One of my former college lecturers asked the question, ' which of our colleges had an Olympic gold medallist as a student, training as a Christian minister?' He gave us a clue that part of his life was made into the Oscar winning film chariots of Fire. This made me look through my old videos to re-acquaint myself with the hero of the story Eric Liddell, a Christian Athlete, and a Jewish athlete Harold Abraham’s who ran in the 1924 Paris Olympic games.

 

I found this true story as exciting as when I first watched it. Liddell was thought to be the fastest sprinter in Britain and a certainty for a gold medal in the 100 meters. But when the race was scheduled on a Sunday, Liddell's religious convictions caused him to withdraw.  A sympathetic team-mate offered his place in another race on a different day. Eric accepted the offer gladly and won the Gold. When he was about to run the race a competitor handed him a piece of paper on which was written the Bible verse: ' Those who honour me, I will honour'.

 

The modern Olympics have often been the focus for individuals taking a stand on matters of principle. Most notably, Jessie Owens who at the 1936 Berlin Games, won four gold medals and mocked Hitler's beliefs in white supremacy. 20 years after the Paris Olympics Liddell was interned in a Japanese camp. Here a group of youngsters playing hockey on Sunday ended up fighting each other. A week later Eric Liddell after a life-time of no sport on Sunday, volunteered to be the referee. He died in that camp, a great Olympian but a Christian who always put God first in his life and a man of principle.

 

By Revd John Jenkinson, Minister of Longcauseway United Reformed and Methodist, and Highfield URC. On behalf  of the Churches Together in Dewsbury.