For as long as I can remember, I’ve resisted mixing religion and sports. Whether it’s football teams reciting the Lord’s Prayer after a game or chaplains in clerical collars sitting on the bench during basketball games, I watch with a skeptical eye. Do folks really think God has the time or interest to devote to a sports competition? At the small college where I once served as chaplain, I refused to follow tradition and offer a prayer over the public address system before every home football game. Instead, I offer a challenge to the teams and fans to exemplify good sportsmanship.
So those who know me cannot help but smile whenever they hear me referred to as the “football chaplain.”