“Onward Christian Athletes” _ New book explores evangelical Christian monopoly in professional American sports.

[Author Tom] Krattenmaker says the problem is that they’re reaching a sporting public with increasingly pluralistic religious convictions, or no religion at all.

“There are many secular fans who really feel annoyed by that kind of religious expression,” he said in an interview. “Even people who are religious themselves often resent this situation where athletes talk about God in this big moment of victory, sometimes seeming to imply God gave them the victory.”

But Tennessee Titans All-Pro center Kevin Mawae said his Christianity is part of who he is, and he can’t separate it from his life as an athlete or anywhere else.

“The fact that some people are jaded toward religion or faith shouldn’t stop a player from expressing his faith in public,” Mawae said.

There’s no intent to alienate people, only to share Biblical truth, said Vince Nauss, president of Baseball Chapel, which provides chaplains to every major league baseball team.

“If there’s an exclusivity, it’s because Jesus put it out there,” Nauss said. “So I don’t think there’s anything to apologize for, or to dance around in a politically correct environment.”