Saint Martin’s Spiritual Life Institute to examine the
‘religion of sports’
May 31, 2011
LACEY, WASHINGTON — How does religion fit into the world of
sports, and how do sports fit into the world of religion?
Students and scholars will be exploring these questions at the
Saint Martin’s University
2011 Spiritual
Life Institute, June 20–24, on Saint Martin’s main campus.
This year’s program, “For God and Glory: The Religion of
Sports,” marks the 29th annual meeting of the Spiritual Life
Institute. During the Institute, an internationally recognized
group of academics, authors and speakers will participate in a
weeklong discussion on the complex subject of religion and
sports.
“Studies on this topic tend to fall into two distinct yet
closely related categories—religion in sports and
sports as religion,” explains Ian Werrett, Ph.D., associate
professor of religious studies at Saint Martin’s and director of
the Spiritual Life Institute. “From the days of the first
Olympic games in the 8th century B.C.E., which were held in
honor of the Greek god, Zeus, to today’s athletic events, the
sporting world has had a long and complicated relationship with
religion.”
Werrett, a 1996 graduate of Saint Martin’s, will be leading
the Institute. He will be joined by: Christopher Evans, Ph.D.,
professor of history of Christianity and Methodist studies,
Boston University; Fr. Patrick Kelly, S.J., Ph.D., assistant
professor in theology, Seattle University; and Alon Raab,
lecturer in religious studies, University of California, Davis.
The Spiritual Life Institute, an intensive five-day learning
program hosted annually by Saint Martin’s Religious Studies
Department, offers students an opportunity to dialogue on the
history, ethics and beliefs of the world's religious traditions.
The Institute draws theologians, scholars and social justice
advocates, who share their insights with participants in order
to inspire awareness, challenge preconceived notions and shed
light upon the spiritual journey in an increasingly globalized
world.
The Institute is open to the public. Participants have the
option of registering for Continuing Education Credit (CEC 080)
for $200 or non-credit attendance for $40 per day.
Werrett notes that this year’s Institute offers participants
a unique hands-on learning experience. “Students will have the
option of attending the Seattle Sounders/New York Redbulls match
on Thursday, June 23,” says Werrett. “This ‘fieldtrip’ will
provide a real-life context for the concepts, rituals and
traditions we’ll be discussing during the week.”
The Spiritual Life Institute presents captivating topics and
introduces top scholars to the Saint Martin’s community, but it
also allows the University to share its Benedictine values in a
distinctive way, according to Werrett.
“Hospitality is one of Saint Martin’s values,” he says, “and
the Institute gives us the chance to welcome and share knowledge
with community members who may be visiting our campus for the
very first time.”
For more details about Saint Martin’s Spiritual Life
Institute program, including schedule and registration
information, visit
www.stmartin.edu/spiritual_life/.
Saint Martin’s University is an independent four-year,
Catholic, coeducational university located on a 380-acre wooded
campus in Lacey, Washington. Established in 1895 by the Catholic
Order of Saint Benedict, the University is one of 18 Benedictine
colleges and universities in the United States and Canada, and
the only one west of the Rocky Mountains. Saint Martin’s
University prepares students for successful lives through its 21
majors and six graduate programs spanning the liberal arts,
business, education and engineering. Saint Martin’s welcomes
1,250 students from many ethnic and religious backgrounds to its
main campus, and 650 more to its extension campuses located at
Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Everett College, Centralia College and
Tacoma Community College. Visit the Saint Martin’s University
website at www.stmartin.edu.
For further information:
Jennifer Fellinger
Vice president, marketing and communications
Saint Martin’s University
360-438-4332
jfellinger@stmartin.edu