating 5 out of 5]

For years, Paul Putz has expanded our understanding of the relationship between sport, Christianity, and US history. His first monograph continues to do just this. Paul’s work helps shed light on a fascinating part of American church and sporting history, the relationship between evangelicalism and major sports. The book is approachable and readable, while being a well researched piece of scholarship. This is always a challenging balance to strike and Putz does an exceptional job.

If you’re interested in the history of sports and Christianity this is a must read.