Speaking of Faith | In Praise of Play

In Praise of Play. Photograph by Trent Gilliss.

June 30, 2005
If sport is an American religion, is that bad for us? What is the metaphysic of baseball? In this show, we'll speak with a theologian and sports fan who has spent much of his career studying the religious character of rituals in sporting events and the spiritual significance of fans' attention to sports.

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Exclusive Content

Interview with Joan Chandler
Listen to the author of Sport Is Not a Religion discuss the virtues of amateur sports and the role of religion in the contemporary arena.

"More Than a Game"
Read Joe Price's thoughts on the Super Bowl phenomenon and how it serves as a point of pilgrimage and spiritual experience.

"The Moral Value of Sports"
In this essay, theologian Don Richter notes that the practice nature of sports can be just as fruitful in teaching moral values as attending church services.

Voices on the Radio

Joseph L. Price
Price is C. Milo Connick Professor of Religious Studies at Whittier College in California. His books include From Season to Season: Sports as American Religion.