According to recent research by Grey Matter Research & Consulting “relatively few Americans react negatively to the frequent intersection between professional sports and religion.” The study considered seven different types of religious expression:
- Athletes from opposing teams gathering together on the field or court after a game for prayer,
- Athletes speaking up about their faith in interviews after the game,
- Athletes speaking up about their faith in interviews after the game (such as saying, “I want to give Jesus Christ the glory for this” or “First let me give thanks to Jesus Christ”),
- An athlete making a religious sign (such as kneeling in prayer or pointing toward heaven) after making a big play, such as scoring a touchdown in football
- Athletes praying for victory before a game,
- Well-known athletes speaking at religious events in order to encourage people to attend those events, and
- Athletes suggesting that God helped them or their team accomplish something (such as saying, “God really gave me strength out there,” or “I kept believing and God let me hit that home run”).
So What?
When all seven religious expressions are considered the average results are
- 49 percent of Americans see athletes’ public expressions of faith favorably,
- 32 percent don’t care, and
- 19 percent take a more negative view.
How would you characterize your response to athletes’ religious expressions?