Sabrina Little, in an essay for Aeon, takes up a question that I’ve been interested in for some time: Does it take a bad person to be a good athlete? She argues that certain behaviors—like selfishness, envy, and pride—are “performance-enhancing vices.” While considered vicious in other realms, these behaviors actually aid the athlete in their pursuit of greatness. Little explains,

Performance-enhancing vices are defects of character, or traits that otherwise detract from a well-ordered, flourishing life, which help one become a more successful sportsperson. In general, we can identify them by asking ourselves whether certain traits that help us be competitive in sports also impede our ability to be loving friends or responsible citizens. These vices may undermine our ability to have a long view of sports and life – to think sustainably about how we use our bodies – and they can prevent us from maintaining a balance of interests outside the sport.

As I’ve discussed this with friends, the particular angle that we’ve taken on this question has been: Does Christian faith aid or hinder someone in athletics? Often, my interlocutors have argued that, on the whole, Christianity is compatible with athletic excellence. To them, there is nothing about Christianity that would hinder an athlete from performing at the highest level and achieving excellence in their sport. I, on the other hand, have wanted to argue the opposite: My inclination has been to see Christian faith as more a hindrance than a boon to athletic achievement. With this essay, Sabrina Little has provided me with a richer vocabulary for registering my dissent. The notion of “performance-enhancing vices” is a pretty big hurdle to get over for those who would argue that Christianity improves sporting performance.