A new US documentary sheds light on Christian 'fight clubs' which uses Mixed Martial Arts as an outreach tool. Fight Church is directed by Oscar-winning film-maker Daniel Junge, and features several pastors who compete against one another in the ring and even run ministries which train young fighters.
The trailer (below) suggests that the practice partly responds to "feminised Christianity", with one fighter telling the camera that "tough guys need Jesus too."
The film includes the voices of church leaders who oppose the practice, which they claim is entirely incompatible with a faith focused on love and peace. There are also contributions from Christian MMA fighters who have made careers in mainstream fighting competitions and say their faith informs and supports their participation in violent sport.
Fight Church has just been released on DVD and on-demand in the US. The 84-minute film, which has attracted broadly positive reviews, seeks to answer the key question: "can you love your neighbour as yourself, and at the same time knee him in the face as hard as you can?"
Visit the official site.
