The Religious Media Centre reports that the England football team does not have a Chaplain this time, which it explains is at odds with a general shift towards professing faith, among players of Premier League football clubs – half of which now engage with Christian activities such as Bible studies and prayer meetings, according to research published by Christians in Sport. Not only do some 40% across all men’s professional football leagues now hold devotional activities, but three-quarters of all professional clubs report having Christians in their first team squads, with many benefiting from the support of chaplains, the report says.
And yet, hardly any chaplains will attend the World Cup, apart from those working for the national squad of the hosts, the USA. England players, the article says, will be supported from the UK, often by WhatsApp!
The emergence of faith in football and chaplaincy services has been a feature of the past 30 years in England, the article says. It quotes Dr Graham Daniels, General Director of Christians in Sport, who says this reflects a significant change in the football environment. “The culture has changed dramatically. It used to be macho, aggressive, sexist and racist,” he said. “Bullying could be horrendous for people with faith.”
Apparently this openness about Christianity started at around the time of the creation of the Premier League in 1992. “Players came to play in the English top league from all over the world and they were more explicit about their faith,” he said. “Then players from England started expressing their beliefs and in turn players who went into management by the 2000s saw positive benefits of faith.”
Read the article at the Religious Media Centre, here.
But it is more enthusiastic and public for the team from DR Congo, whom the UK will play today in their first knockout round match, at least according to Premier Christian News, who published the picture above of DR Congo players praying and giving God the glory, for their having made it through to the knockout stages for the first time in their nation’s history. “Having beaten Uzbekistan 3-1”, the article says, “players and coaches were seen praying out loud, holding their arms out and making the sign of the cross.”
Read the article on Premier Christian News here.