Sport,spirituality and Protestantism: A historical overview

Abstract

How, we might ask, are sport and religion connected? The truth is that, in Britain at least, these two cultural practices share a good deal of common ground primarily as a consequence of the role of Protestantism in the development of sport in Victorian times. Recent years have witnessed an increasing amount of academic discussion and debate around the sport–religion relationship. What this article aims to do is to map out the key historical features of this relationship while providing insight into the ways in which the Protestant Church continues to pursue sport as a form of outreach and ministry.