Was Kobe Saved?
Theological misunderstandings abound…but also teach
The undeniable tragedy of the death of Kobe Bryant, Gianna Bryant, Christina Mauser; Payton and Sarah Chester; John, Keri and Alyssa Altobelli; and pilot Ara Zobayan, created a storm of media attention and opened a dialogue on death, life, and meaning in many circles which work very assiduously to avoid such weighty topics.
Interestingly, though I had never heard a reference before, Kobe’s Catholic faith became a recurring theme of conversation.
I admit, I had no idea Kobe Bryant was Catholic until his untimely and tragic death. I knew of Kobe, particularly his celebrity status, but I haven’t really followed professional basketball in many years (since the days of Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippin, Clyde Drexel, etc.).
So maybe I simply missed it.
Or perhaps, as is so often true, his religion was considered little more than a hobby…until he died.
In the face of death, religion is much more than just a personal preference.
News reports, particularly Catholic ones, took great care to highlight Kobe’s journey of redemption and faith, and in particular, his attendance at Mass with his family the morning before the helicopter accident.
