Get the most recent headlines and stories from Christianity Today delivered to your inbox daily.
Advancing the stories and ideas of the kingdom of God.
Paul Putz
Paul Putz is director of the Faith & Sports Institute at Baylor University’s Truett Seminary and author of The Spirit of the Game: American Christianity and Big-Time Sports.
Editor's Picks
Eric Liddell’s Legacy Still Tracks, 100 Years Later
With his refusal to race on Sunday, the Scottish sprinter showcased a bigger story about Christians in sports.
After Making Baseball History, Branch Rickey Faced a Spiritual Crisis
How the famed executive who signed Jackie Robinson found renewed hope in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
Super Bowl Fans Don’t Need a Linebacker Jesus
Using sports to market Christ has a long history, but Sunday’s iteration might skip the muscles for heart.
All Articles
Review
There Are No Goats—or GOATS—in God’s Kingdom
How Christians should understand our cultural fascination with debating the “Greatest of All Time.”
The Religious Roots of Hoosier Hysteria
Indiana’s storied basketball tradition was built on equality and faith—but only for some.
Faith Isn’t a ‘Shiny Add-on’ to Baseball Fame
Former MLB pitcher Josh Lindblom says Christian athletes need deeper discipleship and not just bigger platforms.
Super Bowl Fans Don’t Want Faith Sidelined
A new survey shows that many of today’s viewers see sports and Christianity in collaboration rather than in competition.
News
Died: Bill McCartney, Football Coach Who Founded Promise Keepers
He led the Colorado Buffaloes to a national title and started a movement urging men to take responsibility for their faith, families, and communities.
Excerpt
After Making Baseball History, Branch Rickey Faced a Spiritual Crisis
How the famed executive who signed Jackie Robinson found renewed hope in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
Review
Take Me Out to Something Bigger Than a Ballgame
American stadiums have always played host both to major sports and to larger social aspirations.
The Basketball Team Created to Represent God
The Dallas Mavericks were intended to be the first Christian team in the NBA.
Super Bowl Fans Don’t Need a Linebacker Jesus
Using sports to market Christ has a long history, but Sunday’s iteration might skip the muscles for heart.
After Answered Prayers for Damar Hamlin, What’s Next?
The faith intertwined with American football may also call us to care better for the players whose bodies bear the brunt of the sport.