SUMMARY
- Michael Jordan grew up in a Christian household wherein religion was a nonnegotiable priority.
- In an interview with GQ Magazine in 1989, Jordan opened up about why he stopped going to Church.
Michael Jordan is undeniably among the greatest players in the history of the NBA. His name is synonymous with basketball excellence. Despite playing his last game decades ago, Jordan continues to be the face of the league and an inspiration for countless people. His professional life as well as personal life is widely renowned and celebrated by many.
However, his religious beliefs are comparatively less known and talked about. This is exactly why fans have wondered for the longest time whether Jordan is a Christian and goes to church or not. Notably, he made his debut in the league in 1984 after being picked by the Chicago Bulls. Jordan played his first NBA game on October 26, 1984, and it was a perfect start to his incredible journey.
Throughout his 15-year-long career which included three retirements, Jordan broke and made some unbreakable records. He famously won MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, and the scoring title all in one single season, a record that remains unbreakable to date. In addition to this, Jordan won the NBA Championship title six times, six NBA Finals MVP trophies, five NBA MVP awards, and much more.
Furthermore, Jordan changed the sneaker game and paved the way for athlete endorsements with his infamous Nike contract. Almost every person dreams of owning at least a pair of Air Jordans in their life. It is not only a fashion statement but an emotion that his fans feel. Interestingly, last year, Jordan bagged more than 350% of his entire NBA career earnings because of his sneaker line.
Michael Jordan was raised in a religious Christian household
Michael Jordan was born on February 17, 1963, in Brooklyn, New York. His parents, the late James Jordan and Deloris Jordan created a safe loving home for Michael and his four siblings. On various occasions, Michael has spoken about the support that his parents extended to him growing up, it was his mother, Deloris, who made Michael get on the plane to sign his first Nike deal. On the other hand, James’ advice steered his son on the right path.
Furthermore, Deloris and James were religious and raised Michael in a Christian household. The former Bulls player’s mother once spoke to the Christian Broadcasting Network about religious activities. Deloris said, “Church, like education, was one of those nonnegotiable priorities in the Jordan family.” She continued to talk about how weekly attendance wasn’t merely expected of Michael and his siblings but a requirement.
Notably, after Michael’s father, James‘ murder, Deloris stood strong for her children. She likely drew power and immersed her trust in God to keep going. Michael’s mother is widely regarded as one of the strongest and most supportive women in his life. Fans strongly believe that His Airness wouldn’t have been able to achieve even half of what he did if Deloris didn’t have his back.
What is the Church of Michael Jordan?
Michael Jordan’s popularity has been ever-growing. Despite playing his last NBA games years ago, he remains in the headlines. Recently, a throwback photo of Michael with his parents, Deloris and James swirled around the internet and won the hearts of fans.
Fans have all kinds of ways to pay their tribute and honor his legacy. Among all the ways, one that distinctively stands out is a Church and religion that is solely dedicated to Jordan. The Church of Michael Jordan is gaining attention and has piqued the curiosity of countless fans to know more about it. It is an organization that is dedicated to the promotion of a cult religion called ‘Jordanity.’
As per resources, there are six such Churches of MJ. All of them are within separate regions across the US state of Illinois. Apart from their duty to promote Jordanity, the organization offers discount dining and free coupons for restaurant chains to the members of the Church.
Is Michael Jordan baptized?
The 6x NBA Champion Michael Jordan grew up in a Christian household and therefore his religion is Christianity. However, he has been relatively quiet about his religious beliefs which has made fans wonder about his religious beliefs. Notably, Baptism is a Christian ceremony that is usually performed when one is an infant.
The ceremony represents washing away sin and spiritual purification. The infant is partially or fully immersed in water, traditionally three times. Considering how religious Michael’s parents Deloris and James were, it is likely that Michael was baptized as an infant. However, there is no confirmation about the same as neither of the members of the Jordan household has disclosed this information.
Michael Jordan once explained why he stopped going to Church
During his childhood, Michael Jordan used to go to Church as a weekly attendance because Church was a nonnegotiable priority in the Jordan family. However, when he started gaining popularity, it acted like an obstacle between him and his religious practice of going to Church every Sunday. In an interview with GQ Magazine in 1989, Jordan opened up about why he stopped going to Church.
Jordan told GQ’s David Breskin, “When I go to church, any church I go to, it doesn’t seem like Church to me because everybody stares.” He continued to talk about how when he went back to his own Church in Wilmington a few times since he has been in pros. “It really hasn’t been the same old Church,” Jordan said. He explained that it was more or less like “Well, Michael is here today; let’s have him speak for us.” This was deeply disappointing to him.
Notably, this interview was taken more than three decades ago. Therefore, isn’t that accurate to know whether Jordan currently attends Church. It is also worth noting that Jordan who has walked down the aisle twice, once with Juanita Vanoy and for the second time with Yvette Prieto had both of the ceremonies in Church. Due to this, fans believe that while Jordan might not go to Church regularly, he does believe in God.