Online virtual world Second Life has a new player – the Anglican Church.
A medieval Anglican cathedral was built in the popular role-playing site five weeks ago and the church started holding services last month.
The idea is the brainchild of Bible Society NZ chief executive Mark Brown. Brown said Second Life had news channels and universities operating within it, but no church. He saw the venture as an opportunity to reach the virtual world’s 8million strong population.
The church has over 150 members and holds Sunday services three times during the day to accommodate different time zones.
“Just a few months ago we had five members and it was just a vision, but it seems to have captured people’s imagination,” he said.
“People are coming to try it out and we are getting some slow building, within 4 to 6 weeks we will have to turn people away.”
I find this really intriguing… I almost want to be involved. But the illusion of community is something that really makes me have second thoughts…. That whole, “It seems real” is not the same as “It is real”. But they could hear some decent sermons this way…
Have you seen http://www.sacredspace.ie ?
palmettopastor,
what is your definition for real ? is community at church always real ?
Wierd.
This might be the bast some people can do. Siiighhh.
Perhaps this is the solution for a new alternative province in the america’s. Since the virtual world is not yet claimed. The new “The Second Life Anglican Church (America)” AKA SLACA
But does the Denis Canon apply? That is what 815 is asking….
Bob..that sounds like a GOE question.
Reality is not virtual…
There is more opportunity to be real in person than in the virtual world. Although, ofcourse, it does not always happen.
I’m not saying I didn’t think it wasn’t useful or even a way to spread the Gospel, but it should be an entry to real community and not a person’s perminent church.
It’s the same as the fact that this isn’t a “real” conversation. It’s an imperfect virtual one. You can’t hear my inflection, you can’t see my eyes, you can hear the rise and fall in the pitch of my voice. Punctuation and emoticons don’t even replace the limited human presence of a phone call. That’s why I answer all complaint emails with a visit. (in my parish) So that the interpersonal connection that Christ calls us to can be incarnate and “incyberate”.
This effort to establish an Anglican presence in Second Life is an excellent way to integrate our church into an important trend for social networking. I see it as a way to reach those who are “unreachable” – those that would never consider attending a live church, but either: 1) are of the younger generation who find comfort in computer communication, or 2) those who want to see what church is like without the risk of making an instant committment. In the end efforts like this will help bring people into physical churches.
For those of you who are skeptical I would encourage spending some time in Second Life. The basic account is free. The only requirements are time and a computer with good graphic capabilities.
It’s totally better than nothing. But virtual life isn’t real. And how about virtual Communion with the virtual Body and Blood, virtual Baptisms and Confirmations, virtual Confessions, and virtual funerals? Virtual pledging?
Hmmnnn….
In faith, Dave
Viva Texas
The virtual stewardship committee will be calling Dave soon.
My pledge will be for a virtual tithe ^_^.
It’s pitiful that Christians have to do this, and that there are so many people who probably couldn’t be approached any other way. Me, I go to a real live Catholic Church with all the smells and bells anyone could ever want. There’s a grotto and labrynth I can walk in. There’s grass to cut and services to give for others. There are people to hug and sometimes commiserate with. It’s all REAL, not virtual.
I’m a lucky man.
In faith, Dave
Viva Texas
The real problem is that it substitutes the distant and secondary for the near and primary, and that it therefore separates the “worshipper” from real-world contact. The virtual vs the experiential world is a tough argument. What isn’t hard is the distinction between going to a concert hall and listening to the same piece on a disc. They are fundamentally different experiences and there can be no doubt that sitting in the ocnert hall is more real precisely because all the senses are directly engaged, not virtually engage. The gathering of two or three together must be taken literally. Other than that, a church ceases to be a group activity, a face-to-face activity, and clearly this is what Christ intended. LM
of course that should be “and not ‘incyberate’.
And I did visit… the guy in the red (lesser) panda suit would certainly be a distraction in the real world…..
D+
I am the founder and leader of the Anglican Community in Second Life and thought I might address a couple of concerns.
The first is dpeirce’s regarding ‘virtual Communion with the virtual Body and Blood, virtual Baptisms and Confirmations, virtual Confessions, and virtual funerals? Virtual pledging?’ The Ecclesiastical Law Society based in the UK is forming a working group to consider such issues. Also I come under the authority of a Bishop. My personal opinion is that the Eucharist, Baptisms and Confirmations have no place in the virtual world. Whereas pledging has been occurring since we began in January of this year. That is how we are able to finance this ministry.
Two points to make regarding this new ministry.
Behind the virtual characters are real people.
This ministry is not attempting to replace church, but complement church. It is simply another connection point for people to encounter God within the Anglican tradition.
I welcome your questions!
Mark Brown
http://slangcath.wordpress.com/
Alright, I created an Avatar, let me see if I can locate the virtual community. “I’m going in!”
#15, good luck! I tried out Second Life a bit back in April or so. Messed around a bit (2, 3 hours) and got bored. Let us know if there’s something to this.
Undergroundpewster: My avatar is Arkin Ariantho.. do a search under people and then Instant Message me and I will show you the Cathedral!
Agh, the site is down! Next time I will pray before I stick my neck out. It has been said that say when you pray, God may answer with a “Yes,” a “No,” or “Maybe later (tonight).”
Mark Brown wrote that behind the virtual are real people. The difficulty is that, in the Webworld, this is not the casem for anonymity is the rule, not the exception, and anonymous people are not real, they are personae, masks. And so it is on this blog. Fr. Brown is not preaching to people, he is preaching to shadows of the real, what we have all seen on the wall of the cave. I understand that what he is doing is so today, so fashionable, and he will probably be very successful.
I do not wish him ill, you understand,I only wish that our world had not come to this, when the sound of the dentist’s drill on Tv is more real than what we hear when we are really in the chair, and the pain we feel on Tv is always to be preferred because it is painless. And this last point, I hope, makes my criticism clear. We are being taught to prefer the fake over the real because the erstaz does not require that we feel, think, or act. LM
Mostly I agree with you, LM, but there’s one contrarian point I’d like to make: When I read your post I might not see your eyes or hear your intonations, so I concentrate more on what you actually said. Anonymity has some good results, maybe even as an instruction in Christianity.
But it can’t substitute for Church and the LIVING of Christianity..
In faith, Dave
Viva Texas
I made it back to “RL” (real life). Or have I? Interesting Cathedral in the “SL” (Second Life). They are having 3 services on Sunday, unfortunately I will probably not be able to do a critique of the sermon because my RL body will be busy.
Mark B, good job – I think your approach has a great potential to bring people to Christ.
Questions:
Are you getting repeat visitors?
Any sense to the denomination of visitors?
I also think the discussion on this blog is a good one. For those of you who have not used a program like Second Life it is hard to explain how “real” it feels. Don’t get me wrong – I am not confusing “real” with real. For me the Cathedral in Second Life is just another avenue to express my belief with other Christians – similar to everyone using this blog to exchange views.
Thanks for your questions Mark H.
This sunday is only our forth week and we are already seeing ‘repeat visitors.’ It is early days but we definitely seeing the beginnings of a community. Last sunday, a good number fellowshipped after the service.
In terms of denomination, most would be Anglican. Although I make clear that all are welcome.
You are welcome to come and visit one of the services this sunday!
For service times see http://slangcath.wordpress.com/
Mark
You aren’t the Mark Brown from Austin 30 years ago? He did become an Episcopal minister and may have been in Alabama last I heard.
No I am not!!
Thanks for replying. I have often wondered what became of him and Yolie.