Historian Hunter M. Hampton of Stephen F. Austin State University presents a history of how, from the game's early days, college football and a strain of masculine Christianity built a mutually reinforcing culture that taught lessons in America's dominant religious, gendered, and racial belief systems. He examines how Christians of many denominations embraced the game to shape their faith to meet changing social demands, seeking spiritual and personal meaning on the gridiron. Fans watched the action to find God's lessons for them, wins and losses expressing divine will while the game's popularity offered potent ways to evangelize non-believers. The sport also provided a stage for fostering Christian manhood, male community, gender dominance, and on-the-field heroic displays serving a higher purpose. Dr. Hunter will give a free online live lecture Monday, October 20, 7-8:30 PM via a Zoom webinar. Register at tinyurl.com/GridironGospel. The video will be simultaneously presented on FaceBook and Youtube.