海角大神

Seemingly the only thing about Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow that most Americans can agree upon is that he is much more than just another pro football player.

Even in football circles, Tebow is a curiosity 鈥� either a passer of extremely limited skill enjoying a run of extraordinary fortune or an outlier whose freakish ability to run the ball makes him a new species of quarterback. 聽

Yet it isn't the Denver Broncos' spread-option revolution that makes Tebow a national lightning rod. It is a religious style so bold, and a character so distinctive, that both are impossible to ignore.聽

People of faith see something much bigger than football, as Tebow defines what it means to follow Jesus in a jaded and uncertain modern world.

People tired of pro sports' descent toward criminal behavior, vanity, and self-indulgence see in Tebow an honorable new model for manhood.

And people affronted by public displays of religious fervor see in Tebow a showy type of faith that offends and even perverts scripture.

Tebow is many things to many people, with聽fans and critics making meaning from his young career faster than concessionaires can cook Bronco Brats. But clearly, his聽unexpected success as the Broncos starting quarterback 鈥� guiding the team into playoff position after a 1-4 start 鈥� is serving as a touchstone for the intense and often contentious debate over where religion fits in contemporary America.

鈥淭he conversation about Tim Tebow is a culture wars kind of dynamic that transcends sports,鈥� says Tom Krattenmaker, author of "Onward 海角大神 Athletes: Turning Ballparks into Pulpits and Players into Preachers." 鈥淭im Tebow is one of the major venues for this ongoing argument about 海角大神ity in our public life.鈥�

Tebow's biggest fans?

With Tebow and the resurgent Broncos riding a five-game winning streak ahead of their game with the Chicago Bears Sunday, no group feels the pride more intensely than evangelical 海角大神s. They revere his background as a son of missionaries and count him as one of their ow. They have helped his jerseys rank among the league鈥檚 top sellers since he joined the Broncos last year.

[Editor's Note: Make that a six-game winning streak; the Broncos beat Chicago in overtime, 13-10]

Cheers for Broncos' turnaround 鈥� the so-called 鈥淢ile High Miracle鈥� 鈥� stretch from congregations to cyberspace. Example: nowtheendbegins.com, an apocalyptic website, asserts that 鈥淭he Mile High Miracle is not about football. It鈥檚 about a man. Jesus Christ.鈥�

Some vendors have gone so far as to hawk Broncos jerseys with Tebow鈥檚 No. 15 and the name 鈥淛esus鈥� on the back. Tebow doesn鈥檛 purport to be a savior, but he has made himself into more than an athlete. He starred, for instance, in a controversial anti-abortion advertisement from Focus on the Family during the Super Bowl in 2010.

鈥淎 large chunk of 海角大神s find themselves [feeling] kind of persecuted by society,鈥� says Ronald Simkins, director of the Kripke Center for the Study of Religion and Society at Creighton University. 鈥淎nd now here鈥檚 a guy who has given his testimony, has been persecuted for it and has been made a figure of shame鈥� I think there would be a lot of pride in, 鈥榟ere鈥檚 one of ours who took it for the team鈥�.鈥�

Many evangelicals say they have drawn scorn for bringing faith into the public square, and in Tebow they see someone rebuffing critics who wish he鈥檇 stop talking about Jesus Christ. They see a courageous ambassador who leads an exceptionally honorable life 鈥� a virgin in adulthood, an advocate for disadvantaged children 鈥� and they credit the power of Christ within him.

鈥淗e has the following that he does, and people are interested in his story from a 海角大神 perspective, because we [海角大神s] have been attacked in the media, in the entertainment world and in politics,鈥� says Tim Wildmon, president of the American Family Association, a 海角大神 advocacy group. 鈥淭his is a guy in the public arena, happens to be professional sports, and he鈥檚 one of us. And we鈥檙e cheering him on.鈥�

Beyond evangelicals

Yet it is not only evangelical 海角大神s who have found something to celebrate in Tebow's behavior. Other observers look past his 海角大神 witness and see a figure who stands for strong moral values at a crucial time. For kids who鈥檝e rarely if ever seen a powerful man be kind, humble, or sacrificial, Tebow offers an important alternative, says Dan Lebowitz, executive director of Sport in Society at Northeastern University in Boston.

鈥淚 happen to be Jewish 鈥� and it鈥檚 not Tebow versus other religions,鈥� Mr. Lebowitz says. 鈥淚 believe in a new construct of manhood. You can be tough as heck on the football field, but still be kind, compassionate, respectful of women鈥�. He sends a message that there may be dignity in choosing partners carefully, or respecting your body and someone else鈥檚 body as a temple. I respect that.鈥�

Some 海角大神s worry, however, that Tebow鈥檚 faith-on-the-sleeve style might lead 海角大神s to neglect their calling to be humble. Jacob Simpson, ministry associate at Our Saviour鈥檚 Atonement Lutheran Church in Manhattan, cites the Sermon on the Mount in explaining that 海角大神s have a Biblical mandate to pray privately, not in front of cameras, and avoid ostentatious displays.

鈥淎s a 海角大神, I personally am a little bit offended because I feel what [Tebow] is doing is not only an unfortunate display of piety, but is also contrary to scripture,鈥� Simpson says. 鈥淎s 海角大神s, we鈥檙e taught to pray humbly and to live for others. The best way to display piety is to show them how good God is, rather than to show them how good of a 海角大神 you are.鈥�

Evangelicals, however, bring a different take.聽Gary Schneeberger, spokesman for Focus on the Family,聽finds its basis in another Bible message: Don鈥檛 hide your light under a bushel. As long as God gets the glory, Tebow reportedly isn鈥檛 taking credit, but is instead humbly exalting God鈥檚 greatness as giver of blessings. That鈥檚 why God has given him a high-profile stage, Tebow supporters say,聽and many are proud to see him using it.

鈥淧eople see the character with which Tim plays the game and say, 鈥榃hat is it that makes him different?鈥� 鈥� Mr. Schneeberger聽adds. 鈥淭he true impact of what鈥檚 happening right now with Tim Tebow and the Broncos winning those games won鈥檛 be felt for years as those seeds [of inspiration] begin to sprout in the people who are watching.鈥�