Once again, it's time to ponder God's role in the Super Bowl

And the late, great Tom Landry offers Rational Sheep-worthy thoughts for fans in pews and pulpits

Looking at the calendar, I see that the Kansas City Chiefs and Taylor Swift have one more game this year.

Thus, let me ask two questions that — when placed back to back — create a paradox that points to some ironic tensions in this culture of ours.

Question No. 1: Do you get a tiny bit nervous when you see superstar athletes make statements during live coverage of sports events stating, or maybe suggesting, that God had something to do with their victories?

Question No. 2: Do you get angry when producers at these news networks (either sports or mainstream news outlets) then find ways to chop these Godtalk comments out of subsequent coverage or the versions of these interviews that are posted online?

Surely, I am not the only fan who answered “Yes” to both of these questions?

After all, these tensions have existed for decades. I mean, I have written columns on the topic (hold that thought) and, at GetReligion.org, we could have opened a parallel website dedicated to controversies about coverage (or the lack thereof) of religion angles in sports news (click here for a classic example, focusing on ESPN coverage of Kevin Durant’s move to the Golden State Warriors).

At the moment, the current trend in sideline theology is for players to give “praise” to Jesus Christ or God and leave it at that. Things get a bit more complex when they offer “thanksgivings” for their victories or for the blessings that God has given them.

I get understand the distinctions these players are trying to make. But, for the cynical, they appear to be saying, “God was on our side,” or “God has made me the player that I am and, thus … (hint, hint).”

At the same time, I find it interesting that the National Football League has long asked television producers to avoid showing images of players — from both teams — kneeling together for prayers after games. Oh, but this rule doesn’t apply when the act of players and-or coaches kneeling together may have some kind of political or social justice content.

Now, some new consumers may have seen the news reports, or online chatter, about new Lifeway.com research indicating that the American public doesn’t think God is concerned about who wins The Big Game. Here is the overture to the Lifeway press release on that survey:

Judging by the television audience, Americans certainly care about the Super Bowl. Few, however, think God shares their concern.

The 2024 Super Bowl drew more than 123.7 million U.S. viewers, the largest television broadcast viewership in the nation’s history. Yet, most U.S. adults don’t believe God cares who wins the Super Bowl or determines the game’s winner, according to a study from Lifeway Research.

“While a large number of Americans believe God exists, far fewer think He is a fan of either team in the Super Bowl,” said Scott McConnell, executive director of Lifeway Research. “While these are interesting questions for win-loving humans to ponder, God describes His own ways as higher than our ways—not unlike a blimp being higher than the players on the ground (Isaiah 55:8-9).”

It is possible, of course, to add a bit more theological nuance to this question: