Sports on Sundays

Due to the blizzard that New England experienced recently, a rescheduling of a few athletic events brought some to question the consistency of Gordon’s values and conduct.

Sunday, February 10^th, the Fighting Scots were rescheduled to play two basketball games.  While the games were further postponed due to the opponent’s inability to show, students and faculty have been debating whether this scheduling choice breached the Life and Conduct statement issued in Gordon’s Student Handbook.

Since the early stages of Gordon College’s history, there were rules regarding the Sabbath observance that were written in the Life and Conduct Statement of the college. Expectations were that no work (whether athletic, scholastic or otherwise) would be done on Sundays. The statement read:

“Members of the Gordon community will observe Sunday as a day set apart for worship, ministry, rest and recre­ation. Activities suggesting ‘business as usual’ will not be sanctioned or encouraged except where absolutely necessary.”           

After more than 40 years under the same commitment statement, Gordon’s policy changed slightly. The 2012-2013 Student Handbook includes a longer introduction of why the Sabbath is held at Gordon.

“The principle of resting one day in seven was instituted by God for the benefit of the creatures made in God’s image.  Because Jesus declared Himself to be Lord of the Sabbath and because the Church celebrates His resurrection on Sunday.”

With this more detailed explanation, the change was made to the last portion of the statement.  The clause, “where absolutely necessary” now reads, “unless necessary.”  Within these guidelines, the new statement also emphasizes that activities should not disrupt Sunday morning worship hours specifically. 

Vice President of Student Life, Barry Loy, mentioned the reasoning behind the change is to provide a more accurate portrayal of Gordon’s stance instead of changing the stance.  The goal for the change was that this would reflect the attitude of the college, as it’s always been and leave less room for the student body to feel “deceived.” 

“Making this slight change, it would be easier to defend what’s ‘necessary.’” 

In regards to the decision due to the snowstorm experienced over the weekend, Loy gained permission from the whole President’s Cabinet to reschedule the game on the following Sunday, as long as these games did not conflict with worship hours.  Loy mentioned that this is not a normal change that would be made but due to the circumstances, it was necessary. 

“Even in the Bible Christ-followers made exceptions to this rule,” said Loy.  “When I need to stop in the office on a Sunday to address an issue that cannot wait I just tell my wife, ‘I’ve got to pull my ox out of a hole’ (referring to the Luke 14.5).”

Women’s Basketball starter, Skylar Bareford ’14, commented that, though she does consider observing the Sabbath very important, she did not mind the rescheduling of the games.

“I think that playing sports on Sunday is not a big deal.  The Sabbath is a personal responsibility so you cannot regulate people to any one specific day. However, in college this is generally a weekend day since classes are during the week.”

The only reason Bareford saw having sports on Sunday would raise an issue is if it caused others to stumble in their faith or be unable to observe their Sabbath.

“How does playing on Sunday affect the other people involved such as the trainers, the statisticians, and other workers?” Questioned Bareford.  “You need to consider the staff as well as the players.”

Has this slight change to the Life and Conduct Statement of Gordon College signaled a move to a higher liberalism on campus?  Though some may argue that it has, the Department of Athletics is in agreement with the Student Life Cabinet that this is not a decision that goes against Biblical teachings; it simply places the responsibility of a Christ-follower’s obedience on his own self in his own time.