The Christian Journalist Who Saw The Coming Youth Sports Crisis
Fifty years ago, a Christian sports journalist named Gary Warner warned Christians about potentially dangerous trends in youth sports.
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Category: History
Jesus and James Naismith: The Christian History of Basketball and Its Lessons for the Church Today
This year for the Truett Seminary Sports Ministry Chapel, historian Paul Putz discussed the...
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James Naismith’s Basketball Philosophy: 13 Quotes from the Game’s Inventor
A look at the philosophy and perspective of basketball founder James Naismith, told through 13 quotes.
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Five New Books on Sports and Christianity
FSI Assistant Director Paul Putz highlights five important new books about sports and Christianity published in 2022.
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Muscular Christianity and Moral Formation Through Sports
This is the first post in a five-part series looking at Christian approaches to athletic competition over the past century.
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Dean Smith and the “Sacred Calling” of Coaching
A look at North Carolina basketball coach Dean Smith’s theological understanding of coaching.
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Who Was Karl Downs? Exploring the Life and Legacy of Jackie Robinson’s Mentor
As the man who mentored and inspired Jackie Robinson at a formative age, Rev. Karl Downs is one of the most important Christian leaders in American sports history. This article dives deeper into Downs’ life and legacy, including his views on sports and his involvement in the civil rights movement.
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Reforming Sports: Herman Bavinck on ‘Sportmania’
Theologian James Eglinton, author of a new biography of Herman Bavinck, discusses how the Dutch Reformed theologian understood and interacted with sports as an element of human culture.
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John Hurst Adams, Church Leader and Civil Rights Icon—And Also Malcolm Brogdon’s Grandfather
A look at the life and legacy of civil rights and faith leader John Hurst Adams, grandfather of NBA player Malcolm Brogdon.
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Reckoning with Race in American Sports History
A list of sources for Christians who are interested in exploring the history of race and sports in the United States.
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A Conversation With Cindy Smith, A Pioneer in Sports Ministry for Women
In 1976 Cindy Smith was hired by the Fellowship of Christian Athletes to direct their sports ministry programming for women. In this interview from 2017, Cindy talks about her life and pioneering role in sports ministry.
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What Would James Naismith Think About Michael Jordan And ‘The Last Dance’?
There are no two names that symbolize basketball more than James Naismith and Michael Jordan. Historian Paul Putz considers what basketball’s founder might have thought of Jordan in light of his original vision for the game.
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Faith & Sports Institute
