I am often struck by how often the lectionary speaks into current events. This week Luke 13 gives a slant to the AFL (Australian Football League) Snoop Dogg Dilemma.
In Luke 13:10–17, Jesus heals a woman who has been bent over for eighteen years. He does this on the Sabbath, provoking outrage from the synagogue leader who insists healing should happen on the other six days. Jesus responds with piercing clarity, “Ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day?” His rebuke exposes a system that prioritises ritual over restoration, and misinterpreted law over liberation.
Fast forward to 2025, and the AFL finds itself in a moral tangle of its own. Rap icon Snoop Dogg is slotted to perform at the Grand Final, despite a history of lyrics which are sprinkled with homophobic slurs and language that is at odds with the AFL’s own campaign against domestic violence. This comes just as Adelaide Crows player Izak Rankine is suspended for using a homophobic slur during a match. The AFL defends its choice, claiming Snoop Dogg has “changed” and that his performance will be “family friendly”.
So what does a Sabbath healing have to do with a football halftime show?
The Ethics of Timing
Jesus’ act of healing wasn’t just compassionate—it was confrontational. He chose the Sabbath precisely because it was sacred. By healing on that day, he redefined holiness as mercy in motion. The AFL, by contrast, has chosen entertainment over ethical clarity. To feature an artist with a controversial past at the very moment it disciplines players for similar offenses sends a mixed message: inclusion is conditional, and accountability is negotiable.
Hypocrisy and the Public Gaze
The synagogue leader in Luke 13 is not a villain, he’s a product of a system that values appearances. His indignation reflects a fear of disorder, of losing control over sacred norms. Likewise, the AFL’s defense of Snoop Dogg leans heavily on optics: his Super Bowl performance, his philanthropic work, and his status as a grandfather. But these surface credentials don’t erase the deeper question: what does it mean to platform someone whose words have wounded, especially when those wounds are still fresh?
Who Gets to Be “Set Free”?
Jesus calls the woman a “daughter of Abraham.” A radical affirmation of her dignity and belonging. In doing so, he restores not only her body, but her place in the community. The AFL, meanwhile, has yet to offer such restoration to LGBTQ+ fans and players. Rankine’s suspension is a start, but the league’s simultaneous celebration of an artist with a history of anti-gay rhetoric undermines its credibility. True inclusion requires more than discipline; it demands consistency.
A Call to Integrity
Luke 13 invites us to ask, “when is it right to disrupt tradition for the sake of healing?” The AFL controversy asks, “when is it wrong to prioritise spectacle over solidarity?” Both stories challenge us to examine the systems we uphold, the voices we amplify, and the values we claim to protect.
In the end, Jesus didn’t just heal a woman, he exposed a system. The AFL, if it’s serious about inclusion, must do the same.
Wondering Pilgrim 