Why the Olympic Games are a “civil-religious” ceremony with a worldwide community

Fans are preparing to see top athletes from all over the world compete. 2024 Summer Olympicswhich begin on July 26 in Paris. The sporting competitions will likely be accompanied by a display of patriotic symbols akin to flags and team uniforms within the national colours. The host country will mark the Summer Olympics festivities with cultural events.

But why are people so interested in Olympic games?

As a Scientist who researches the connections between religion and sportI argue that this interest stems from what sociologists Robert Bella called “Civil religion“ or devotion to 1’s own nation-state as a form of spiritual loyalty.

In fact, your complete Summer Olympics might be interpreted as a civil-religious ceremony with a worldwide congregation going down every 4 years.

What constitutes a civil religion?

Bellah turned his attention to civil religion within the United States and noted in 1967 that there are “certain common elements of religious orientation which characterize The vast majority of Americans share.” These elements included, amongst others, the moments when Americans of various religious or non-religious affiliations met for common rituals and customs. The collective Setting off fireworks on the 4th of July Such an annual civil religious practice exists throughout the country.

At these events, Americans often display their civil religious devotion under the guise of mere patriotic duty. Other common rituals are watch the inauguration of a brand new presidentwhether in person or in front of the tv. Some Americans should want to be sure that younger generations understand the meaning of “sacred texts” akin to the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address and Martin Luther King Jr.'s ““I have a dream” speechThere may be people who make “pilgrimages” to Washington, DC, to View the national buildings and monuments.

Shared Stories of the American War of Independence, Civil War and Second World War are also keys to civil religionThe concept that Americans' ancestors gave every part to make sure the survival of the country's democratic experiment creates a typical bond amongst residents today.

Despite different religious beliefsMany Americans agree that American democracy is the best government option available today.

Traditional religious texts anchor American civil religion in necessary myths with a transcendent quality. Indeed, Bellah argued: “American Civil Religion selective borrowings from religious tradition so that the average American saw no conflict between the two.” In this manner, American civil religion integrated Christian and Jewish religious stories but additionally added recent sacred symbols and events.

Civil religion and sport

Sports stadiums are a very important place for Americans to specific their civil religious feelings. Many Americans proudly take off their hats, cover their hearts and honor the country as National anthem is played at sporting events across the country.

For most Americans, opportunities to point out their loyalty and exercise their patriotism are limited to civic duties akin to voting, jury duty, or paying taxes. As a result, sporting events are primarily civic religious occasions for strengthening their emotional attachment to their country.

Sometimes civil religious zeal is obvious at sporting events: baseball and football games often feature Military overflights and the unfurling of giant flagsThe indisputable fact that kneeling throughout the national anthem proved so controversial proves how seriously people take civil religion.

My 2024 book states: “Religions and Sports“, I discuss the numerous ways during which sport functions like traditional forms of faith, conveying belonging, connection, and belief. Yet sporting events play a major role in providing individuals with a sacred arena for civil religious expression. In other words, sports fields function as sacred civil religious arenas.

The Olympic Games as a civil religion

At the Summer Olympics every 4 years, people from everywhere in the world renew their national bond by cheering on their country's best athletes. But winning the gold medal reflects rather more than the remarkable achievement of a person athlete – the national anthem played during a medal ceremony recognizes and praises the collective strength of your complete country.

I imagine that the cosmopolitanism expressed on the opening ceremony demonstrates the supreme authority of the nation-state today and the worldwide acceptance of that authority. In fact, many individuals tune in only for the festivities of the opening and shutting ceremonies, where civil religion is on the centre.

The ancient Greeks organized the Olympic Games to have fun their Devotion to Zeus and other deitiesBut as Frank Kühn of the University of Mainz states, “The widespread belief in gods in ancient Greece is now replaced by a widely accepted patriotism.”