This week’s Weekend Plug-in highlights the arguments in the case of a high school football coach who wants to pray at the 50-yard line after his team’s games. Plus, as always, catch up on all the best reads and top headlines in the world of faith.
Read More(ANALYSIS) If you’re a golf fan, you should know the name Scottie Scheffler by now. The 25-year-old has been the talk of the PGA for the past few months for his remarkable run this season. His win at the widely-televised Masters Tournament also built a wider audience for Scheffler’s calm, zen-like Christian faith.
Read MoreNamed La’eeb — which FIFA, world soccer’s governing body, said is “an Arabic word meaning super-skilled player” — the World Cup mascot triggered plenty of confusion and scorn on social media. But the mascot was primarily an homage to Arab garments known as the “keffiyeh” and “thawb.”
Read More(OPINION) St. Peter’s crashed out of the NCAA Tournament following a defeat to No. 8 North Carolina — but they will forever be remembered as one of the greatest Cinderella teams at the men’s basketball tournament. The Catholic school had made history on Friday, downing Purdue to become the first No. 15 seed in tournament history to advance to the Elite 8.
Read MoreMarch may be all about dressing in green and celebrating St. Patrick, but March Madness has been all about wearing blue and cheering on St. Peter’s in Jersey City. The small Jesuit school socked the field by reaching the Sweet 16 at the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament.
Read MoreStan Cottrell is incredibly fast and on July 3, 1980, broke the mark recognized by Guinness World Records for running from New York City to San Francisco — 66 miles per day for 48 consecutive days. And he has been told he set another distance record this year by reaching 270,000 miles of running in his lifetime.
Read MoreSerbian tennis superstar Novak Djokovic says he’s willing to miss more major tournaments after he was forced to sit out the Australian Open because he is not vaccinated against COVID-19. An eccentric Orthodox Christian, Djokovic’s faith plays a role in his decision to skip vaccines even if it costs him titles and jeopardizes his ranking as the world’s top men’s tennis player.
Read MoreEnes Kanter Freedom’s efforts go far beyond the basketball court. He is one of the most outspoken basketball players and athletes at the professional level when it comes to activism, standing up for religious freedom and the oppressed. He’s been one of the few pro athletes willing to criticize China for its treatment of religious minorities.
Read More(OPINION) The Beijing Winter Olympics are quickly approaching and being held in China’s capital city. A major question is, “Do elite international athletes have a moral responsibility to publicly comment or act in a way that acknowledges their awareness of oppressive — or worse — political conditions in nations in which they compete?”
Read More(ANALYSIS) Cooper Kupp is a well-known name across football who helped punch the Rams’ ticket to the NFC championship in 2022. But above all, what’s most noticeable is Kupp’s character and Christian faith.
Read More(OPINION) There’s nothing pious about the modern Olympic Games. The modern version, organized by the International Olympic Committee, is more spectacle than spirit. The looming Winter Games, however, have triggered a reaction among some that has large moral implications — are you a bad person for watching the Olympics?
Read MoreThe 2022 World Cup, which will be held in the Middle Eastern nation of Qatar, will test the majority-Muslim country in several ways — primarily when it comes to religious mores around public intoxication and homosexuality, both of which are illegal there.
Read More(ANALYSIS) The gymnast’s actions put a spotlight on athletes’ mental health, but also highlighted the inability of the mainstream press to delve deeper and ask pertinent questions regarding her faith. You see, Biles is a Roman Catholic, something written about leading up to the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio. You wouldn’t know it from the news coverage of the past few weeks.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Fans are remembering the legendary Florida State University coach this week after his death Sunday at age 91. Bobby Bowden, who coached senior ReligionUnplugged contributor Hamil Harris and is the second most winningest college football coach in U.S. history, is remembered for fusing the principles of Jesus into his football career, forming a special bond with his players that lasted a lifetime.
Read MoreOlympians like Dominique Dawes and Rochelle Stevens talked to ReligionUnplugged about their faith, wrestling with mental challenges in the Games and supporting U.S. gymnast Simone Biles who withdrew from competition this week over mental health concerns and vertigo-like symptoms. Biles and Dawes have both shared leaning on their Catholic faith in their gymnastics careers.
Read MoreWhile his life story is fascinating, heart-warming and remarkable, the religious life of NBA player Giannis Antetokounmpo is less well known. The now 26-year-old Giannis became a Christian and devout member of the Greek Orthodox Church as a young person and continues to acknowledge his Christian faith.
Read More(REVIEW) The movie “The Divine Ponytail” packs a lot in just 91 minutes and doesn’t ignore Roberto Baggio’s Buddhist faith and how it helped motivate the former Italian soccer star at the World Cup and beyond.
Read More(OPINION) Whether you’re a Catholic or just like to root for the underdog — or both — then you’ll be watching Croatia at this summer’s European Championship.
Read MoreThe secret to Baylor’s success this season wasn’t limited to its great defense and a hail of three pointers. The secret for the Baptist school on the road to the NCAA men’s basketball championship lies in a culture the players and coaches call “Jesus, Others, Yourself.”
Read MoreArgentine football star Diego Maradona died at age 60 last week, but his legacy and devotion lives on. The footballer is a symbol of humility and hope, having risen to the top of global sports from a childhood in the slums, and attracted a religious following that formed a church in his name.
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