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MPR's 'In Praise of Play' features St. Olaf conference speakers

By Elizabeth Child
August 12, 2004

As the Olympic Games begin in Athens, "In Praise of Play," a broadcast inspired by St. Olaf's June conference: "Sport and Religion: An Inquiry into American Cultural Values," will air on Minnesota Public Radio's "Speaking of Faith." You can hear it in the Twin Cities on KNOW 91.1 FM Sunday, Aug. 15, at 1 p.m. and 8 p.m. It will also air on public radio stations across the country throughout the weekend, and you can replay it by visiting: http://speaking offaith.publicradio.org

The show features "Speaking of Faith" host Krista Tippett interviewing Sport & Religion conference speaker Joe Price, Whittier College professor of religion. They discuss the question of whether sports are an American religion and, if so, if that something to celebrate or worry about. Price is the author of the book From Season to Season: Sports as American Religion. Tippett also interviewed Sport & Religion conference plenary speaker Joan Chandler, professor emeritus at the University of Texas, Dallas. That interview will be posted on the Speaking of Faith Website. In the interview Chandler reflects on the topic of her conference talk: "Amateur and Professional Sport Codes: Is Either Conducive to Religion?"

St. Olaf's Sport & Religion conference drew speakers and participants nationwide. It created a unique forum to discuss tensions that exist between sport and religion on and off the field, according to Conference Chair and St. Olaf Associate Professor of Physical Education Gary Wicks. "We wanted people to come away with a deeper understanding of issues that manifest themselves daily on the playing fields, in the administrative decisions of educational institutions and in religious organizations," Wicks says. St. Olaf approached producers of "Speaking of Faith" about covering the topic in order to inspire a wider audience to consider the questions it raised.

Contact Elizabeth Child at 507-645-0119 or ec@elizabethchild.com.