Finding God in All Things: A Course on Theology of Sport at a Jesuit High School

This article examines the development, structure, and impact of a senior elective course on the Theology of Sport at an all-boys Jesuit Catholic high school in the east coast of the United States. Grounded in Ignatian pedagogy and the Catholic theological tradition, the course invites students to reflect critically on their lived experiences in sport through the lenses of play, spirituality, and Church teaching Drawing on sources such as Jürgen Moltmann’s Theology of Play, papal and Vatican statements on sport, and contemporary theological reflections on athletic experience, the course challenges the tendency to silo athletics from other dimensions of student formation. Student reflections reveal increased awareness of sport as a site of joy and meaning, as well as a renewed understanding of the Church’s engagement with sport. The article concludes by offering insights and suggestions for educators seeking to integrate mission, faith formation, and athletics within Catholic secondary education.