In the 2025 Archival Research Lecture, Dr. Paul Putz reflects on the historical significance of sports as a source of religious identity and considers how Christians can engage with the past in a way that provides a deeper sense of purpose and mission for communities in the present.

Paul Putz (PhD, Baylor University) is Director of the Faith & Sports Institute and Program Director for the M.A. in Theology and Sports Studies at Baylor University’s Truett Seminary. His first book, The Spirit of the Game: American Christianity and Big‑Time Sports, was published by Oxford University Press in 2024. 

Following the lecture will be a response from Wheaton’s Athletic Director Mike Schauer, along with a reception and exhibit of documents from the Archives.

Sponsored by the Wheaton Archives & Special Collections and the Wheaton College History Department through funding from the Harold C. Smith Foundation.

For more information, contact Wheaton Archives & Special Collections at 630.752.5910 or archives@wheaton.edu.