Do Christians need sports?
Are true Christian life and sports compatible? Many Christians immediately respond: “No.” And for them, a simple “no”, expressed by a clergyman they respect, is enough. As they say, there is no judgment. We want to avoid such one-sidedness and understand this issue in more detail. Therefore, let's try to look at it more broadly: from historical, medical and spiritual-moral points of view.
A little history
During the time of the early Church, the most famous sporting competition was the Olympic Games, which originated as part of the pagan religious cult of Ancient Greece. Athletes competed in running, javelin and discus throwing, wrestling and chariot racing and made sacrifices to the gods.
When the Romans came to power, they introduced “spectacle” into these competitions and turned a peaceful activity into bloody games. Those sentenced to death were forced to fight each other. Wild animals were set against the participants in the “games” to see who would win: man or beast. Gladiator fights appeared at the same time.
Moreover, the Roman spectaculis, like the Greek Olympiad, had pagan roots.
Various “rituals” were involved here, according to which, for example, killed soldiers were buried along with prisoners and slaves.
What about the audience? In the stands of the Coliseum, a person, under the influence of the crowd, fell into anger, anger, condemnation, which is so reminiscent of today's fanatic fans. “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and crying and slander be put away from you, along with all malice,” the Apostle Paul urged in his letter to the Ephesians (4:31).
After 313 AD, when Christianity became the state religion of the Roman Empire, the Olympic Games (as one of the manifestations of paganism) were banned by Emperor Theodosius I.
Christians knew that an idol is a demon, and therefore they did not want to have anything to do with games.
Tertullian wrote: “If we have renounced idolatry, then we cannot be present in matters associated with idolatry, not because the idol is something significant, as the apostle says (1 Cor. 8:4; 10, 19), but because “that sacrifices offered to idols are offered to the demons who live in them, whether they are statues of dead people or imaginary gods.”
Of course, it should be noted that sports in the times of the Apostle Paul or Tertullian and sports in the times of Cristiano Ronaldo and Maria Sharapova are very different things. Although in our time it is worth considering in the name of what ideals sports competitions are held.
Medical side of the issue
It is known that moderate physical activity provokes an increase in nerve impulses from working muscles and joints in the body, which brings the central nervous system into an active state. The functioning of internal organs improves, the person becomes more efficient. And this is very useful for everyone, especially for us, Orthodox Christians, who have to stand for many hours of worship.
Physical education is also the prevention of diseases of the musculoskeletal system and cardiovascular system, obesity and other diseases. Sometimes we do not pay due attention to the problems of our body, which later leads to more serious diseases. And at the same time, it leads to the inability to lead an active spiritual life.
The benefits of such sports, especially for urban residents, who have been spared the need to move sufficiently by the achievements of civilization, are obvious. Nowadays there are many types of physical activity, and everyone can choose a direction to their liking.
All this will only contribute to spiritual and moral development, since a sports Orthodox Christian will be able to benefit his soul and the world longer.
Spiritual and moral aspect
And finally, we got to the most important thing. To what every Christian worries most about and what every Christian protects from bad influences - to the human soul.
Very often, in their minds, Christians contrast concern for physical health with concern for the salvation of the soul. Physical activity is perceived as something sinful, something that distracts us from the path to the Kingdom of Heaven. And, it would seem, really, where is the body and where is the soul? After all, going to the hall distracts you from prayer, kneeling, reading the “holy fathers” and other godly and saving activities. The dualistic consciousness of a Christian divides a person into body and soul, where the body is evil and the soul is good. This is where the negative attitude towards sports arises. But is this approach correct?
The Apostle Paul did not divide man into body and soul. Yes, he was familiar with such Hellenic dualism, but within the framework of his messages he was alien to this system. Man is perfect in his completeness, so it is impossible to throw aside concern for the body and focus only on the soul. That is, it cannot be alien to a Christian to play sports if it makes him healthier. Sport strengthens a person and teaches him discipline. Is this good quality alien to Christianity?
conclusions
Does sport have a place in the life of a Christian? Of course have. Is sport bad for the soul? With the right approach, sport will not harm the soul in any way.
Of course, one can cite many quotes from respected fathers of the early Church who spoke out against sports. But we should not forget that until the 4th century, sports were closely associated with pagan cults.
Medical research has always shown that physical education, coupled with a reasonable approach, is useful for everyone, be it a Christian or an atheist.
From the point of view of Christian morality, we will also not be able to provide evidence against playing sports. The main thing for a Christian is to treat his body and physical fitness correctly, avoid temptations and remember the words of the Apostle Paul:
“Everything is permissible for me, but not everything is beneficial; “Everything is permissible for me, but nothing should possess me” (1 Cor. 6:12).
Author: Priest Artemy Soloviev (@artem.prav)
Are sports and an Orthodox parish compatible?
On the one hand, playing sports makes a person healthy, strong and resilient, on the other hand, success in sports develops ambition.
Should Orthodox parishes support the sports initiatives of their parishioners? NS correspondent Alexander LANI was looking for answers. Father did not give his blessing Until the end of the season, Ivan had three matches left to play for the Krylya Sovetov football club, when he had a serious conversation with his father. Ivan turned eighteen, and he began to receive offers from professional football clubs that promised a sports career. His father, a priest of the Ryazan diocese, insisted that Ivan leave professional sports. Father believed that devoting one’s life to sports is unwise; the desire for sporting achievements develops passion and vanity in a person, leads away from faith, and injuries take away one’s health. Ivan could not come to terms with his father’s decision for a long time. “I’ll finish three matches, and then... maybe my father will change his mind,” he decided. But in the very first game, during an attack on the enemy’s goal, Ivan was literally knocked off his feet. He could no longer get up from the lawn. At the hospital they explained to him that the ligaments were torn and he would have to forget about playing football forever. “Lying in the hospital bed, I thought: what am I doing? Why do I need this? - says Ivan. — Until now, the only dream of my life was football. There was no time left for anything else. And then everything collapsed. It turns out that father was right? Ivan was lucky: the initial diagnosis turned out to be wrong. Health returned, but he parted ways with big sports. In September, the young man leaves for the army, hopes to get into the Airborne Forces: it turns out that you can come to the unit in advance, take an aptitude test and get a referral there from the military registration and enlistment office. In the meantime, he coaches the teenage mini-football team of the Moscow St. Demetrius Church. He also plays for the temple in a football tournament among Sunday and religious schools for the Dimitri Donskoy Cup.
Sports are available to everyone - men and women, children and adults, sick and healthy. It is important to find your measure
Volleyball net on the wall of the Lavra
“The seminarians play football or volleyball (we stretch a net between the seminary building and the fortress wall) regularly,” says Anton Glozman, an external student at the Moscow Academy of Sciences and Sports. — There are about 500 seminarians in the Lavra today, about 50 of them are actively playing football. It has long been noted that good physical shape has a beneficial effect on mental activity. Before entering MDAiS, I graduated from Bauman University, the volume of knowledge taught there is also quite high, but the curriculum necessarily includes physical education lessons. I played football, slept well - my head thinks better. Approximately half of the seminarians are young people 18-20 years old. They need somewhere to dump their energy.” A year ago, Bishop Rector had already blessed the creation of the MDAiS football team, so there were no problems with the blessing for the participation of the MDAiS team in the Demetrius Donskoy Cup tournament. “By the way, these were the first competitions where we were able to measure our strength with worthy opponents,” adds Anton.
Without swearing or insults
The mini-football tournament among Sunday and religious schools is being held for the second time. This year, eight teams took part in the competition organized by the St. Andrew's Deanery of Moscow (including teams from MDAiS, PSTGU, Perervinskaya and Sretenskaya seminaries and three parish ones). The winner was the team from the Church of St. Apostles Peter and Paul in Yasenevo - “Vityaz”. “If you start playing sports with young people at your parish, the influx of parishioners increases,” says priest Andrei Alekseev, a member of the commission for Sunday schools at the Diocesan Council of Moscow. Several years ago the parish of St. Vmch. Paraskeva Pyatnitsa in Kachalovo, where Fr. Andrey managed to organize the spontaneous desire of young parishioners to play football. First there was a game between pupils of the senior Sunday school groups on a snowy field. The boys' enthusiasm was so great that they cleared it themselves. Then we managed to agree with one of the surrounding schools about a gym for training. And since the school also had its own football team, we played with them. Having learned about this, several Sunday schools and centers of military-patriotic work of St. Andrew's deanery expressed a desire to play football. As a result, with the blessing of Dean Fr. Anatoly Kozha, a Sunday school sports league appeared in the name of St. blgv. Dimitry Donskoy. Today there are ten football teams in St. Andrew’s deanery alone. Internal competitions are held regularly. “The guys learn to treat each other with dignity,” says Fr. Andrey Alekseev. — They learn to curb their emotions and work on themselves. And at the end of the match we summarize: why did you push your opponent? How did your opponent react to this? But you came to us for the first time: why do you think you have the right to swear? Yes, there is an iron cup - a victorious Cup that you can win, but what are you like when you receive it? And is it a victory if you won it, but behaved in an unworthy manner? Not only churchgoers are accepted into the teams. “Their participants invite their friends to the matches, who are still far from Orthodox life. Our doors are open to everyone,” continues Fr. Andrey. - But at the same time there are rules and principles. For example, competitions begin with a prayer service. A priest must be present at the match. If one of the fans behaves indecently, for example, swearing, shouting, insulting the dignity of his opponents, he is reminded that this is not accepted here.” It happens, oh. Andrey conducts the training himself. “This is an occasion for lively, informal communication with the guys. At this time, they can find out all the questions that concern them - about God, about family, about attitude towards their neighbors, about the Fatherland. At the last training session, I told the boys who had recently joined our team what confession is. Then they helped me take the equipment to the temple, and our conversation continued. You see, the priest comes to training not to kick the ball, but to be close to the guys.” The results of such communication are not long in coming. Some of the boys soon come to be baptized, and others to confession. When the athletes from Voskhod decided to confess and take communion as a team on the day of the Holy Trinity, they were supported by those who visit the church only occasionally. O. Andrey does not rule out that a sports league will soon appear in Moscow, uniting Sunday schools throughout the city.
At the First Sports Tournament for Orthodox Youth “Pokrovskie Starts”, which took place on November 19, 2006 at the Dynamo Sports Palace, participants competed in all sports - from chess to martial arts
Father in a kimono
But not only football is played in the parishes. For example, in Yekaterinburg, at the Church of the Ascension of the Lord, there has been a youth club “Ascension” for several years. According to the altar boy of the Voznesensky parish, Alexei Kirilov, the sports sections (football, volleyball, basketball, skiing, skating, weightlifting, water tourism) are attended by approximately 30 people. To enroll in the section, you don’t have to be a parishioner: “through sports, worldly youth begin to join the church.” Youth here is understood broadly - athletes are from 18 to 40 years old, of which about 40 percent are women. Girls are involved in all sports, with the exception of weightlifting. It is not surprising that at Ascension parish young Orthodox people find partners and get married. “They joke in the city that our club was created specifically for this,” Alexey laughs. All classes, even in the gym, are free. The fact is that among the parishioners of Ekaterinburg churches there are also owners of gyms. And in the Kurchatovsky district of the Kursk region, the rector of the Epiphany Church in the village of Byki, Fr. Sergiy Pashkov teaches judo lessons to children (father is a master of sports). In the neighboring village of Makarovka, where he lives, there are already about 30 young judokas. On Thursdays after training Fr. Sergius talks with the guys about faith and Orthodox culture. At Fr. Sergius has four children, all of whom also practice judo. According to the priest’s calculations, approximately a third of the young athletes began to confess and receive communion from time to time, although previously they were far from the Church. “I never impose beliefs. Perhaps my conversations will not immediately bear fruit, but in ten to twenty years the guys will consciously come to church. In this I hope for the mercy of God.” It would seem that a priest dressed in a kimono could undermine his authority by destroying the usual image of a priest. But seeing that there was at least one person in the village who tutored children for free who did not know what to do with their free time, the villagers warmed to Fr. Sergius with trust. Good fame - the priest is not indifferent to children - increased the number of parishioners. “If you eliminate pride from sports and strive for championship in order to learn how to protect your loved ones and your home, why not play sports? - thinks about. Sergius. “I myself always walked down the street calmly, even though I was not an Olympic champion. But I look at some men - they are afraid of their own shadow! This is bad, because Revelation says that the Kingdom of God is not the inheritance of the fearful.”
Sign of the Cross under the goalkeeper's glove
The great Soviet hockey goalie Vladislav Tretyak
for obvious reasons, he never advertised his piety. But one day he nevertheless said that he found faith in the late 70s after communicating with Archimandrite Alexy in the Trinity-Sergius Lavra. Coming out onto the ice, the three-time Olympic champion crossed himself unnoticed by everyone - the large goalkeeper's glove made it possible to hide the secret gesture from everyone. Moreover, Tretyak admitted that he sometimes prayed right on the ice, turning to the image of Sergius of Radonezh, the founder of the Lavra, in which faith came to the hockey player.
Filimonov and the ill-fated goal
However, according to some fans, divine providence can not only help, but also hinder athletes. Before the decisive match of the qualifying round for the 2000 European Championship between the Russian and Ukrainian national teams, team doctor Yuri Vasilkov
invited the priest to the base, who blessed the guys.
And this story, of course, would have been forgotten long ago if not for one “but.” A few days after one of the most offensive episodes in the history of the national team, the doctor remembered that only one player was absent from the meeting - Alexander Filimonov
. Draw your own conclusions.
Alexander Filimonov
Photo: RIA Novosti
The hand of God or the head of Maradona?
The most outstanding example of the alleged intervention of divine providence in sports is known to anyone who is even the slightest bit interested in football. In June 1986, during the quarterfinal match of the World Cup, Argentinean Diego Maradona
sent the ball into the England goal with his hand. The referee did not notice this and counted the goal, and the striker himself stated at the post-match conference that the goal was scored “partly by Maradona’s head, and partly by the hand of God.” The expression was spread across the headlines and became popular. And the Argentines became world champions a week later.
Volleyball God's Providence
The final of the 2012 Olympic volleyball tournament gave all its spectators unforgettable emotions. Based on this match, you can make a Hollywood-style film about how the heroes, overcoming all the obstacles on their way, still achieve the most important victory in life. The team's head coach was very laconic after that match. “After 0:2 I made a decision that I would never have made. This is God’s providence,” said Vladimir Alekno
.
Obviously, the coach talked about transferring Dmitry Musersky
to the diagonal position, which helped make a radical change in the course of the match. The Russian team eventually won – 3:2.
Through the Bible - to a golden reward
The only two-time champion in ice dancing in the history of the Olympic Games was also helped by religion. What happened in 1994 with Oksana Grischuk
It’s hard to call it anything other than a miracle. Shortly before the Games in Lillehammer, the athlete suffered from pneumonia, and her performance at the main competition of the four-year anniversary was in jeopardy. Grischuk and Platov performed poorly at the European Championships, and, according to experts, the pair had no chance of successfully performing at the Games. But Grischuk turned to religion, read the Bible, prayed, and the audience saw champions from Russia at the skating rink. And since then Oksana has been trying not to part with the main book of Christians.
Ballon d'Or - churches
Football players, unlike representatives of many other sports, are more often in the public eye, and therefore there is much more talk about their religious feelings. Many of them pray, go to church and raise their hands to the sky, celebrating victories and goals scored, but few of the world's stars can compare in their piety with the Brazilian Kaka
. “Religion is my life. I dedicate every goal to God,” said one of the best football players on the planet, who believes that he should thank a higher power for all his successes. By the way, the best player of 2007 displayed his Golden Ball in the local church.
The most religious athlete in the country
If we talk about the most religious athletes who always thank God for both their victories and defeats, then we cannot fail to mention the famous Russian fighter Fedor Emelianenko
. It is all the more surprising that it is the representative of strength martial arts who is a sincerely religious person. However, according to Fedor, he never feels aggression towards his opponent, but simply does his job well. Emelianenko is sure that God inspired him to play sports, and therefore he glorifies him with his work. “God’s will for everything,” is the motto of the outstanding champion.
“Justice, God and truth are with us”
Three years ago on Christmas Eve Olga Zaitseva
at the World Cup stage she won her first victory of the season, and after it she outlined the principle that many Russian athletes adhere to in their actions. “Justice, God and truth are with us!” – Olga noted. However, the titled athlete herself acted at a distance in full accordance with the saying “trust in God, but don’t make a mistake yourself.” Having made three mistakes at the shooting range, she showed such speed that her closest rivals were only half a minute behind.
