A Brief Theology of Sports

A number of years ago I was a speaker at a camp for young people.

When he entered first band playing one of their leaders began to tell a parable about Genesis 1-3 are based. Question him about the joys of playing in the garden, where the focus is just the joy of the game. But one day a snake came into the garden of Eden and tempted by the idea of ​​arranging slum. We succumbed to temptation and began to score in their game, and it leads to all kinds of evil - the competition, the thirst for success, deception, hatred and fighting. They have lost the simple joys of the game.
Leaders are telling this parable for introducing young people to learn this week of camp noncompetitive games. No signs, no winners or losers, just the joy of the game. But there was one major problem - the game is pretty boring. Every day fewer and fewer young people comes to game time, so that eventually only a small number of new people.
This is the exact picture of the theology of sport? Of course, I do not think. I offer a brief and general theology of sport. If you do not like the name, you could think of it as: "Why do I have a Super Bowl!"
Creation, fall, redemption, history can be summed up in three words. So if you look at the theology of the questions you should ask yourself: What is the relationship or reflect the creation, fall, redemption during the evaluation of sport, I have added two more words to broaden our attention - the incarnation? and taking (which, of course, based on the creation of the fall, and recovery).
God can create all gray and operations - Creation. Instead he created a great variety of color, size, shape, smell, texture, sound and taste. Why did you do it? They made it so that the creation is a reflection of his personality, and in particular its beauty. It is a masterpiece of form and functionality. Create a work of art.
Including painting, sculpture, architecture and the performing arts - theater, music, dance class once seen as consisting of two types of visual art. God both visual and performing arts in the making. Visual art, flowers, mountains, trees, the performing arts: the oceans and rivers, the orbits of the planets, clouds. Combine some of the items to create the same.
Sport is a reflection of the Lord's creative activity. Also combine visual art (color field / court, the team colors and logo) and performing arts (real game). Activities reflect the functions and forms of creativity. Has a beauty in a game that runs perfect with a great thrown ball with a diving catch, double play. These things can bring excitement and happiness, because it reflects how the world was created to be. It is a manifestation of art (or art, if you prefer).
God created things in order, not random, and positioned in the creation of laws and rules by which nature works. Sport is for them, and there are rules by which they are running. As the consequences for rebellion against the status Quo (no gravity), so there are consequences for non-compliance of sport activity reflects the nature and principles of creation. In nature, it is a reflection, if done right, honor the Lord and gives her fans happy.
Autumn - Autumn, the people revolted from sin and the curse, in the fall, for any part of any - there's nothing escapes. This means that we can expect to see evidence of a decline in sport and, of course, we do. There are sins of relationships, and the sins of action.The deadly sin of idolatry sports - where he hold the top position in the hearts and minds of the defeat of thinking. When life around when playing games planned, or if the whole attitude of a person exposed if his team wins or loses, he crossed the line with an unhealthy obsession and sinners.
There are also other improper relationship - winner is the only thing, if people do what they could be successful if it is personal reputation at the end, when people become arrogant or angry to come. Fall all sins. Recorded cases of sporting activities such as steroid use, install the game, constipation bats court emptying brawl, and many other things.
Incarnation - is proof incarnate beings and implementation, our bodies are more than just a few containers for our souls. Our eternal state consists of a body - glorified body, but the body. The Christian life is not to condemn, to submit to the body, but to put them to honor the Lord.