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Tripp Hudgins' First Thoughts: Public Displays of Tebow

by Tripp Hudgins 01-17-2012 | 8:20am
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"Tebowing" shirt via Spreadshirt (http://bit.ly/ylgDCd)
"Tebowing" (http://bit.ly/ylgDCd)

I know it's late.

I know you are done with the guy and the Broncos' season is over.

Still, I have a question for you.

 

See video

Tripp Hudgins is a doctoral student in liturgical studies at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, Calif., and associate pastor of First Baptist Church of Palo Alto, Calif. You can read more of his writings on his longtime blog, "Conjectural Navel Gazing; Jesus in Lint Form" at AngloBaptist.org. This video post was edited by Jordan Krumbine.

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by: ClergyOpinion1

01-17-2012 @ 1:42pm

I dunno. Call me strange, but I like to watch people kissing.  It's an antidote to a life filled with media reports of death and destruction and the steady diet of mayhem and murder fed to us in movies and tv as "entertainment." I refrain from PDAs myself because I worry that those without a lover, partner, friend, spouse to hug and hold might find watching me a source of pain. But giving thanks to God is something anyone can do. So what's the issue? Let's all get down on one knee . . . couldn't hurt. There's a lot to be thankful for.

CarolineDyeMemorialChapel

by: CarolineDyeMemo...

01-17-2012 @ 2:43pm

In the popular mind -- after long, dedicated effort by the Religious Right -- exuberant displays of religiosity like Tim Tebow's are associated with the most mean-spirited, ignorant kinds of Bible literalism and social conservatism. I think it's mostly self-defense, more than "Get a room."

by: charliek2

01-17-2012 @ 3:41pm

No more about Tebow until August 2012? I think I can take it.

by: BlueDeacon

01-17-2012 @ 4:13pm
in reply to: charliek2

July, if you live in Colorado.

Tripp Hudgins

by: Tripp Hudgins

01-17-2012 @ 4:48pm
in reply to: BlueDeacon

Ha! Indeed.

by: speaker

01-17-2012 @ 4:29pm

It might not even be a matter of public displays of affection, it is in part what Carolin says that we do associate this behavior with the more militant and violent versions of the faith, but there is also a bit more going on. I think many of us have grown up taking Jesus' suggestion of praying in private and not letting our left hand know what the right is doing to heart. Overly pubic displays of religious piety seem to become more about the piety than religious expression. What is more, these displays tend shift the understanding of religious expression to the point that only personal piety is elevated to the most pure form of expression. Take for instance everyone is talking about Tebowing but nobody is pointing to any other aspect of Tebows life that might speak to the power of the Gospel in it. He says he has gifts, but are they to the transformation of world and promotion of justice or simply personal elevation? I don't know, this is not a conversation that is happening. God does not care who wins a football game, so what is he praying about? My inclination is that these sorts of behaviors fit into a larger conversation about the modern understanding about personal salvation and autonomy of the human self. Personal piety as the highest form of devotion to God has always been a supreme danger to the faith. How else are we to understand Jesus' harsh words for the Pharisees?

by: scat

01-17-2012 @ 11:47pm
in reply to: speaker

Speaker -- I think this very public display also reminds a lot of us of having been fooled by someone in our lives who publicly presented themselves as pious but in reality they were very nasty people.  I think so many of us have had that experience that when we see this very public Tebowing, we cringe.

In addition, a lot of us have a hard time putting into words our relationship with God and so we have come to keep it very private. I know I would have a very hard time explaining it to anyone. Any intimate relationship is for many of us a private matter. 

 

by: Sam Hamilton

01-19-2012 @ 10:30am
in reply to: speaker

Jesus' words to the Pharisees were a condemnation of their hypocrisy.  As you admitted, you don't know what Tebow is praying about or why he does it.  So let's not judge him.  Jesus' words to the Pharisees weren't an excuse for us to go around judging others' prayer life, but an admonition to think about our own.

If you look, lots of writers have written and commented on other aspects of Tebow's life that speak to the power of the Gospel in it.  God's Politics hasn't (their authors have focused entirely on the controversial praying), but other writers, blogs, newspaper articles, etc. have.

by: thevanished

01-17-2012 @ 7:37pm

This guy is far more annoying than Tim Tebow could ever hope to be. I can't watch this.

by: Squeaky

01-18-2012 @ 2:09am
in reply to: thevanished

"I can't watch this."

Wait...you can't watch this...and yet you know he is annoying...how could you know that without watching it?  

In any case, Sojo has been slammed for being so negative about Tebow, and the author actually defends Tebow's Tebowing, but, apparently it is impossible to watch...  

Eh--yuh.

Tripp Hudgins

by: Tripp Hudgins

01-18-2012 @ 1:44am

The issue of intimacy is a good one. I wonder what it's like to be a professional athelete...do they love the attention? Tune it out? Is Tebow, as an example, aware of the show or is it something where he tunes everyone out? I'm not defending the practice, per se, but I think it's actually rather complicated. 

Private, intimate, proclamatory, their lives are on display? It's hard to know.

Regarding the history of seemingly righteous people falling short, yeah. That's what gets me. I assume he a hypocrite in the making, but to refute that point Tebow is giving his money away through his foundation. ESPN writers are often defending him. His fellow Christian football players defend him. It's interesting.

Now, is he a good enough quarterback to succeed in the NFL? Who knows?

by: Sam Hamilton

01-19-2012 @ 10:29am
in reply to: Tripp Hudgins

Good points Tripp.  Unfortunately, we're all hypocrites in the making.  Actually, we're all hypocrites now.  No one lives up to Jesus' standard all the time.  Christians in the public eye need to be even more concerned about this though.  Tebow needs to be extra careful.  Perhaps knowing that though is what will help him walk the walk.

Tripp Hudgins

by: Tripp Hudgins

01-18-2012 @ 1:44am

The issue of intimacy is a good one. I wonder what it's like to be a professional athelete...do they love the attention? Tune it out? Is Tebow, as an example, aware of the show or is it something where he tunes everyone out? I'm not defending the practice, per se, but I think it's actually rather complicated. 

Private, intimate, proclamatory, their lives are on display? It's hard to know.

Regarding the history of seemingly righteous people falling short, yeah. That's what gets me. I assume he a hypocrite in the making, but to refute that point Tebow is giving his money away through his foundation. ESPN writers are often defending him. His fellow Christian football players defend him. It's interesting.

Now, is he a good enough quarterback to succeed in the NFL? Who knows?

Comments sorted by highest rated. After voting you must refresh your page to see the sort order change.

by: ClergyOpinion1

01-17-2012 @ 1:42pm

I dunno. Call me strange, but I like to watch people kissing.  It's an antidote to a life filled with media reports of death and destruction and the steady diet of mayhem and murder fed to us in movies and tv as "entertainment." I refrain from PDAs myself because I worry that those without a lover, partner, friend, spouse to hug and hold might find watching me a source of pain. But giving thanks to God is something anyone can do. So what's the issue? Let's all get down on one knee . . . couldn't hurt. There's a lot to be thankful for.

CarolineDyeMemorialChapel

by: CarolineDyeMemo...

01-17-2012 @ 2:43pm

In the popular mind -- after long, dedicated effort by the Religious Right -- exuberant displays of religiosity like Tim Tebow's are associated with the most mean-spirited, ignorant kinds of Bible literalism and social conservatism. I think it's mostly self-defense, more than "Get a room."

by: BlueDeacon

01-17-2012 @ 4:13pm
in reply to: charliek2

July, if you live in Colorado.

by: Sam Hamilton

01-19-2012 @ 10:29am
in reply to: Tripp Hudgins

Good points Tripp.  Unfortunately, we're all hypocrites in the making.  Actually, we're all hypocrites now.  No one lives up to Jesus' standard all the time.  Christians in the public eye need to be even more concerned about this though.  Tebow needs to be extra careful.  Perhaps knowing that though is what will help him walk the walk.

by: Sam Hamilton

01-19-2012 @ 10:30am
in reply to: speaker

Jesus' words to the Pharisees were a condemnation of their hypocrisy.  As you admitted, you don't know what Tebow is praying about or why he does it.  So let's not judge him.  Jesus' words to the Pharisees weren't an excuse for us to go around judging others' prayer life, but an admonition to think about our own.

If you look, lots of writers have written and commented on other aspects of Tebow's life that speak to the power of the Gospel in it.  God's Politics hasn't (their authors have focused entirely on the controversial praying), but other writers, blogs, newspaper articles, etc. have.

by: charliek2

01-17-2012 @ 3:41pm

No more about Tebow until August 2012? I think I can take it.

by: speaker

01-17-2012 @ 4:29pm

It might not even be a matter of public displays of affection, it is in part what Carolin says that we do associate this behavior with the more militant and violent versions of the faith, but there is also a bit more going on. I think many of us have grown up taking Jesus' suggestion of praying in private and not letting our left hand know what the right is doing to heart. Overly pubic displays of religious piety seem to become more about the piety than religious expression. What is more, these displays tend shift the understanding of religious expression to the point that only personal piety is elevated to the most pure form of expression. Take for instance everyone is talking about Tebowing but nobody is pointing to any other aspect of Tebows life that might speak to the power of the Gospel in it. He says he has gifts, but are they to the transformation of world and promotion of justice or simply personal elevation? I don't know, this is not a conversation that is happening. God does not care who wins a football game, so what is he praying about? My inclination is that these sorts of behaviors fit into a larger conversation about the modern understanding about personal salvation and autonomy of the human self. Personal piety as the highest form of devotion to God has always been a supreme danger to the faith. How else are we to understand Jesus' harsh words for the Pharisees?

Tripp Hudgins

by: Tripp Hudgins

01-17-2012 @ 4:48pm
in reply to: BlueDeacon

Ha! Indeed.

by: thevanished

01-17-2012 @ 7:37pm

This guy is far more annoying than Tim Tebow could ever hope to be. I can't watch this.

by: scat

01-17-2012 @ 11:47pm
in reply to: speaker

Speaker -- I think this very public display also reminds a lot of us of having been fooled by someone in our lives who publicly presented themselves as pious but in reality they were very nasty people.  I think so many of us have had that experience that when we see this very public Tebowing, we cringe.

In addition, a lot of us have a hard time putting into words our relationship with God and so we have come to keep it very private. I know I would have a very hard time explaining it to anyone. Any intimate relationship is for many of us a private matter. 

 

Tripp Hudgins

by: Tripp Hudgins

01-18-2012 @ 1:44am

The issue of intimacy is a good one. I wonder what it's like to be a professional athelete...do they love the attention? Tune it out? Is Tebow, as an example, aware of the show or is it something where he tunes everyone out? I'm not defending the practice, per se, but I think it's actually rather complicated. 

Private, intimate, proclamatory, their lives are on display? It's hard to know.

Regarding the history of seemingly righteous people falling short, yeah. That's what gets me. I assume he a hypocrite in the making, but to refute that point Tebow is giving his money away through his foundation. ESPN writers are often defending him. His fellow Christian football players defend him. It's interesting.

Now, is he a good enough quarterback to succeed in the NFL? Who knows?

Tripp Hudgins

by: Tripp Hudgins

01-18-2012 @ 1:44am

The issue of intimacy is a good one. I wonder what it's like to be a professional athelete...do they love the attention? Tune it out? Is Tebow, as an example, aware of the show or is it something where he tunes everyone out? I'm not defending the practice, per se, but I think it's actually rather complicated. 

Private, intimate, proclamatory, their lives are on display? It's hard to know.

Regarding the history of seemingly righteous people falling short, yeah. That's what gets me. I assume he a hypocrite in the making, but to refute that point Tebow is giving his money away through his foundation. ESPN writers are often defending him. His fellow Christian football players defend him. It's interesting.

Now, is he a good enough quarterback to succeed in the NFL? Who knows?

by: Squeaky

01-18-2012 @ 2:09am
in reply to: thevanished

"I can't watch this."

Wait...you can't watch this...and yet you know he is annoying...how could you know that without watching it?  

In any case, Sojo has been slammed for being so negative about Tebow, and the author actually defends Tebow's Tebowing, but, apparently it is impossible to watch...  

Eh--yuh.