If I am right, every international football code is played in Australia. I say this because last night while driving back from a Tuesday night pizza delivery I passed a ground where about thirty odd people in helmets and shoulder pads were training for American Football.
They were divided up into the three teams (offensive, defensive and special) and they were in between scrimmages. The cold night adding to the sight under the floodlights as the small clouds of hot air from each player slowly cooled and dissipated, quickly followed by another. It was a sight that an impressionist painter could have a great time trying to capture.
That same night next to the pizza shop where I work is the training ground for the Eastern Ranges Football club. They are the TAC Cup, under 18's team in the East of Melbourne. Most Tuesday nights when walking from the car to the shop you can hear the young men being put through their paces.
Each one with dreams of playing in the AFL. At this stage in their football career they are only a few years from being able to apply for the draft. Two steps to an AFL club. Three steps from stardom? Well, maybe.
A National Church of Football
All across this nation there are other young players, all progressing through the stages and working towards the pinnacle of their chosen football code. It's a denominational division like how our nation has no official religion or state Church. I am sure you may have thought or even had the occasional passionate advocate for a single united Christianity. Well the many and disparate football codes that are played in this country have had that thought too.
So…. there is this little tournament that gets held every four years called the World Cup of Football. Yes, I hear those sighing in the back rows, rolling their eyes in grief and boredom and exasperation as another code of football holds its “Worldwide” tournament.
We have had Rugby Union, and Rugby League World Cups. The Australian Rules International Cup was won last year by Papua New Guinea. And now horror of horrors the “world game” is being held in Russia this year and Australia is a part of it again. Yay!
Uniting Not Yet United
Though despite the recent success of the Socceroos in being able to qualify for the last four World Cup finals, only one attempt has made it past the first round. There is dark little thought in the mind of every futbol fan in Australia. What if the only football code was ours. Can you imagine the massive wealth of all six codes flowing into the Socceroos lineup?
If that was true Australia would have won two World Cups by now. The way we punch above our weight at any international level I have no doubt it would occur. But we live in a nation with six codes.
The History of the Church begins in Jerusalem and fans across the globe, where today there are the many different variations. Some are divided by language, some by tenants and dogma, others began as protests. I am sure there are those who see the many different church buildings dotted across our towns and cities and assume Christianity is very divided. I often wonder if this division is for our own benefit.
Football clubs use the word united. The Uniting Church does not. It hopes to see us all unified but this a hope that is, and should always be, one of Christ's doing. When humans try this with football clubs you do get those who oppose it. Some vitriolically. Rarely, in the country when it is the only option to both clubs dying do they join together to keep a shared light burning.
God’s Children Taking their Ball Home
The Disciples came to Jesus and asked a silly question once. Well, they asked heaps of them but this one was about who would be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Jesus called a child from the many around and said...
“Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” (NASB)
I am reminded of a joke by Jerry Sienfeld where he tells us that as a child anyone who is outside my house, right now, is my friend. And, if we both like the same things then we’re best friends. Throw a ball in front of kids and they start to grab it, run with it, kick it, throw it. No rules. They just do it.
Slowly formal rules are made up. Then one kid gets a bit angry and takes their ball home. It rarely lasts long and soon they are all playing together again. I wonder if that is how God sees us? We are all outside together and a few of us have decided to take our balls home with us for a while.
I believe there will be a day when the Churches of every Nation and division will gather together. It is not by my hand that it will happen though. Mind you, I also hope fervently that one day a team from the southern hemisphere in gold and, NOT Brazil, will win the FIFA World Cup. At least one of them will happen. But I am greedy and I want both.
Phillip Hall is currently studying at the University of Divinity about obscure German philosophers and trying to finish his major essay before the World Cup begins. It is a going to be a close thing. Just like the Socceroos chances of getting past the groups stage in Russia next month.