Some scholars argue, over the past four decades, broadly that sport constitutes religious activity or, more specifically, that specific sports qualify as religious activity. In this paper, I provide two critical discussions which question the “sport as religion” position. These counterarguments are not based in theological-insider considerations supposing that religion is qualitatively distinct or sui generis as a means of defending religion’s uniqueness; rather, I provide a postcolonial rebuttal followed by a feminist critique of the “sport as religion” claims. These arguments combined demonstrate the continued colonial and patriarchal legacies attached to a “sport as religion” claim. None of these counterarguments, in as much as I can find, have been engaged by scholars holding the “sport as religion” position. My overall goal relates more to continuing a deeper discussion of religion, sport, and the potential interactions, overlaps, and engagements of these cultural phenomena rather than fully dismissing the “sport as religion” argument. In the end, I invite further consideration of the included arguments from scholars interested in sport and religion discourse.
Terry Shoemaker (Wed,) studied this question.