The Olympic Games, often celebrated as the epitome of global unity and athletic excellence, have a darker legacy that is rarely discussed — a legacy that traces back to the 1904 St. Louis, Mo., Olympics, marred by overt racism, exploitation…
These Olympic boxers are not transgender but their experience illustrates transphobia
Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-ting went to Paris to box. Instead, the Olympic fighters unwittingly became punching bags in a fresh round of controversy over transgender athletes in sports. The fact that neither athlete is transgender — or, in fact,…
Olympics’ ‘Last Supper’ social media uproar mirrors rise of right-wing populism in Europe
Conservative commentators have been in an uproar over what they saw as a “woke” jab at Christianity by Olympics organizers. The outcry has continued, despite art historians and classicists pointing out on social media the offending scene from the opening…
Oh, dear, what could the trouble be?
Plopping down in our library, I pour myself a glass of something the unlicensed Baptist preacher Elijah Craig had a hand in making. I sift through a plastic milk crate. A small collection of vinyl is housed in it. I…
Defending Jesus: Learning how to react in a post-Christendom culture
The Olympic Games opening ceremony featured what seemed to have been a parody of Leonardo da Vinci’s Last Supper, only the members of the supper were represented by drag performers. And, in case you live under a rock or are…
Maybe non-Christians prefer drag queens to tattletales
“Teacher! Billy stuck his tongue out at me!” You’re the teacher. Take a moment to think about how you’d respond. Many folks would say, “Billy? Did you stick your tongue out at Jimmy? … Tell me the truth. … OK….
Evangelicals upset about the Olympics are pearl-clutching hypocrites
Enough with the pearl-clutching! As if many rightwing Christians have nothing better to do, on Friday they set X alight with outrage over a scene from the Paris Olympics opening celebration. Drag queens were part of a DaVinci’s Last Supper…
Training as spiritual athletes
As the Summer Olympics begin tomorrow, we will watch men and women who put in years of sacrifice and training, pushing their bodies to their very limits, culminating in those few moments to compete against the best of the best….
The GOAT in religion
Americans love greatness. We love great wealth, great success, great possessions, great entertainers, great CEOs, great athletes. I’m old enough to remember when Muhammad Ali declared, “I am the greatest.” And in the world of boxing, he likely was. We…