Today America watches the most important football game of the year.
No, it's not the Super Bowl.
It's the game where we get to see whether God still loves Tim Tebow.
This is a great story, American myth at its finest. Because it is not a story about authentic Christianity, or even Tim Tebow himself.
Photo found here.
It's a story overlaid on the resurrection template followed by most if not all American stories.
What do I mean by "resurrection template"? That there is a story pattern in American myth-- mainly Hollywood stories, but lots of others-- lifted directly from the gospel stories of Jesus' resurrection in AD 30 or thereabouts. The pattern goes like this: the good guys start out hoping for a great victory over evil, and there is some promise it will happen. Unfortunately, things go from bad to worse, and suddenly you're staring at defeat.
But somehow, out of nowhere, a miracle occurs and the good guys win anyway.
Just like the resurrection of Jesus after his death and three-day stay in the tomb.
I saw this pattern most recently in the 1999 movie "Never Been Kissed" starring one of my very favorite actresses, Drew Barrymore. It's not a spoiler to say that the resurrection moment in this movie (a romantic resurrection) takes place on an athletic field, the prime place for American miracles to occur.
So far, so good. But what makes Tim Tebow's potential resurrection any different from that of the other seven quarterbacks who will be vying for glory this weekend?
Tim Tebow himself is a supremely gifted athlete who grew up a missionary kid. That type of combination usually results in a very successful person. The athletic ability confers confidence, decisiveness and courage. The MK background makes for a mature, humble, resourceful and resilient Christian. MKs go in the same maturity category as military brats, who also spend a lot of time having to sacrifice their own wishes and desires for the good of others-- and travel a lot to boot.
But this story goes way beyond Tebow the person.
Tebow is already an underdog with a history of miracles achieved. He took over a mediocre team at mid-season, won 6 straight games in dramatic fashion, then lost 3 in a row, then won his most recent game with a dazzling 80-yard touchdown on the first play of overtime. He will be playing against the hated New England Patriots with their rock star quarterback, Tom Brady, and the devil incarnate coach Bill Bellichick (who has been actually convicted of cheating).
That might be enough to make this the biggest game of the year.
But Tebow, through his public confession of faith in Christ, has also made the specific connection between God, Christianity, and the generic resurrection story pattern, which is not thought of a Christian by most Americans.
This high octane mix of faith and myth combusts American imaginations. We are romantics. We are resurrectionists, as a people. Even non-Christians want to believe that God really does exist and resurrection is real.
Many of us will go into this game hoping that Tim Tebow will win, against all odds. Some of us will be rooting against him (mostly Patriot fans). And the rest of us will at least be curious.
Some people might believe this game is a referendum on evangelical Christianity. If Tebow loses, somehow God is against people who are in your face about Jesus their Lord and personal savior. Or maybe there's no God at all and it was just random what Tebow was doing.
Folks. It's just a game. Really, it's a story. A live, unfolding by the minute story. It will be entertaining and energizing. But it's not about just Tebow. He has 50 teammates, including a phenomenal field goal kicker, Matt Prater, and a receiver, Demaryius Thomas, who can catch a pass and take an 80-yard broken-field run.
And whether God is there or not is not dependent on the outcome of this story. Those who believe have already heard The Story, and that is enough for us.
David, how eloquent is your meditation and dissection of the myths we pursue. I'll be watching!
Lyn
Posted by: Lyn | January 14, 2012 at 01:47 PM
Turned out the 49ers-Saints was more compelling football. Definite resurrection moment in that game-- at least for 49ers fans.
Posted by: DF | January 15, 2012 at 12:26 PM