Post Super-Bowl Thoughts

Contrary to what the title may convey, this post is more about theology and popular piety than it is about the Super Bowl.

For the past three years up until I moved to NC I attended an Orthodox church. In this church I've been fed and nourished in the faith. I have come to love Orthodoxy very much (even though I don't have any current plans to convert) and I believe that those of us who belong to the Western Church would greatly benefit from a strong dose of Eastern theology and piety.

As friends and family visited me and attended church with me one of the major points of questioning, curiosity, and ridicule (though very rare) was that things (in particular holy things) were venerated through kissing. For example: icons, the chalice, and other things of theological and liturgical significance are kissed as a sign of reverence.

As I watched the Super Bowl Trophy presentation the other day I couldn't help but notice that almost every player and coach anxiously awaited his chance to not only touch the trophy but to kiss it as well. As I watched these grown men kissing this small metallic trophy I recounted sport event after sport event where this same scenario has played itself out. Whether it be the World Series, the Stanley Cup, the NBA Finals, or the Super Bowl, each year I see grown men kiss a trophy and I have never heard a single individual remark how odd, weird, or creepy it is.

I'm not mentioning all this to condemn anyone, but rather just as an observation. It's interesting how some actions can cause us distress in one setting while in a completely different setting they seem perfectly normal. I especially think this whole concept is odd when you consider it from a Protestant perspective.

Conservative Protestants are typically the first group of people to criticize Catholics and Orthodox for their ritual movements and posturing. They criticize when they cross themselves, when they kiss holy objects, when they repeat written prayers, and when they kneel repeatedly during services. Yet these same conservative protestants are the first ones to salute the American flag, put their hand over their heart during the national anthem, say the pledge of allegiance, and kiss super bowl trophies and the like.

I find it very interesting that we can support and accept a set of actions when they are directed toward a nation-state or a championship trophy, but yet utterly reject them when they are directed toward the holy things of God.

I'm sure there are many more reasons for this disparity but I thought I'd begin the discussion here.