The Religious Allure of Stadiums
My favorite musical artist, Bruce Springsteen, brings a legendary energy and passion to his stadium shows, which (in his heyday) could run four hours or more. In between songs, he will sometimes channel the persona of a rock-and-roll revivalist, growling out promises to deliver โthe mighty and rrrrighteous power of the E-Street Bandโ or pleading to know, โIs there anybody aliiiive out there?โ
Viewed objectively, the whole thing is patently ridiculousโa carefully crafted and rigorously rehearsed schtick, rather than a spontaneous eruption of crowd-pleasing joy. Yet no matter how many live performances Iโve seen, either in person (three) or on YouTube (donโt ask), it rarely fails to give me goosebumps.
Thereโs something inherent, it seems, about large numbers of people gathering for large public spectacles that conjures of feelings of transcendence and higher purpose. Columbia University professor Frank Guridy gets at some of these dynamics in his new book, The Stadium: An American History of Politics, Protest, and Play. Guridy, a historian studying the relationship between sports and public life, argues that our stadiums serve as stages not only for major sporting contests, but also for the hopes and aspirations of various social groups.
Reviewing the book for CT is Paul Putz, director of a faith-and-sports program at Baylor University, whose forthcoming book is The Spirit of the Game: American Christianity and Big-Time Sports.
โAs a work of history,โ writes Putz, โGuridyโs book is truly impressive. The breadth and depth of his research and analysis shines through, and his writing is compellingโand also full of surprises shaped by his curiosity. Guridy writes not as a detached academic, but as a sports fan too, someone who truly understands the religious-like allure of the stadium. He gives his attention not just to splashy moments and events but also to small, behind-the-scenes details, like the history of the ballpark organist. In this book, the stadium comes alive, sparkling with fascinating details and soaring ideas about its meaning and significance in American life and culture.
โAt the same time, readers of Christianity Today will rightly wonder where they fit in the story Guridy tells. For as much care as he takes looking at the meaning of the stadium from a variety of angles, his narrative can at times fit too easily into a simple binary: Those on the side of progressive politics are the good guys, and those with conservative politics are the bad guys.
โThe biggest gap, however, is the lack of attention to religion. Other than scattered references here and there to religious figures (like Jesse Jackson) or movements (like the Christian Right), there is no sustained analysis about how religious groups have made use of the stadium.
โThis strikes me as a surprising omission, given how central religion has been as a source of identity for Americans and how important the stadium has been to religious movements and groups throughout American historyโincluding Catholics, Jews, Latter-day Saints, and, yes, evangelical Protestants.
โFor evangelicals, the stadium is an especially important place. For Charles Sheldon, it may have been a competitor for time and attention. But from Billy Sunday to Billy Graham, it has also served as a site for revival, where Americans have been urged to receive new life in Christโnot just for their sake, evangelists have claimed, but for the sake of the nation itself.
โIt has also provided a backdrop to prove the cultural relevance of the evangelical faith. The spread of stadium revivals across the United States in the 1940s and 1950sโoften featuring sports stars offering their testimonialsโhelped to โmainstreamโ a movement that saw itself on the margins of cultural respectability. In the decades since, stadiums have helped to nurture and cultivate an evangelical movement within sports that has turned the playing field into one of the most evangelical-friendly spaces in American popular culture today.โ
Gospel Words and Works
Just over a decade ago, Duane Litfin, the former president of Wheaton College, published a helpful book called Word Versus Deed: Resetting the Scales to a Biblical Balance. In it, he sought to correct two mistaken tendencies prevailing in some evangelical churches.
One approach downplays the mandate to verbally proclaim the Good News, arguing that we witness most compellingly through Christlike lives of service and compassion. Another approach holds the line on preaching and sharing the gospel, but neglects to live out the ministry of the Word with practical outreach to people in need.
Church-planting pastor Doug Logan Jr. and Send Network theology director J. A. Meddars are firm in their conviction that these endeavorsโgospel proclamation and compassionate careโbelong indissolubly together. In their new book, The Soul-Winning Church: Six Keys to Fostering a Genuine Evangelistic Culture, they spell out some practical guidance on keeping our words and works in fruitful harmony.
CT recently published an excerpt from the book.
โThere are two dangers to avoid when it comes to mercy ministry and evangelism,โ write the authors. โFirst, we must not treat mercy ministry as the same as, or as a valid alternative to, evangelism. People need to hear about Jesus crucified and risen to be saved. We pray people will say, โLord, have mercy on me, a sinnerโโit is not enough for them to say, โLord, your people are good people and make an impact on this communityโ (though that is a good start).
โBut second, we must not treat mercy ministry as optional or as a distraction from the real work of the church. It was vital to Jesusโ ministry, and must be to us. If it werenโt, he would have just preached about repentance and salvation and would never have taken time to tell us a parable about a good Samaritan helping his dying enemy as instructive for loving our neighbors.
โYes, the accomplishment of redemption and the proclamation of the gospel are the major notes of Christโs ministry. He came to destroy the devilโs works, give himself as a ransom for many, and proclaim good news to the captives. But the minor keysโessential to his musicโare his works of mercy. These acts of mercy flow from the heart of Jesus for people. We must maintain that doing good works is itself good.โ
don’t miss
In 1929, a Kansas preacher named Charles Sheldon had to get something off his chest. Best known as the author of In His Steps (1896)—a novel that encouraged Christians to…
The church desperately needs both good gospel works and good gospel workers for the Good News message. The apostle in his letter to Titus makes a clear connection between faith…
in the magazine
The secret is out: Weโve updated our look with a nod to our legacy and refreshed our contentโwhile keeping longtime favorites like testimonies and books coverage. In this issue, we look to the past for wisdom to address a fractured evangelicalism in the present and future, with editor in chief Russell Moore issuing a call for moral clarity. Read an in-depth report on a consequential evangelical voting bloc; sit with an honest reflection on struggling to find community; and, as same-sex sexuality divides the church, be equipped and encouraged to stand on biblical fidelity. New features include an advice column (featuring Beth Moore), some curated podcast gold, and a brand-new pastoral column. Weโre glad youโre here with us and look forward to seeking the kingdom together in this new era at Christianity Today.
more from christianity today
related newsletters
CHRISTIANITY TODAY WEEKLY: CTWeekly delivers the best content from ChristianityToday.com to your inbox each week.
CT PASTORS: Each weekly CT Pastors issue equips you with the best wisdom and practical tools for church ministry.
CT books
Each issue contains up-to-date, insightful information about todayโs culture, plus analysis of books important to the evangelical thinker.
Delivered free via email to subscribers weekly. Sign up for this newsletter.
You are currently subscribed as no email found. Sign up to more newsletters like this. Manage your email preferences or unsubscribe.
Christianity Today is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
โChristianity Todayโ and โCTโ are the registered trademarks of Christianity Today International.
Copyright ยฉ2024 Christianity Today, PO Box 788, Wheaton, IL 60187-0788
All rights reserved.