God belongs in sports, as he does in all things, according to Dr. Edward Hastings, a professor of Sports and Spirituality at Villanova University, writes John Rader for The Loquitur.

Hastings, a Monsignor Bonner High School graduate, was part of the 1971 Villanova basketball team that reached the Final Four.

Hastings has a passion for God and sports, a blend of “Sportuality.”  He recently gave a special talk with the Cabrini student body.

One of the goals of spirituality is to try to see God in all things.

“We often believe as a society that God is not present in sports,” Hasting said, “If you want to see God in sports, you just need to know what you are looking for.”

That applies to rivalries, wins, losses, and athletic competition.

“What does God teach us in defeat?” Hastings asked the crowd.

We learn more from losing than winning. We learn about ourselves as we face adversity and it strengthens our bond with “our lord and savior.”

He also stressed the importance of treating our rivals with love and respect in the field of play.

“Your opponent is an extension of you, and you need to appreciate your opponent.”

Read more at The Loquitur about sports and spirituality.