Description
Book SynopsisBoth religion and sport can inspire great loyalty and shape identities. They have often been in competition for people's time and money but can also be mutually supportive. This book follows the changing nature of their relationship in England from 1800 to the present day, with a focus on Christianity but also considering Judaism and Islam.
Trade Reviewimmensely fascinating...astonishingly wide-ranging... Here is a work unlikely to be soon surpassed. * John Pridmore, Church Times *
Genuinely enlightening...The prose is bouncy, engaging and a treat for anyone. * Fred Kelly, The Tablet *
an excellent book * Peter Costello, Irish Catholic *
highly entertaining, informative and balanced * Dr Mark Chapman, Catholic Herald *
careful, balanced, and wide-ranging book * Robert Colls, Society *
This was a book that really needed to be written, and it has been worth the wait. * Frances Knight, Proceedings of the Wesley Historical Society *
McLeod concludes his monograph by reflecting on the current relationship between religion and sport in England,...the author manages to weave together a sweeping narrative that spans more than two centuries. By incorporating a variety of sources and drawing on existing trends within both sport and religious historiographies, he is able to craft a compelling monograph that makes a necessary contribution to the field. * Ashley M. Morin, Reading Religion *
Table of ContentsIntroduction 1: 'E Mun be Baited, it's a Rule': Old and New Sporting Worlds 2: 'Puritanic Precision and Propriety': The Warfare between Religion and Sport 3: 'Every Man is Born with a Body as well as an Intellect and a Soul': Peace Talks Begin 4: 'The Affinity between Christianity and Athletics' 5: 'He is a Lover of all Legitimate Sports': Affinities and Taboos 6: 'Our Congregations have Emigrated to the Playing Fields, the Golf Course and the River': Sport and Secularization 7: 'Jesus Christ was a Sportsman': The Era of Diffusive Christianity 8: 'A Passion not merely a Recreation': The Religion of Sport 9: Religions in the Age of Sport Conclusion Bibliography
