I'm not much of a sports person, but I have to admit that April 5 was a remarkable day for sports -- especially sports and religion. With baseball's opening day, Tiger Woods' spiritual transformation, and the miraculous NCAA championship game, one only needed to watch American sports to see that the national soul is alive and well.
Opening day of baseball is a tradition that binds Americans to our ancestors, a spring celebration where we are reminded of great heroes of our past, thrilling games our forebears played, and a slower way of life in community. In stadiums across the country, we recreate these memories by reliving them ourselves and passing them on to our children. On the first day of baseball, we enter into a living tradition -- stories shared in community that possess the power to inspire us and make us act differently. Even if baseball can be a troubled institution (with overpaid players and drug scandals), baseball as a living tradition grounds us in communal identity and reminds us that we are part of story about sportsmanship, games, and being American that exists through generations.
At his press conference, Tiger Woods testified to the power of spiritual practices in one's life with a kind of humility rare in any media event. He appeared transformed, with softened visage, completely different from earlier attempts to address the press regarding his truly scandalous behavior. He took responsibility for his actions, apologized to everyone in a deeply humane way, and expressed regret for his actions -- including sharing a touching story about missing his son's first birthday that brought tears to the eyes of hardened media skeptics. Throughout, Woods demonstrated the power of spiritual practices to change one's life: in his case, the practices were from both the recovery movement (AA and the like) and Buddhism.
The Duke-Butler game underscored essential wisdom of faith. While some people think that faith is about miracles, those of us who are part of faith communities know that doing your best -- working toward a goal -- is the greatest miracle of all. Some people wanted the Cinderella season, the ultimate "Hoosiers" Hollywood NCAA championship. Instead, we got two teams pressing each other to the max, never losing heart or grit or hope, and playing hard to the very last second. Duke didn't win by overpowering might; Butler didn't win by supernatural assistance. Duke won by winning a game, and Butler didn't really lose. Although only one got the trophy, they both won by pursuing a purpose with single-focus and passion.
Tradition-Practice-Wisdom is the spiritual triad that forms a way of life in community -- the definition of soulfulness. We are incorrect when we see faith as nothing more than the institutions that claim to be in the religion business, just as we are incorrect when we identify sports as nothing more than a business. We are correct when we understand faith -- or sport -- as memory passed from one generation to another, as practices that change us, and as wisdom gained through pressing toward a goal. Yesterday, for those with eyes to see, our sports gave us a vision of the American soul. Even those who aren't big fans cheer when games reveal what is good and hopeful among us.
Follow Diana Butler Bass on Twitter: www.twitter.com/dianabutlerbass
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as for the analogy, none of them are a perfect paralel. i see spirituality as the belief system, and religion as the institution. are we in agreement here?
based on that breakdown, there are plenty of people who are spiritual, but whos beliefs have been corrupted by the influence of the institution.
Similarly, the sport is the institution, and athleticism is the ability and love of playing it. Some athletes corrupt their athleticism when the institution leads them to do so.
Still not a perfect analogy, but analogies, like sport and spirituality, are man-made, and are inherently flawed.
I don't know what to say to this article other than I feel you think much too highly of sports.
Ametur or scholastic athletics (up to the high school level) are great, but big time college and pro sports in this country are extemely corrupt and no truly spiritual person would support them.
I dont know what to say to your comment, other than I feel you think to highly of religion. To prove it, I will take his religion = sports metaphor a bit farther: Sports are extremely corrupt. Thats true. So is religion. but in spite of the problems and corruption in each of these institutions, their most vehement practitioners/fans, voluntarily look beyond their failures and appreciate the fact that they both, when used correctly, bring out what is good and decent in our characters. Of course baseball is not about drug use, just as Christianity is not about pedophilia. Golf is not about adultry, any more than Islam is about terrorism. They are two man-made, and therefore imperfect institutions, which are, in spite of their failures, mostly good.
I was thinking more about the idea that, at times, people try to inject sports with a purity that is not present. It's an illusion. Many of these same people (but not all of course and not always) choose other aspects of the human condition (they decry "hollywood" or "rock-n-roll") to run down and criticize while somehow leaving sports aloft as a nobler aspect of human behavior. That is simply not true.
Also, your "sports vs. religion" analogy is not completely accurate since I said "spiritual" as oppossed to religious.