"Sports and Religion... and Sports as Religion" with Christopher Gehrz

"Sports and Religion... and Sports as Religion"

With Christopher Gehrz (he/him), professor of history, Bethel University. 

What to Expect

In the upcoming two-part Sunday Forum sessions (October 11 & 18), Christopher Gehrz will discuss how sport can function like a religion itself, sometimes even competing with traditional faiths like Christianity. While some Christians have viewed sports warily, others have played leading roles throughout the history of sports — and often for distinctly Christian purposes, like evangelism and discipleship.

About the Speaker

Christopher Gehrz (PhD, Yale) is professor of history at Bethel University in St. Paul, where he teaches courses on military/diplomatic, modern European, church, and sports history. He is the author of a "spiritual but not religious" biography of Charles A. Lindbergh (Eerdmans, 2021) and recently contributed a chapter on Sabbath to a forthcoming book about baseball and Christianity. He is a fan of the Minnesota Twins, Tottenham Hotspur, and his kids' volleyball, tennis, and track teams at Roseville Area High School.

About Sunday Forum

During the months of September — April, people of all ages are invited to hear professors, teachers, and members of our congregation present topics connected to our faith. 

These speakers inspire us in our faith to seek a better understanding of God in today’s ever-changing world. There is time set aside for questions at the end of the presentation.