Finding Atonement in the Greatest Rivalry in College Basketball

“You may not know what this means because you don’t live in North Carolina” my friend began. “But, for us, if just for a moment, hell froze over.”

He was talking about the greatest rivalry in all of college basketball:

Duke versus North Carolina.

They played last night at Duke University. It was the 239^th game of their rivalry. The teams are similar in their successful histories. Even their different shades of the same color of blue point to their similarities. And those similarities only increase the intensity of their rivalry. Every minute of this particular game was worthy of the rivalry’s competitive reputation. The score went back and forth, and even into the drama of overtime. In the end, Duke defeated North Carolina 92-90.

I’ve written about sports before – usually in a critical way. As a young parent, I’ve seen how sports indoctrinates our children into a mentality that pits people against each other. Sure, sports might be playful, but it creates sides. Sports may teach children about teamwork, but it also teaches them how to unite against other people.

Atonement primarily means reconciliation. At-one-ment; we are meant to be at one with God, humanity, and creation. But the way we often find atonement to heal our internal rivalries is by violently uniting in hostile opposition against a common enemy.

And throughout our lives we continue to find unity in hostile opposition to other people. Democrats versus Republicans; Liberals versus Conservatives; Christians versus Muslims; the 99% versus the 1%; Fundamentalists versus Progressives; the United States versus ISIS. Unfortunately, the list goes on and on.

Which leads me back to hell freezing over last night at Duke University. The competitive rivalry took a back stage to something far more important. Before the game, we witnessed a moment of nonviolent Atonement.

Duke and North Carolina players and coaches huddled together at center court in a moment of silence to honor the life of North Carolina coach Dean Smith, who recently passed away. Men and teenagers marked by different shades of blue came together, arm in arm, to offer respect to a man who was so much more than a great basketball coach.

Jim Wallis wrote a moving article about Smith over at Sojourners. He states that Smith took controversial moral stands, including the fight to end racial segregation, speaking out against the nuclear arms race, working toward gay rights, and opposing the death penalty. Smith was dedicated to these social issues because of his faith. Wallis quotes Smith’s autobiography, A Coach’s Life,

God loves all humans the same…I could be wrong, but it is enough for me to know we are all loved, forgiven, and accepted as we are…I believe the Christian faith is motivated by gratitude, which we can repay with ethical actions to others.

True Atonement is not about hostile opposition. Rather, true atonement is based on the fact that “God loves all humans the same…we are all loved, forgiven, and accepted as we are.”

The hostile rivalries that we create in opposition to one another are not God’s plan. God’s plan is for us to find Atonement, to find reconciliation, through a love that accepts one another just as we are.

So, if just for a moment, hell froze over in North Carolina last night. But that moment of silence soon gave way to the crowd’s roar of rivalry. But maybe, just maybe, that moment of silent reconciliation will plant seeds of compassion and God’s nonviolent love will take root in our hearts.

Atonement and Current Events is a blog series for use as sermon illustrations or as a conversation starter with small groups. We hope to hearing about your experience with using this series in your preaching and teaching.