A couple of posts from physicist and computer scientist, Giulio Prisco. The posts are linked to each other. The first post was published on Hypergrid Business : Virtual reality a new frontier for religions. In that post Giulio talks about churches in virtual reality. In that post Giulio revists some of the ground he has covered before, which I covered when Giulio had been talking about the book Virtually Sacred: Myth and Meaning in World of Warcraft and Second Life by Robert M. Geraci.
In the Hypergrid Business article Giulio says :
The book reports that many groups in mainstream religions, including Christianity and Islam, established a virtual presence in Second Life, often bypassing institutional channels and creating grassroots communities instead. These virtual communities are often independent of traditional religious hierarchies, and much more open to inter-faith dialogue and alternative lifestyles.
Physical churches can and do work together, I know that the local Catholic and Baptist churches near me have joint ventures in terms of open days and money raising causes for example, but could virtual reality help people to make those links and alliances without the structure of their own church leaders? This is an interesting thought process. Giulio goes on to suggest that new religions may be formed in the metaverse :
The chapter “Sacred Second Lives” of Virtually Sacred is dedicated to new, emerging religious movements in Second Life. Perhaps more than established religions, new “native” metaverse religions will be able to take full advantage of the endless possibilities of virtual reality and offer a spiritual home to multitudes of people worldwide, especially those who search spiritual meaning independently, outside the legacy framework of mainstream religions.
I don’t think Giulio was talking about The First Church Of Rosedale when he wrote that. Especially as The First Church Of Rosedale is Second Life only and has as its tagline :
There is no Chairman but Philip,
And Torley is His Prophet.
The first church devoted to an entirely SL-focused religion!
Samantha Poindexter has a lot to answer for!
