The Reason For Sports: A Christian Fanifesto
Ebook
Overview
There are books on how to worship God with our marriages, our money, and our sex lives. Books on how to “think biblically” about movies, television, and the arts. Books on how to vote Christianly and how not to vote Christianly. But there is little thoughtful, Christ-centered writing on the subject that drives most of men’s banter with each other and consumes the bulk of their free time- Sports.
Written in the vein of Rick Reilly (Sports Illustrated), Chuck Klosterman (Spin, Esquire), and David Foster Wallace (A Supposedly Fun Thing I’ll Never Do Again), The Reason for Sports will both entertain and shed light on some of today’s most pertinent sports issues (race, drugs, hero worship, and more)- all through a biblical lens.
Contents
Introduction
Chapter 1: It’s Hard to Say I’m Sorry: What Sports Can Teach Us About Sin and True Repentance.
Chapter 2: Wilder at Heart: Steroids, HGH, and Building the Bigger Athlete
Chapter 3: Why I Love Mike Tyson and Ricky Williams and You Should Too: Authenticity and Sports
Chapter 4: Dishonesty and Sports: Nick Saban, Contract Re-Negotiations, and Letting Your Yes be Yes
Chapter 5: What Might Have Been: Tony Dungy and Games of Inches
Chapter 6: On the Mixed Blessings of Blessings: Tom Brady and “Is This All There Is”
Chapter 7: On the Mixed Blessings of Curses: Tony Mandarich – Draft Bust, Repentant Sinner
Chapter 8: When Bad Fantasy Teams Happen to Good People: A Reflection
Chapter 9: On Man’s Need to Have Friends and Feel Heroic: Sports and Film
Chapter 10: Why the NFL Scouting Combine and Viagra Commercials Make Me Feel Like a Piece of Meat: Sports, Sexuality, and a Theology of the Body
Chapter 11: Why I Love Muhammad Ali (But Why He Also May Have Ruined Sports): Sports and Humility
Chapter 12: Black Like Me: Why Sports May Be the Only Segment of Society where “Racial Reconciliation” Doesn’t Feel Awkward and Forced
Epilogue
This is not your normal sports book. Nor is it your normal Christian book. Here’s to some abnormal reading then for those seeking a different point of view.
-Kenny Mayne, ESPN sports journalist
Ted Kluck helps us think about sports Christianly without the Christian clichés and worn-out sports piety. He’s an athlete and a fan whose writing implicitly reminds us why God created sports: for the joy of play.
-Mark Galli, Senior managing editor, Christianity Today
Ted Kluck is passionate about sports. He’s even more passionate about the gospel. You won’t read any athletic rags-to-riches stories or find any cheesy quotes about ‘leaving 100% on the field’ in The Reason for Sports. Instead, you’ll find insights into God, the gospel, and the sometimes crazy, sometimes wonderful world of sports.
-Stephen Altrogge, Author of Game Day for the Glory of God
Ted makes it clear that while we do love our sports, the only real sports joy is found when honoring Jesus Christ. With much humor and much love, Ted gives enlightening and biting perspective on the athletes and events we remember most. What a treat to be convicted of our own idolotry of sports and, at the same time, laugh out loud! How can you not embrace a book that quotes both Allen Iverson and J. C. Ryle? Not a lot of sports guys reference 19th century evangelicals. (Ryle, that is . . . not Iverson.)
-David Stein, Host, Sporting News Radio Network
Most Christian books on sports are books about Christians playing sports. Not enough are books that give a Christian view on sports. This book fills the gap admirably. The writing is funny, honest, and provocative, and the subject matter is relentlessly interesting. Ted Kluck knows sports and knows how to write. We need more books like this one.
-Kevin DeYoung, Author of Just Do Something
Product Details
- Title : The Reason For Sports: A Christian Fanifesto
- Author: Kluck, Ted
- Publisher: Moody Publishers
- Publication Date: 2009
- ISBN: 9781575673653