Introduction

Examining the intersection between sport and religious faith can be challenging for kinesiology professionals. Many in academics disregard religious statements and experience as meaningless, unscientific, and even dangerous. Others recognize religious experiences as valid forms of knowledge and opportunities to encounter the sacred. Each of these groups has different explanations of religious experience and the areas of life in which such experience can occur. It is the purpose of this paper to examine the legitimacy of and potential for religious experience in general, as well as Christian religious experience in sport and physical activity. After reviewing previous sport and other literature examining connections between sport and religion, this paper outlines historical and recent challenges to religious knowledge and experience as epistemologically meaningful. A contemporary argument for religious experience as warranted and meaningful is provided, and the final section introduces a Christian understanding of religious experience within physical activity and sport. Infusing physical activity with relevance and meaning derived from religious experience will help in achieving lofty outcomes such as lifelong fitness participation and adherence to exercise programs. Incorporating such a view of sport and physical activity can help make our subject matter relevant to people in a way that transcends content knowledge. One challenge to Christian kinesiology professionals is in presenting these religious opportunities in ways that are inclusive and supportive of other religious faiths. Introduction Some view religion as a social construct that functions to organize and support society. For others, religion is the binding reality of life experiences. Others, such as the self-described “New Atheists,” discount religion altogether as a collection of meaningless and even dangerous phenomena (Dawkins, 2006; Dennett, 2007; Harris, 2005; Hitchens, 2007). Each of these groups has different explanations of religious experience and the areas of life in which such experience can occur. It is the purpose of this paper to examine the legitimacy of and potential for religious experience in general, and in sport and physical activity. Physical activity and sport are proposed as valid avenues for religious experience and Christian worship. Recent and diverse scholars have revived the feasibility of a scientific approach to the study of religion (Dennett, 2007; Wuthnow, 2003). Wuthnow cites William James’ comment that “a critical Science of Religions might eventually command as general a public adhesion as is commanded by a physical science” (p. B10). James thought that science could help “capture the depth, motion, and vitality of religion” that philosophy seemed unable to harness. Hindsight reveals James to be among the long list of “progressives” who subscribed to an overly optimistic view of science as able to eventually uncover answers to all physical and metaphysical questions. The emergence of the social sciences came in response to what Wuthnow calls “the inevitability of interpretation and perspective” (B10). In light of the limitations of these “hard sciences” in uncovering all truth that is work knowing, Wuthnow suggests that a modern scientific approach to studying religion requires a broad interpretation of science that includes the social sciences, as well as methodologies other than merely statistical (B10). Such an interpretation will help us explore not only the “depth...and vitality of religion,” it may also lead to practical application