Sports and Character graphic

Special Focus:
Sports and Character

The initiation of football season carries with it many emotions, particularly excitement. However, recent scandals have dimmed the enthusiasm for this and other sports. The underlying issue of character fuels debate about the place of morality in the lives of highly competitive sportsmen. We have put together this special focus to consider character with regard to sports in particular, as well as life in general.


Feature Article:

Where Have All Our Heroes Gone?
Ray Cotton
We all have a need for heroes. But where do we find them in the world today? First of all, we must determine what key element determines heroism. The author chooses personal character, rather than superior performance, as the main ingredient.


Other Resources:

The Wide World of Sports
James Nuechterlein
During the sixties, sportswriters became social critics. The trend continues to this day. It is not unusual, for instance, to have issues such as racism and sexism regularly dominating articles about the arena.

Character Deficiency Syndrome
Garry D. Nation
What causes character defects? Contemporary answers to this query usually suggest "disease" or "dysfunction" as the root cause for violence and other problems. The Bible offers a different answer. In particular, the Old Testament differentiates four stages of moral depravity.

Integrity: What's the Price?
Patrick Morley
True moral character is revealed when one is alone. Integrity, which manifests itself through honesty, is the key to good character.