Osler's Razor

aylor does not hide its official and traditional faith commitment, and puts it to work in many policies, such as compulsory chapel for students for a year or two. Let it be noted, as we will note, that some features of the commitment are strong: a “Top Ten” (in some measures) religion department, notable graduate programs, and not a few eminent scholars. But they are in the shadows cast by the scandal right now.

So, that’s one of the two religions. The other? Football, as it is supported and publicized endlessly, especially, as in Baylor’s case, under the working of the now-suspended head coach. - See more at: https://divinity.uchicago.edu/sightings/two-religions-make-news#sthash.GcAvbagY.dpuf

  Baylor does not hide its official and traditional faith commitment, and puts it to work in many policies, such as compulsory chapel for students for a year or two. Let it be noted, as we will note, that some features of the commitment are strong: a “Top Ten” (in some measures) religion department, notable graduate programs, and not a few eminent scholars. But they are in the shadows cast by the scandal right now.

So, that’s one of the two religions. The other? Football, as it is supported and publicized endlessly, especially, as in Baylor’s case, under the working of the now-suspended head coach.

But isn’t football just football, a branch of athletics, classifiable as entertainment and capitalist enterprise? No. Readers of Sightings who own encyclopedias and textbooks which deal with religion will find that they point to key characteristics of religions across the board. For starters: “ultimate concern,” “ceremonial reinforcement,” at least quasi-“metaphysical depth,” “emotional exactions,” “communalism,” etc. These are present somehow in all (we have to say, now, also in all “other”) religions.

Football, on the collegiate and professional levels and, in a world of trickle-down religions, often in high school and little-kid versions, fits most definitions of religion, some of them vividly at Super Bowls and Texas High School rites, sacrifices, and glorifications, more than they might be visible at the friendly neighborhood church or synagogue or even in “spiritual but not religious” (and yet “religious”) circles. We do not claim to be particularly original or perceptive in pointing here to the religious dimensions as seen this week at Baylor but almost as dramatically year-round in the higher levels of football authority and engrossments.

Baylor is at least temporarily paying for its over-investment in the religion of football or in its failure to let norms of Baylor’s faith-context and its monitors be alert, conscience guided, and able to provide perspectives. If the school can regain perspectives available in the better resources of its Baptist/Christian origins, it can serve as an alerter and guide for others. - See more at: https://divinity.uchicago.edu/sightings/two-religions-make-news#sthash.GcAvbagY.dpuf

Baylor does not hide its official and traditional faith commitment, and puts it to work in many policies, such as compulsory chapel for students for a year or two. Let it be noted, as we will note, that some features of the commitment are strong: a “Top Ten” (in some measures) religion department, notable graduate programs, and not a few eminent scholars. But they are in the shadows cast by the scandal right now.

So, that’s one of the two religions. The other? Football, as it is supported and publicized endlessly, especially, as in Baylor’s case, under the working of the now-suspended head coach.

But isn’t football just football, a branch of athletics, classifiable as entertainment and capitalist enterprise? No. Readers of Sightings who own encyclopedias and textbooks which deal with religion will find that they point to key characteristics of religions across the board. For starters: “ultimate concern,” “ceremonial reinforcement,” at least quasi-“metaphysical depth,” “emotional exactions,” “communalism,” etc. These are present somehow in all (we have to say, now, also in all “other”) religions.

Football, on the collegiate and professional levels and, in a world of trickle-down religions, often in high school and little-kid versions, fits most definitions of religion, some of them vividly at Super Bowls and Texas High School rites, sacrifices, and glorifications, more than they might be visible at the friendly neighborhood church or synagogue or even in “spiritual but not religious” (and yet “religious”) circles. We do not claim to be particularly original or perceptive in pointing here to the religious dimensions as seen this week at Baylor but almost as dramatically year-round in the higher levels of football authority and engrossments.

Baylor is at least temporarily paying for its over-investment in the religion of football or in its failure to let norms of Baylor’s faith-context and its monitors be alert, conscience guided, and able to provide perspectives. If the school can regain perspectives available in the better resources of its Baptist/Christian origins, it can serve as an alerter and guide for others. - See more at: https://divinity.uchicago.edu/sightings/two-religions-make-news#sthash.GcAvbagY.dpuf

Baylor does not hide its official and traditional faith commitment, and puts it to work in many policies, such as compulsory chapel for students for a year or two. Let it be noted, as we will note, that some features of the commitment are strong: a “Top Ten” (in some measures) religion department, notable graduate programs, and not a few eminent scholars. But they are in the shadows cast by the scandal right now.

So, that’s one of the two religions. The other? Football, as it is supported and publicized endlessly, especially, as in Baylor’s case, under the working of the now-suspended head coach.

But isn’t football just football, a branch of athletics, classifiable as entertainment and capitalist enterprise? No. Readers of Sightings who own encyclopedias and textbooks which deal with religion will find that they point to key characteristics of religions across the board. For starters: “ultimate concern,” “ceremonial reinforcement,” at least quasi-“metaphysical depth,” “emotional exactions,” “communalism,” etc. These are present somehow in all (we have to say, now, also in all “other”) religions.

Football, on the collegiate and professional levels and, in a world of trickle-down religions, often in high school and little-kid versions, fits most definitions of religion, some of them vividly at Super Bowls and Texas High School rites, sacrifices, and glorifications, more than they might be visible at the friendly neighborhood church or synagogue or even in “spiritual but not religious” (and yet “religious”) circles. We do not claim to be particularly original or perceptive in pointing here to the religious dimensions as seen this week at Baylor but almost as dramatically year-round in the higher levels of football authority and engrossments.

Baylor is at least temporarily paying for its over-investment in the religion of football or in its failure to let norms of Baylor’s faith-context and its monitors be alert, conscience guided, and able to provide perspectives. If the school can regain perspectives available in the better resources of its Baptist/Christian origins, it can serve as an alerter and guide for others. - See more at: https://divinity.uchicago.edu/sightings/two-religions-make-news#sthash.GcAvbagY.dpuf

Baylor does not hide its official and traditional faith commitment, and puts it to work in many policies, such as compulsory chapel for students for a year or two. Let it be noted, as we will note, that some features of the commitment are strong: a “Top Ten” (in some measures) religion department, notable graduate programs, and not a few eminent scholars. But they are in the shadows cast by the scandal right now.

So, that’s one of the two religions. The other? Football, as it is supported and publicized endlessly, especially, as in Baylor’s case, under the working of the now-suspended head coach.

But isn’t football just football, a branch of athletics, classifiable as entertainment and capitalist enterprise? No. Readers of Sightings who own encyclopedias and textbooks which deal with religion will find that they point to key characteristics of religions across the board. For starters: “ultimate concern,” “ceremonial reinforcement,” at least quasi-“metaphysical depth,” “emotional exactions,” “communalism,” etc. These are present somehow in all (we have to say, now, also in all “other”) religions.

Football, on the collegiate and professional levels and, in a world of trickle-down religions, often in high school and little-kid versions, fits most definitions of religion, some of them vividly at Super Bowls and Texas High School rites, sacrifices, and glorifications, more than they might be visible at the friendly neighborhood church or synagogue or even in “spiritual but not religious” (and yet “religious”) circles. We do not claim to be particularly original or perceptive in pointing here to the religious dimensions as seen this week at Baylor but almost as dramatically year-round in the higher levels of football authority and engrossments.

Baylor is at least temporarily paying for its over-investment in the religion of football or in its failure to let norms of Baylor’s faith-context and its monitors be alert, conscience guided, and able to provide perspectives. If the school can regain perspectives available in the better resources of its Baptist/Christian origins, it can serve as an alerter and guide for others. - See more at: https://divinity.uchicago.edu/sightings/two-religions-make-news#sthash.GcAvbagY.dpuf