Understanding sport as a religious phenomenon
Subtitle: an introduction
By: Eric Bain-Selbo, Western Kentucky University, USA and D. Gregory Sapp, Stetson University, USA
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Published: 2016
Place of publication: London; New York
Language: eng
Number of pages: 173
ISBN-13: 9781472506108; 9781472514059; 9781472507815; 9781472506986
Subjects: Religion; Religious aspects; Religionsersatz; Sport; Sports
Description: "Readers are introduced to a range of theoretical and methodological approaches used to understand religion - including sociology, philosophy, psychology, and anthropology - and how they can be used to understand sport as a religious phenomenon. Topics include the formation of powerful communities among fans and the religious experience of the fan, myth, symbols and rituals and the sacrality of sport, and sport and secularization. Case studies are taken from around the world and include the Olympics (ancient and modern), football in the UK, the All Blacks and New Zealand national identity, college football in the American South, and gymnastics."--Publisher's website.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references and index.
Table of contents: title: Sport as a religious phenomenon; title: The quest for perfection: a theological approach; title: A psychology of sport and religion: escaping finitude; title: Come together: a sociology of religion and sport; title: Sport and the moral life; title: Thinking critically about religion and sport; title: Secularism and sport.