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Resources
 Articles
Toward
a Theology of Competition and Sport
Chapter 4 - A Template for Determining Biblically Defensible Sports
By Dr. Greg Linville
C. Biblically Based Rule Enforcement (BBRE)
The rules for Ice Hockey have been designed to create a fast paced game
and have allowed for a certain level of necessary physical contact
amongst the various players. Officially the rules do not sanction
actions which unduly cause bodily injury. High sticking, slashing and
even fighting are all illegal and usually punished by various levels of
penalties. Yet, it is clear the National Hockey League (NHL) fosters
fighting by not adequately enforcing its prohibition. Fighting would
disappear if players were banished from the league along with coaches
and team owners who won’t discipline their own players. At the very
least, fighting would be greatly curtailed if the officials of the game
would eject any player who fights instead of skating.
Thus, as it currently exists, any level of Ice Hockey which does not
deal decisively with fighting, would not meet the third or fourth BBST
standards: Biblically Based Rule Enforcement (BBRE) and Biblically
Based Management and Coaching (BBMC). It might also be impacted by the
fifth BBST standard: Biblically Based Competing (BBC).19
The game of Ice Hockey is a wonderful combination of athleticism,
stamina, strength, strategy and team work and if the rules were
seriously enforced it would certainly meet all BBST standards and be
Biblically defensible.
D. Biblically Based Management & Coaching
(BBMC)
In the sport of baseball there is a difference between “pitching
inside” and intentionally hitting a batter with a ball hurled at speeds
in excess of 90 miles per hour! Sometimes the athlete chooses to
intentionally hit the opposing batter.20
This action
is often followed by
the opposing field manager ordering his pitcher to intentionally hit a
subsequent batter on the other team. These actions are usually dealt
with by the umpires who often eject the guilty pitchers and managers,
thus fulfilling their roles (BBRE) in maintaining an environment which
meets BBTS standards. This demonstrates how an athletic contest can
quickly slip into activity which could call its validity into question.
Yet, the entire sport of baseball cannot be deemed unbiblical just
because a couple participants don’t adhere to the overall BBTS
mandates. So, baseball is Biblically defensible because it meets the
first three mandates: a) Redemptive Purpose; b) Biblically Based Rules;
c) Biblically Based Rule Enforcement. The only thing in this scenario
not Biblically defensible is the athlete or coach who competes in non
Christ-like ways, with non Christ-like actions or attitudes.
E. Biblically Based Competing (BBC)
It should be fairly clear by now, almost any sport can meet the BBST
standards if a Redeeming Purpose is present and all governing rules
meet the Biblically Based Rules criteria, especially those ensuring the
safety of all involved. However, some sports are more conducive to
creating a positive and safe environment than others. The more physical
the sport the greater chance athletes will be unable to compete in
Christ-honoring ways. Graph 13 illustrates various levels of
Physicality found within sport.
 It
is reasonable to believe a bit of anger
might surface from the
person on the receiving end of a bone rattling tackle in American
football or body check in Hockey but the problem has developed into
something more insidious. There is a widely held belief that it is well
within the ethic of collision sports to attempt to purposely injure a
co-competitor as long as it is done within the rules of the game and
not the result of a “cheap” or illegal action. This view of ethics and
morality is based upon post-modern humanistic, relativism, not upon
Biblical Rules and Principles. It threatens sports such as American
Football or Rugby with the accusation of not meeting the fourth level
of the BBTS criteria – Biblically Based Competing (BBC).
Sports which require acts of physically colliding with other athletes
are not necessarily ruled out of bounds of the BBTS but the room for
error is minuscule and gets smaller the more physical the sport. For
example the game of American Football relies heavily upon strength and
aggressiveness. Neither is inherently evil but if uncontrolled is
problematic to the ethic of Christmanship. Non tackle American styled
football (either flag or tag) has much less “baggage” associated with
it than does tackle based football. A few of the ethical temptations
inherent with tackle football include: a) performance enhancing drugs
to add strength, endurance, quickness; b) injuries intentionally caused
by savage brutality; c) 90% of all NFL games are played on the Lord’s
Day; and d) giving way to emotional outburst of anger caused by the
physical nature of the game. 21
Can the sport of American football meet the BBTS standards? Yes, it
can, but not as currently organized and played. There are literally
hundreds of thousands injuries incurred by those participating in this
sport each year. Many of these result in paralysis and other life long
physical impairments. In an era in which the average life expectancy
for males is 70 or more, professional footballers die at an average age
of 55. Linemen are even worse as their average life span is only 52
years of age! These facts alone beg for a change in the way the game is
played and approached. It needs to be reformed in such ways so as to
protect those who compete and not tempt any player to risk their
physical health by taking dangerous drugs or to risk their spiritual
health by having to compete on the Lord’s Day.
F. Biblically Based Spectating and Cheering (BBSC)
It would not make sense to ban any sport because of unruly fans, but
some American high schools have taken the drastic actions of banning
spectators to view scholastic athletic contests. This drastic action is
due to repeated violence perpetrated by those attending the games.
There are many youth leagues who have adopted “no parent” zones around
athletic facilities due to the verbal and physical abuse engaged in by
berserk adults. Attacks upon umpires, officials, coaches and players
are unfortunately too prevalent. Some of these attacks have even
resulted in injuries and deaths.
It should be apparent by now sports fans bear the responsibility for
meeting the BBST requirements. Viewing athletic and sporting events is
a privilege, not a right and all spectators need to refrain from
negative behavior, and in addition, participate in positive and
encouraging cheering.
 G. Summary – What
sports are in?
What sports are
out?
I believe with appropriate changes of rules and the way the rules are
enforced, managed, coached, played and watched, the vast majority of
sports meet the BBST standards and the following articulates my
assessment.
1. Non-Biblical sports
One sport which would not meet the standards is Prize-fighting boxing
due to its lack of having an overwhelming Redemptive Purpose and its
governance not meeting the Biblically Based Rules for sport. Boxing in
general could be Biblically defensible provided the necessary
environment is created, but not prize-fighting as it is currently
organized.
2. Sports needing changes to be fully Biblically
defensible
Sports, on the border of not meeting the standards are: almost any
organized sport played on the Lord’s Day; American Football and Rugby
due to their valuing violent brutality; Ice Hockey for condoning
fighting; and any sport not taking a hard stand on performance
enhancing drugs.
3. Sports meeting most of the BBTS standards
Sports such as baseball, lacrosse, basketball or field hockey should
not be deemed unbiblical because of willful human actions of athletes
or coaches which do not adhere to BBTS standards. Neither should sports
such as football (soccer) be determined to be unbiblical because
spectators become unruly. All net sports and all track and field
athletics would still meet BBTS standards even though some participants
might take performance enhancing drugs. However, such individual
sportspeople can and should be deemed unbiblical in their participation
if their actions or attitudes lie outside of the Christmanship ethic.
Those specific actions are discussed in Chapter VI.
19An
interesting caveat to this discussion is an individual hockey player
could be Biblically justified in fighting in the midst of a hockey
game. For more on this consult the Christmanship section in Chapter VI.
20To
explain this action to those who have never watched the game of
baseball, it must be understood there are times in which the batter has
bested the pitcher in previous “at bats.” Thus, occasionally the
pitcher retaliates by hitting the batter with the ball.
21These
temptations are also discussed in Chapter VI.
This
article is broken up into component sections.
Please choose a
section below to read.
A Template
for Determining Biblically Defensible Sports (Points A & B)
A Template
for Determining Biblically Defensible Sports (Points C-F)
Biblically
Defensible Sports (Points A & B)
Biblically
Defensible Sports (Points C-G)
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All
rights reserved. Copies of this material not
permitted without express permission of the author.
For any reproduction right, including federal copying, computer
reproduction, etc. contact:
Dr. Greg Linville at CSRM International c/o The World Outreach Center
5350 Broadmoor Circle N.W., Canton, Ohio – USA 44709 or glinville@csrm.org
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