Jeremy Lin has been all the hype this week, but in case you’re still not familiar with him, or are still navigating the waters, we’ve rounded up some of the best coverage of Lin and his faith from the past week. But before taking off, for a bit of Lin’s background story and comparison to the popular Christian athlete Tim Tebow, see Sojourners’ assistant’s Joshua Witchger and James Colten’s article “The Lin-carnation of Tim Tebow?” And for a little exploration on crafting our own heroes, see God’s Politics contributor Christian Piatt’s “Jeremy Lin and Messiah Formula.”
NBA Rising Star Jeremy Lin Not Too Busy to Pray via Chrisma News
While a student at Harvard University, Lin was actively involved in the InterVarsity Asian American Ministries and the Harvard-Radcliffe Asian American Christian Fellowship. Reporter Gordon Govier mines this side of Lin, talking with some who knew him in this context.
“As they take on more influence in our culture, like Jeremy Lin, we hope that our ministries will prepare Asian Americans to exert that influence with the love and values of Jesus.” - James Choung [director of InterVarsity AAM]
The Problem of Jeremy Lin via New York Times (OPINION)
This op-ed in The New York Times highlights the apparent contradictions between professional sports and religion, offering points worth considering when it comes to the framework of sports and success.
“The moral ethos of sport is in tension with the moral ethos of faith, whether Jewish, Christian or Muslim. The moral universe of modern sport is oriented around victory and supremacy. The sports hero tries to perform great deeds in order to win glory and fame. It doesn’t really matter whether he has good intentions. His job is to beat his opponents and avoid the oblivion that goes with defeat.”
Exclusive: Jeremy Lin Says Faith in God Triggered 'Lin-sanity' via The San Jose Mercury News
This is one of the first big pieces on Lin and his faith, often cited in many of the stories resulting from Lin’s rise to stardom. And true to the title, it takes a personal look at Lin’s faith, achievements, and public fascination.
“With all the media attention, all the love from the fans (in the Bay Area), I felt I needed to prove myself. Prove that I'm not a marketing tool, I'm not a ploy to improve attendance. Prove I can play in this league. But I've surrendered that to God. I'm not in a battle with what everybody else thinks anymore."
Linsanity! Jeremy Lin Talks About God on Taiwanese Christian Channel GoodTV via Shanghaiist
Lin is given a lengthy interview on the Taiwanese Christian television station GoodTV, where he discusses: struggle and overcoming obstacles, what new things he’s been discovering about God, his favorite Bible verses, and more. You’ll have to navigate through the first few minutes of the show until Lin comes in, but it’s a conversation worth hearing for anyone interested in his personal faith narrative.
Jeremy Lin's Favorite Christian Rapper: Lecrae Moore Blends Hip Hop with Faith [VIDEO] via International Business Times
Jeremy Lin recently told reporters that his favorite rapper is Lacrae Moore, an up-and-coming Christian artist who experienced a profound conversion to Christianity. “I really enjoy his lyrics as well, so if you're a big lyrics guy I think that will be a good fit for you," says Lin.
The Secret of Jeremy Lin’s Success via The Atlantic
What’s “The Secret of Jeremy Lin’s success?” This piece takes a multifaceted look at this talented young athlete. From his awareness on the court to the rich history of holistic eastern culture. Perhaps there’s more to Lin than meets the eye.
“One of the most intriguing cultural contrasts between eastern and western ways of viewing the world was documented in experiments by the psychologist Richard Nisbett, some of them in collaboration with Takahiko Masuda. The upshot was that East Asians tend to view scenes more holistically than westerners…”
‘Linsanity’ Is Contender for Word of Year, Dialect Society Says via Bloomsberg Businessweek
We’re only two months into the new year and we’ve already found a word that’s being considered for “Word of the Year!”
“It’s helpful that his name, Lin, is so simple,” Zimmer, executive producer of the Visual Thesaurus and Vocabulary.com, said yesterday in a telephone interview. “It lends itself well to this type of word play.”
An Odd Game a Grandmother Can Appreciate via The New York Times
This piece takes a look at the history behind the Lin family. From the pastor-grandfather to cultural transitions (Lin’s grandmother reacting to his chosen profession).
“'I know nothing about basketball. I only know when Jeremy puts the ball in the basket he has done a good thing.'"
Jeremy Lin Pondering How to Give God More Glory via The Christian Post
It was during those hard moments, though, that he drew closer to God with daily devotionals and prayer. And now, he says he's free."I've surrendered that to God. I'm not in a battle with what everybody else thinks anymore," he told the newspaper.
Who is Jeremy Lin’s Pastor? via The Christian Post
After the Knicks' win over the Lakers, Lin tweeted, "Gutsy win … 5 in a row! This team is so unselfish and has so much heart. Love playing with them! God is good!"
Lin's pastor, Stephen Chen, noted in the radio interview that "obviously, he's (Lin) overwhelmed by a lot of people demanding his time, pulling him in a lot of different directions. He understands that at any moment he can go from hero to zero."
HAD ENOUGH?
How to Overcome Jeremy Lin Fatigue via 8 Asians
And on a more light-hearted link, if you’re fatigued about the all the hype surrounding Jeremy Lin online and in the media, this Asian American blog gives five steps you can take to overcome “Jeremy Lin Fatigue.”
Step One: Delete every Asian American friend you have on facebook.
And finally... take a look at some of his highlights from this season...
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