Religion at the Olympics

A recent article published by The Guardian offers some reasons why many Olympic athletes are publicly referencing their religious beliefs.

One key passage:

Research by Christians in Sport, an organisation that provides pastoral support to elite athletes, shows a marked rise in the integration of faith and sport in the past two decades. One of the key drivers is society’s shift towards protecting and respecting religious identities of all kinds. Sport likes to position itself as a champion of inclusivity, even if it doesn’t always deliver on its promises. But the visibility and acceptance of faith practices at a professional level is growing as the industry becomes increasingly globalised and diverse.

Read the article and think about how acceptance of religious pluralism and changes in government regulations on religion play a role in this trend. We will discuss religious regulations in more detail later in the class, but for now you should ask yourself how the economic way of thinking can help you think in an organized way about this topic.