Join us at 7 p.m. on Tuesday night for the first talk in our series, “Grandstanding Jesus: Sports and American Christianity” at the Rattlesnake Bar and Grill with the presentation beginning at 7:30 p.m.  We’ll see you there!

In this series we explore a variety of themes in the wide (and unexpected) world of sports and Christianity in the United States.

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

“Turn the Other Cheek vs. Here Comes the Boom! Boxing in Christian Imagination”

The Rev’d Eric Hillegas
Priest in Charge, St. Chrysostom’s Episcopal Church, Quincy, MA

Join Rev. Hillegas as he explores boxing from from athletic, cultural, and theological perspectives. His discussion will survey a range of stories that offer popular perceptions of the “sweet science”, from the inspirational Rocky Balboa to the darkly disturbing Fight Club. Rev. Hillegas will address the power and the perils of pugilism, inviting listeners to understand boxing as a spectacle, a saga, and a sacrament. Is boxing actually a means of grace? Let’s get ready to rumble!

Eric graduated from the University of Notre Dame and worked in various professional fields before his 2008 Ordination in the Episcopal Diocese of MA. In college Eric represented the Fighting Irish as co-captain of the Notre Dame Boxing Club, winning the University championship in his weight division in 1995. Eric believes that boxing has not only made him a better reader of St. Paul but also a better follower of Jesus. He currently “steps into the ring” every Sunday as the Priest in Charge at St. Chrysostom’s in Quincy.