The Church of England has faced criticism over a World Cup prayer that referenced the infamous ‘Hand of God’ goal scored by Diego Maradona in 1986. The prayer, which was published on the first day of the tournament, called for people to ‘see and celebrate the hand of God’ in the creativity of every curving free kick, silky pass, or impossible save.

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The prayer also mentioned ‘miskicks, missed penalties, muddled VARs’ and stated that ‘every winning team needs a losing team – even if you were the better team.’

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Diego Maradona’s ‘Hand of God’ goal, which eliminated England from the 1986 World Cup, has become an iconic moment in football history. The incident involved Maradona punching the ball into the net with his hand, and the goal was initially credited to him. However, it was later admitted that the goal was indeed scored with Maradona’s hand, leading to a major controversy.

The Church of England’s prayer was met with widespread criticism online, with some users labeling it as ‘cringe’ and ‘religious illiteracy.’ However, the Church defended the prayer, stating that it was created to engage a wider audience beyond its regular followers.

In a statement, the Bishop of Lichfield, Michael Ipgrave, said that prayers are prepared by theologically trained staff and are subject to a process of internal review and sign-off. He acknowledged that there had been some critical comment on social media, but stated that the prayer was positively received on other platforms such as Facebook.

The Church of England’s General Synod, which is the parliament of the Church, met in York to discuss the prayer and its reception. Members of the Synod raised questions about the prayer’s creation process and reception, with some criticizing its religious illiteracy while others found it positively received on different social media platforms.

Reverend Jeremy Moodey, representing the Diocese of Oxford, asked the General Synod to clarify how the prayer had been put together and who had signed it off. He stated that the prayer had been ‘widely ridiculed online for its religious illiteracy and the inauspicious reference to ‘the hand of God.’

The Church of England’s defense of the prayer highlights the complexities of engaging with a wider audience in the digital age. While the prayer was intended to be a lighthearted and accessible take on the World Cup, it ultimately fell flat with many users who felt that it was insensitive and lacking in understanding of the ‘Hand of God’ incident.

As the Church of England continues to navigate the challenges of engaging with a wider audience, it is clear that there is a fine line between being inclusive and being insensitive. The Church’s defense of the prayer serves as a reminder that even the most well-intentioned efforts can fall short in their execution.