The Church of Baseball

The Washington Post this morning has an article about the Colorado Rockies and Christianity.

What do readers think? Read the article. Is it fair to the Rockies? Are the Rockies teaching good lessons? Or are they bordering on some false theology in some respects?

It's claimed that Einstein once said "God does not play dice." Yes, but does God follow the Rockies? Or do the Rockies perhaps prosper because of their beliefs?

Before you come to any quick conclusions also read this story about Rockies manager Clint Hurdle and his family.

Posted by John B. Chilton on October 24, 2007 4:32 PM | |
Comments (4)

As a Christian, a former baseball beat writer and a long time youth coach, I find the idea that God has a favorite team heretical, (as much as I may have joked that my team is, in fact, his favorite team.) I also think that it trivializes God, but that's a separate conversation.

The idea that God will bless you with success if you are sufficiently faithful cannot be justified on Scriptural grounds. (See Job, or any number of psalms in which the writer asks why the wicked prosper.) Nor is there any evidence that Jesus endorses this sort of thinking in his teachings or in his earthly ministry. Indeed, the central message of the beatitudes is that humankind has stood the values of the Kingdom on its head. Thus, those whom Jesus "blesses" in the sermon on the mount are all what we would consider losers, while those whom he warns are all earthly winners.

And I can't resist pointing out that the New England Patriots, whose unmarried quarterback will soon be father to children by an actress and an underwear model, have won three Super Bowls in the last six years and are currently undefeated. Is that because God smiles on this sort of thing? Using the logic of some of the Rockies officials quoted in this article, you would have to think so.

In Matthew's gospel (5:45) Jesus says that God "causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous." Which is a damn difficult thing to come to terms with, but no excuse for thinking that the World Series is reguarly won by the most Christian team.

Posted by Jim Naughton [TypeKey Profile Page] | October 24, 2007 5:37 PM

I think the reporter turned the story to what was expected - jocks praying to win. The ethos of the Rockies' players (lets not talk abou the owners) is that there is something to having religion in your life that helps you to be a committed player - not that God loves the Rockies better than the Sox because of prayer. btw - Josh Fogg's family is Episcopalian.
Rock-tober is here!

Posted by Ann Fontaine [TypeKey Profile Page] | October 24, 2007 8:37 PM

OK, theology aside!

Do they KNOW that they are going up against the BOSOX, the beloved team of the Rt. Rev. John Bryson Chane, who will BRING the episcopal power of fandom down upon them and drive OUT the demons of the upstart Rockies?

I mean, come on ...

Posted by Kit Carlson [TypeKey Profile Page] | October 24, 2007 10:13 PM

Hmmm - looks like JBC's curse is working at the moment.

Posted by Ann Fontaine [TypeKey Profile Page] | October 24, 2007 11:08 PM

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