The Church

Question 1

Why did the church promote sport?
social control

Answer 1

• control behaviour of people so it could improve
• diverting people from ‘less socially acceptable activities’ e.g. drinking + gambling
  Examples: affluent churches formed tennis clubs
  hockey clubs formed - church owned land used

Question 2

Why did the church promote sport?
attendance

Answer 2

To help church attendance and swell congregations
E.g.
YMCA
End up with more money and people

Question 3

Why did the church promote sport?
health

Answer 3

improve morality and health or working classes
- sport viewed as good way of promoting christian values (honest, kind, self control) as well as improve physical health of working class population

Question 4

What opportunities did church provide?
participation

Answer 4

approval and active involvement by clergy gave encouragement for WC people to participate in rationalised sporting activity e.g. association football
therefore participation increased

Question 5

What opportunities did church provide?
teams/ leagues

Answer 5

church organised teams, set up clubs and organised competitions
e.g. Aston Villa origins traceable to Villa Cross Methodist Church

Question 6

What opportunities did church provide?
facilities

Answer 6

provided facilities
- church halls
- church land used e.g. football pitch

Question 7

What opportunities did church provide?
church groups

Answer 7

number of church groups formed with sporting involvement as key part of program
e.g. The Boys Brigade, Scouts, YMCA