Wherever Two or Three are Gathered in My Name, I Am Virtually There: Ekklesia in the Metaverse Church #4

"Theology in Virtual Practice-- The Anglican Cathedral-- Evangelism and Edification"

by Lara Zinda

"Church" has been defined as a body or an assembly of believers, unified in their dedication and commitment to God and consequently, each other. Historically, this assembly could be local, such as an assembly of believers in a local house church, or ethereally, such as the wider collection of believers in the body of Christ. For generations, people have come to accept these ideas of "church". But what do we do with a body of people who choose to gather locally in an ethereal way?

Exploring Church Functions

There is no doubt that the Anglican Cathedral regularly hosts a number of believers in community with one another. In fact, according to Milena, Bishop Christopher Hill of the Church of England is examining real world structures in order to bring proper recognition of, and authority to, the Anglican Cathedral of Second Life. To Bishop Hill, this ekklesia, this body, is indeed a church of Christ. But, is it a "church"as Dr. Elaine Heath might describe?

The Church has been charged with several functions as part of its divine purpose. Millard J. Erickson, upon whose work I will rely for this section, identifies these purposes as evangelism, edification, worship, and social concern as they relate to the metaverse church.19 In this post we will deal with the first two.

Evangelism

The metaverse church seems mostly inspired by the Great Commission, manifested in practice by evangelism and education of the basic principles of the faith. In this sense, the metaverse church is a missional church. In Matthew 28:19 the faithful are called to go into the world and make disciples. In Acts 1:8, Jesus calls the disciples forth to witness in Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria. This instruction required obedience of his faithful followers, the church. In order to be the Church, we must follow Christ's commands of which evangelism is one. We do this by sharing the gospel with others and welcoming them into the Christian life.

The aim of the Anglican Cathedral of Second Life is to ―be church for people wherever they are whatever their circumstance.20 This model treats the people in virtual worlds as a special population, much like the church for the incarcerated, shut in, students, and others in non-traditional communities. This type of model of evangelism and consequent service to special populations inspires the Anglican Cathedral, and various churches in the virtual world to carry out their ministry.

Edification

The edification of believers seems to be a necessity before evangelism. We are given gifts to strengthen our faith in God. Ephesians 4:15-16 states, ―"But speaking the truth in love, we must grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and knitted together by every ligament with which it is equipped, as each part is working properly, promotes the body‘s growth in building itself up in love." In this way, the ekklesia is bound together in love, thus strengthened for the work of both evangelism and social concerns.

Worship concentrates the people's attention on God. As edification builds up believes by strengthening them among themselves, worship strengthens their relationship between God and one another. Here, the believer and his or her fellow believers strengthens their relationship with the Divine by offering obedience and supplication to God. The strength they gain in God from worship and communal fellowship, individually and together, is turned outward to evangelism and to non believers.

Erickson writes, "There are several means by which members of the church are to be edified. One of them is fellowship."21 The metaverse church specializes in this area. Various islands exist that cater to Christian culture, featuring not just Christian stores, but cafés, beaches, dance clubs with Christian DJs, libraries, art galleries, and other gathering places. Special events are scheduled regularly throughout the metaverse, drawing between 15 and 100 people at each event. Here, residents socialize, perform certain tasks together, discuss various topics, even dance, hug, and praise in avatar form. Mark Brown quotes Paul Fiddes, author of Sacraments in a Virtual World,

One ought not to assume that cyberspace is a disembodied world. The net is composed of a form of energy, just as is the familiar "physical" world in which we operate everyday. Moreover, the persons behind the avatars are in physical connection with the virtual world - through many of the senses (sight, hearing, touch - i.e. keyboard, mouse). Anyway, mental activity always has a physical base in the brain. Studies have shown that people feel a bodily connection with those with whom they are communicating over the net.22

That connection allows in part for edification of the metaverse church. One only can speculate as to Dr. Heath's response.

Another way the church is edified, according to Erickson, is in teaching. Weekly bible studies and discussion groups exist by the dozens. Various groups exist in which a theological or biblical discussion can materialize at any time. While there is certainly room for a more formalized Sunday School program or even disciple or confirmation education, the small groups flourish. We should also remember that our pastors, lay leaders, deacons, and lay people preach regular sermons in dozens of church and chapel settings throughout Second Life. People are discovering their personal gifts and calls to ministry and are putting them to use as ushers, bible study leaders, peer-to-peer counselors, DJs, prayer support, musicians, mentors, and preachers. The metaverse church can be, and in many cases is, edified.

Next Wednesday: "Theology in Virtual Practice-- The Anglican Cathedral-- Worship and Social Concern"

Previous Posts in the Series:

Part 1: "Second Life in the Metaverse Church"

Part 2: "Defining 'Church' and the Virtual World"

Part 3: "Church in the Metaverse-- Examples"

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NOTES

18 Brown, 1.
19 Millard J. Erickson, Introducing Christian Doctrine (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1992), 346-350.
20 Brown, 6.
21 Erickson, 348.
22 Mark Brown. "Virtual Sacraments?" Brownblog. Brownblog: fresh thinking about Christian ministry, 22 June, 2009. Web. 16 May, 2010.

Materialism Is Expressed in Many Ways

They call it the Jesus Phone, and the scene outside Apple's New York City flagship store did have something of the air of a religious event on Thursday.

So begins the article from CNN Money last week on the unveiling of the new iPhone. People lined the streets last week all over the country to get the latest version of Apple's newest form of application telecommunication. Only the day after Thanksgiving is worse when it comes to the cult of having more and the latest stuff.

I do not want to be misunderstood in this post. Most of us are technologically wired in many different ways, much it by necessity. We now live in a society were we depend upon computers, cell phones, iPods, and other technological gadgets for our livelihood and daily routine. I would not be able to do my job apart from my laptop, my cell phone, my email, and yes, my text messaging. But I am having great difficulty justifying the craze over having the latest iPhone or the latest computer application or the latest iPod in a way that brings people out to stand in line for hours or to incur penalties for breaking a contract or simply to spend more money when what they currently own is perfectly fine and functional.

I think Christians should find their participation in this kind of "religious event" troubling. I remember having a conversation with a young early twenty-something Christian a couple of years ago the day before, at that time, the latest iPhone was due to be sold. In the midst of our conversation he spoke of how the younger generation of evangelicals are more socially conscious than their evangelical parents and they are not as consumed with having more stuff. He said to me, "We are just not as materially minded as your generation." It was just a few minutes later as he was leaving, that he mentioned to me that he was going to be driving that evening to the nearest iPhone outlet and stand in line all night to get the newest version, and how it was going to cost him a couple of hundred dollars to break his contract. The irony was lost on him.

Materialism is expressed in many ways in our culture. It can be all too easy for Christians to point out the materialism of their brothers and sisters who are emotionally attached to their stuff, while they go along certain that their desire for their particular stuff is quite justified. It's a kind of philosophy that says, "I would only be materialistic if I owned your stuff. If you only owned my stuff, however, you would be reflecting my social concern."

So, before we point the finger of materialism at other believers, perhaps we need to look first at our own stuff that we have come to deem so important. Materialism is expressed in many ways.

It's that log/splinter thing Jesus mentioned in the Sermon on the Mount.

So Many Gods, So Little Time

The more time I spend in ministry the less I am enamored with strategies for church growth and books on developing leadership skills when it comes to being an effective pastor or a faithful church. It's not that such strategies and books are entirely wrong. Indeed, every one has something of value to offer. But I think the last thing the church in the West needs is another sloganeering program and flow chart with steps toward effective ministry all put in the context of the unchurched as consumers and Christianity as a commodity.

The problem the church confronts in the West has been the same for every church in every part of the world since the beginnings of the Christian faith-- are its members completely committed to the Lordship of Jesus Christ and therefore his Body, or are they attempting to serve two (or more) masters, which Jesus says is impossible to do?

There is much discussion about the decline of the church in Europe and North America. But I have been wondering of late if decline is not the right description of the church's situation. Perhaps the church is not so much in decline as it is being winnowed. Are we witnessing the chaff simply being blown away by the fashionable winds of the culture, leaving the vital and fertile grain? Just maybe the church's loss of members in many quarters is the result of the deadwood just drifting away because some folks never really made the commitment to be a vital part of the faith structure of the church?

St. Paul wanders into the town of Athens in Acts chapter 19, and Luke tells us that he is distressed by the presence of all the idols displayed in the city. Good Jew that he is, Paul knows that Jesus as the image of the invisible God cannot be just one more statue on display in the pantheon of empire deities. Jesus' Lordship by necessity excludes all who would make claim to that title.

The problem that Christians face in the twenty-first century is what distressed Paul so many centuries ago-- we in the Christendom church have attempted to put Jesus Christ in place as one more deity in the pantheon of all of the other gods we worship. Of course, we have not explicitly said as much, but we have subtly and not-so-subtly elevated the pagan deities we worship to the same status as Jesus and even above Jesus. I speak of the gods of greed and materialism which prevent us from tithing. I have in mind the gods of hobbies and extracurricular activities that keep us and our children away from the worship and involvement in the faith community. I think about the god of civil religion that would take away the scandal of the cross. I speak of the gods of the politically religious right and the politically religious left that replace the church with the state. I write about the god known as "I" who believes that one's Christian faith can be real and vital apart from the Christian community that the one true God has brought into existence through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.

The church does not need faddish worship; it needs Christians who know that the reason they were created was "to love God and enjoy God forever." The church does not need another growth strategy; it needs Christians who proclaim the gospel in word and in deed without compromise. The church does not need another in-house self-serving event; it needs Bible studies, prayer groups, and caring ministry. The church does not need to be aligned with the coercive politics of the nation state; its very existence is a political statement, a witness, that God and not the nations rules the world. The church does not need to be self-focused only within its walls; it needs to be other-focused in mission utilizing most of its time and resources in order to make disciples of all nations. And the church cannot effectively make disciples if it is not entirely sold out to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. And in the midst of it all, I wonder where I have entertained, in my own life, the gods of the Western pantheon?

Maybe what is happening to the church in the West is that something is dying so that something new might be born? Perhaps what we are witnessing is the chaff being blown away and the vine being pruned? Is a smaller, more vital, and more faithful church emerging from the smoldering ruins of Christendom? Are those who remain the remnant who have rejected the gods of the Western pantheon of greed and leisure? Are these the ones who have chosen the corporate worship of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob over the god of the links? Are these the individuals who have discovered that God's politics are focused in the ministry and mission of the church, and not in the lobbying halls of Washington DC? Are these the ones who have decided that a Bible study is more significant than the editorial page of the New York Times? Are these the ones who find great joy in serving others over themselves?

Are we witnessing, not the decline of the church in the West, but the emergence of a smaller, more faithful church, which is positioning itself to grow once again?

One can only hope.

N.T. Wright on Understanding Ancient Texts

A Prayer for the Fifth Sunday after Pentecost

Christ Jesus, before ascending into heaven, You promised to send the Holy Spirit to Your apostles and disciples. Grant that the same Spirit may perfect in our lives the work of Your grace and love.

Grant us the Spirit of Fear Of The Lord that we may be filled with a loving reverence toward You.

Weekend Whimsy

A young woman was soaking up the sun's rays on a Florida beach when a little boy in his swimming trunks, carrying a towel, came up to her and asked her, "Do you believe in God?"

She was surprised by the question but replied, "Why, yes, I do."

Then he asked her, "Do you go to church every Sunday?"

Again, her answer was "Yes!"

Then he asked, "Do you read your Bible and pray every day?"

Again she said, "Yes!" But by now her curiosity was very much aroused. At last the boy sighed and said with obvious relief, "Will you hold my quarter while I go swimming?"

+ + + + + + +

Michael E. Hodgin, 1002 Humorous Illustrations (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2004), 178.

The Methodist Blogs Weekly Roundup 2010.17.228

IMPORTANT NOTE: There will be no posting of the Methodist Blogs Daily Links and the Methodist Blogs Weekly Roundup next week. With my schedule next week, my Internet time will be severely limited. I have written posts to be published every day next week. I will be monitoring the discussion on individual posts periodically as I am able.

Any Methoblogger who would like a link included in the Methodist Blogs Daily Links (MBDL) email your post to me at umweeklyroundup(at)yahoo(dot) com. Your link will be posted within two weekdays. No blog will be listed more than once a week.

If you discover that a link is not correct, please email me at the above address.

*Thanks to everyone for their email submissions*

The week in review in the Methoblogosphere:

The Methodist Blogs Daily Links--Tuesday 6.22.10

The Methodist Blogs Daily Links--Wednesday 6.23.10

The Methodist Blogs Daily Links--Friday 6.25.10

This week's Best of the Methoblogosphere!

Matt Judkins: "In Defense of the Megachurch"

Becca Clark: "Praise and Lament"

The Character of Our Discontent: A Review

Thanks to Ted Gossard for posting his review of my book The Character of Our Discontent.

Truth Is Stranger than Fiction 2010.12: Unicorn Meat in a Can

Pork board squeals over imaginary unicorn meat

Sarah Skidmore
From Associated Press
June 22, 2010 8:24 PM EDT

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — It's official: The National Pork Board says it knows unicorns don't exist.

The industry group says it was only protecting its trademark when it issued cease-and-desist warning to online retailer ThinkGeek for calling a fake unicorn meat product "the new white meat."

The fictional canned meat, described as an "excellent source of sparkles," was an April Fool's prank.

But the 12-page letter from the board's law firm was no joke.

"We certainly offered our apologies," Scott Kauffman, President and CEO of Geeknet Inc., the parent company of ThinkGeek, told the Associated Press. "It was not our intention to confuse the public as to the attributes and qualities of the two meats."

In a public apology this week, ThinkGeek said its nonexistent canned unicorn meat is sparkly, a bit red and not approved by any government entity.

"We certainly understand that unicorns don't exist," said Ceci Snyder, vice president of marketing for the National Pork Board. "Yes, it's funny. But if you don't respond, you are opening your trademark up to challenges."

The council said it is in discussions with the company.

"Where we feel victimized, is I don't know of another organization that does more to promote pork products than our site," Kauffman said, noting the company sells around 20 real items related to bacon, such as bacon gumballs and bacon soap.

ThinkGeek "launches" mock products every April Fool's day. The company said it was surprised the board did not raise any concerns about another prank item this year called "My First Bacon" — a talking stuffed toy that looked like a piece of bacon.

"To be attacked in this manner, given all we do for pork, the irony is not lost on us," he said.

Opinion Central Poll 2010.21: Final Results

What grade would you give President Obama on his handling of the Gulf oil spill?

The Methodist Blogs Daily Links--Friday 6.25.10

Any Methoblogger who would like a link included in the MBDL, email your post to me at umweeklyroundup(at)yahoo(dot)com. Your link will be posted within two weekdays. No blog will be listed more than once in a week.

Today's reads from the Methoblogosphere:

.

Bishop Robert Schnase reminds us that it takes what it takes.

Matthew Kelley comments on a much needed word.

Richard Heyduck offers the best measure.

Andrew Conard lists the top indicators of an unhealthy church.

Is tilting enough? Scott Endress asks the questions.

Michelle Hargrave posts Annual Conference moments.

You are loved-- thoughts from Greg Milinovich.

Blake Huggins writes on the task of the theologian.

John Bryant on a young reminder.

Kevin Watson ponders empowering and equipping the laity.

Andy Bryan posts part 3 of his "A Pattern of Discipleship."

Are you walking wisely? Read Ken Hagler.

Josh Tinley offers his thoughts on Conference realignment.

Matt Judkins writes in defense of the megachurch.

David Hallam reports on the distress by the Chief Rabbi on the UK Methodist Conference Report.

The 2010 Annual Conference report from Betty Newman.

Becca Clark posts on praise and lament.

Joseph Slife comments on Bishop Scott Jones and rethinking the path to a worldwide UMC.

Angela Shier-Jones weighs in on Muldrew Ministry.

What exactly does it mean to be in the world but not of it? Read Steve Heyduck.

The Quotable Hannah's Child #1

I recently finished reading Stanley Hauerwas' latest book, Hannah's Child: A Theologian's Memoir. It is an excellent read with a mixture of confession, humor, profound theological analysis, and yes, a little profanity here and there (no surprise for those who know Stanley).

Instead of putting forward my own review of the book, I have decided to quote some of the more memorable portions of the text. This post is the first of three in a series. As always, Stanley's words can inspire, provoke reflection, and can also cause irritation. Feel free to comment on any of the quotes given below:

Charles Taylor has characterized "our age" as one of "exclusive humanism." God is a "hypothesis" most people no longer need-- and "most people" includes those who say they believe in God.

Of course, we will all be forgotten someday. We are dust and to dust we shall return. But we believe that God desires each one of us to be his friend.

Jesus is clear that his kingdom is constituted by those who are meek and gentle-- that is, by those who have learned to live without protection. Gentleness is given to those who have learned that God will not have his kingdom triumph through the violence of this world, for such a triumph came through the meekness of a cross.

[At Yale] I was introduced early on to the revolutionary idea that we might again learn to read the Scripture theologically by attending to how the [Church] Fathers read the Bible.

God does not need to "intervene" in creation because creation is charged with the character of Christ. I was beginning to understand that learning to speak Christian is an invitation to see the magical wonder of existence.

...questions surrounding how to understand the person and work of Christ are integrally related to our understanding of what it means for us to be human.

...I learned from Kierkegaard that the truth of practical reason is Christ, and thus practical reason cannot be constrained by the accommodated form of the church identified with Christendom.

We thought we were activists. We thought we were the embodiment of the kind of politics Reinhold Niebuhr's work envisaged. We had a lot to learn; and what we had to learn politically, I discovered, had significant theological implications. I suspect that learning the limits of pluralistic politics may have prepared me to read John Howard Yoder.

That many theologians think they need to have a position is, I suspect, the result of the loss of ecclesial identities.

Positions too easily tempt us to think that we Christians need a theory. I am not a pacifist because of a theory. I am a pacifist because John Howard Yoder convinced me that nonviolence and Christianity are inseparable.

I left Yale in 1968. Yale exploded in 1969. I did not know what to make of the explosion or of the alleged revolution associated with Woodstock. The latter seemed to me indulgent. I was from the working class. I wondered where people got the money or the time to do nothing but listen to music and smoke dope. Did they not have to work for a living? I also thought it rather odd to protest the war by getting high and screwing.

It never occurred to me that I might get into trouble by saying what I took to be the truth in a faculty meeting. Moreover, I thought universities were places where you told one another the truth.... I had much to learn.

...although the realm of politics is important, it is a poor place to discover the significance of one's life.

I began to think that [Reinhold] Niebuhr had seduced me-- and "seduction" is exactly the right word-- to assume that the way things are is the way things have to be. In truth, I did not know how to go on if in fact Niebuhr needed to be left behind, but at least I was beginning to think... interest-group liberalism... was a mistake.

The sad reality is that, for many of us, where we went to graduate school was more important than our ecclesial identification. I am not sure I would have understood the significance of this fact if I had not been given the opportunity to teach at Notre Dame for fourteen years.

Theology gain[s] its intelligibility as a discipline of the church without being any less a university subject.

Wherever Two or Three are Gathered in My Name, I Am Virtually There: Ekklesia in the Metaverse Church #3

This is the third post in a series from Lara Zinda, a former student of mine and a current student a Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary. Read, enjoy, and respond.

Church in the Metaverse-- Examples

by Lara Zinda

Connecting Church

A good example of the connecting church is the Life Church (http://www.lifechurch.tv/) that celebrates one virtual and thirteen real life campuses. Rev. Craig Groeschel is the lead pastor of LifeChurch.tv based in Oklahoma. When they planted the virtual church, various bible studies and fellowship groups gathered. Today, this sense of virtual community has diminished and has been replaced. LifeChurch now serves as a means to broadcast Groeschel‘s sermon and invite people into various events, in the real world and virtual. Theyhave announced a partnership with XXX Church (xxxchurch.com) and welcomed people to attend the Porn Event, a Christian approach to the problem of the use of pornography. Groeschel's model is extremely well thought out, staffed every Sunday by the same individuals, and designed to help people make connections to the ―real church in the real world.13

Experience Church

The nondenominational Calvary Chapel14 is a well established church run by ―born again avatar Sugar Zucker (Alex) and his real life wife of thirty years, avatar Ai Zheng (Caroline). The notecard they offer upon arrival states, ―Calvary Chapel SL is an outreach of a real life Calvary Chapel affiliate that is based in Scotland. Our Pastor is therefore a Calvary Chapel Pastor who with his wife and the help of a number of faithful volunteers run Calvary Chapel SL. As with any Calvary Chapel we teach the bible in an expository fashion - verse by verse - chapter by chapter - not compromising with regard to the teaching of any of God's truths. Calvary hosts two weekly worship services, a men's fellowship group, ladies bible study, a prayer group available 24-7, café and art gallery, as well as an island with various dance floors, beaches, and multiple gathering points for fellowship. Planted virtually in 2006 with three people, Calvary now celebrates almost 1400 members. Known for their solid worship services, Calvary features a full community that is active only in Second Life, with members drawing from around the world. They also boast a wide reaching evangelism effort led by avatar HeatherGT Braveheart (of sister congregation House of Prayer).

Traditional Church

While the United Methodist Church15 seems to have disappeared in all but a relatively inactive group presence without land holdings (after a great start in 2008), the Anglican Union thrives in SL. According to their website16, their vision is to

build an Anglican church in Second Life which: is grounded in worship and prayer, seeking to be a bridge between our rich Anglican heritage and contemporary society; gives those involved in Second Life an opportunity to explore or deepen their faith in God, who loves them and seeks a relationship with them; encourages Christians from different countries and theological persuasions to work together to the glory of God; is a community which welcomes and serves others, and is known for its love and care; and is recognised as an integral part of the worldwide Anglican Communion.

The Anglicans offer seven worship services a week (welcoming 80-100 people who attend each week), a bible study and discussion groups, daily morning and evening prayers, pastoral care, and several fellowship opportunities to more than 600 people17 from more than 20 countries.18

Next Wednesday: "Theology in Virtual Practice-- The Anglican Cathedral"

Previous Posts in the Series:

Part 1: "Second Life and the Metaverse Church"

Part 2: "Defining 'Church' and the Virtual World"

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NOTES

13 During worship, a message from the internet pastor is shared that includes instructions to email yourself notes taken during the sermon, ways to connect to one of the thirteen real LifeChurch campuses, and a scriptural reading (read from his iPhone).
14 You can visit Calvary Church online at http://www.calvarychapelsl.com/.
15 http://slmethodist.blogspot.com/.
16 http://slangcath.wordpress.com/
17 "About the Cathedral." The Anglican Church of Second Life. The Anglican Church of Second Life, n.d. Web. 19 May, 2010.

The Methodist Blogs Daily Links--Wednesday 6.23.10

Any Methoblogger who would like a link included in the MBDL, email your post to me at umweeklyroundup(at)yahoo(dot)com. Your link will be posted within two weekdays. No blog will be listed more than once a week.

Posts to ponder from the Methoblogosphere:

Who ever has will be given more? Reflections on Mark 4:25 from Timothy Good.

Sue Whitt writes on the mobile home and Psalm 16.

Pastor Deb posts on apiritual authority.

Betty Dorr gives a Nebraska Annual Conference update.

Father's Day reflections from Randy Willis.

Brian Vinson writes on his friend Joe.

The wind blows wherever it will-- comments from Sally Coleman.

Guy Kent on the case of wrong.

Shane Raynor's Wesley Report is now Faith Experience.

Ministry is a contact sport according to Joseph Yoo.

Opinion Central Poll 2010.20: Final Results

What do you prefer to listen to while driving?

Life Is a Journey-- Enjoy It!

Anyone who enters the front door of our house will find her or himself in a small entryway. On the facing wall there is a plaque which reads, "Life is a journey-- enjoy it!"

Twenty-five years ago today one of the best things in life happened to me-- I married the love of my life, Carol. Life with her these past twenty-five years has truly been an enjoyable journey. I cannot nor do I ever want to imagine my life without her. Indeed, one of the things I have discovered in life is how unimagined events along the way in life become those things whose absence make life unimaginable.

In the movie Bicentennial Man, Robin Williams plays the role of a robot, whose creator and subsequent caretakers develop ways to make him more human-like. Over the decades, and yes, centuries as inventors come and go modifying his mechanical person into something more nearly human, one of the things that becomes obvious to Williams is that the journey of life loses something as the people he loves and cares for die, while he goes on immortally, only to befriend a new generation which will also grow old and die. At the end of the movie, Williams himself discovers that he too desires death and sees it as the appropriate end of a journey which has only made sense as he has traveled with family and friends whom he loves and who love him in return.

God did not intend for the journey of life to be traveled in isolation. Immortality without friends and family to share it is a curse, which is why on All Saints Day we are reminded that those who have gone before us join the great cloud of witnesses the church calls the "communion of saints." My journey in life has been made possible because of family, friends, parishioners, professors, colleagues, students (current and former) and many others who have given my life purpose which has been caught up in the very character of God. My life is a gift and the journey is a gift, for I do not deserve the people who love me. They too are a gift.

I am suspicious of any theology of eternity that places so much emphasis on the bliss to be enjoyed after death, that the meaning and purpose of the journey of this life is underemphasized. And while the Christian belief in an eternal kingdom is something that should not be neglected either, the kind of eschatology that makes this earthly journey irrelevant and unimportant in favor of future glory is not biblical and to be rejected.

So, today, on this my twenty-fifth wedding anniversary, I am reminded that my life is impossible apart from Carol, and our children, Alyssa, Courtney, Joshua, and Jason, and many others who have so enriched my life that I cannot help but enjoy the journey I am on this side of eternity. I am grateful for what is past, but I do not mourn over being unable to relive the great joys I cannot return to. I am enjoying the present moment and I anticipate the future as the journey continues. And when the journey of this life ends, I will have no complaints. How can I lament over receiving what I do not deserve?

Life is indeed a journey-- so enjoy it!

The Methodist Blogs Daily Links--Tuesday 6.22.10

Any Methoblogger who would like a link included in the MBDL, email your post to me at umweeklyroundup(at)yahoo(dot)com. Your link will be posted within two weekdays. No blog will be listed more than once a week.

Today's reads from the Methoblogosphere:

"Gifts of God-- for the Work of Ministry"-- sermonic reflections from Bishop William H. Willimon.

Daniel McLain Hixon offers his thoughts on the meeting of the Lousiana Annual Conference.

Keith McIlwain reviews the Western PA AC.

John Meunier cogitates on whom John Wesley would send to hell.

Psalm 1 and 2 as an introduction to reading the Psalms missionally-- a post by Brian Russell.

Beth Quick posts her sermon, "Saved By the Bell."

Kim Matthews reminds us that we are never alone.

Richard Hall posts a video interview with Methoblogger Olive Morgan who joined the church triumphant on May 5, 2010. We miss you Olive. Thanks to Richard for the link.

Lorna Koskela reflects on Olive Morgan and John Wesley the blogger.

The Omelet King has been ordained-- Congratulations to Will Deuel.

Jim Parsons ponders belonging.

Andrew Stoddard comments on payday and the book of Romans.

Ken Carter writes on the why the BP Gulf ecological debacle was inevitable.

Dave Faulkner preaches on Jesus and evil.

The psychology of altar calls according to Jeremy Smith.

There are times, says Pat LaPorte, when childishness trumps sophistication.

Tony Mitchell asks, "Where is God?"

Dan Dick is making a Fruit of the Spirit Smoothie.

Mark Winter reminds us that father knows better.

Hole in the Wall Prayer-- a post from Cathy Turner.

The Character of Our Discontent is Now on Kindle

Check it out.

The Methodist Blogs Weekly Roundup 2010.16.227

Any Methoblogger who would like a link included in the Methodist Blogs Daily Links (MBDL), email your post to me at umweeklyroundup(at)yahoo(dot)com. Your link will be posted within two weekdays. No blog will be listed more than once in a week.

If you discover that a link is not correct, please email me at the above address.

*Thanks to everyone for their email submissions*

The week in review in the Methoblogosphere:

The Methodist Blogs Daily Links--Monday 6.14.10

The Methodist Blogs Daily Links--Tuesday 6.15.10

The Methodist Blogs Daily Links--Wednesday 6.16.10

This week's Best of the Methoblogosphere!

Rick Weber: "Another Chicken or Egg Conundrum"

Bishop William Willimon: "Let the Children Come"

Quote of the Day: A Snakebit President

The president is starting to look snakebit. He's starting to look unlucky, like Jimmy Carter. It wasn't Mr. Carter's fault that the American diplomats were taken hostage in Tehran, but he handled it badly, and suffered. He defied the rule of the King in "Pippin," the Broadway show of Carter's era, who spoke of "the rule that every general knows by heart, that it's smarter to be lucky than it's lucky to be smart." Mr. Carter's opposite was Bill Clinton, on whom fortune smiled with eight years of relative peace and a worldwide economic boom. What misfortune Mr. Clinton experienced he mostly created himself. History didn't impose it.

It isn't Mr. Obama's fault that an oil rig blew in the Gulf and a gusher resulted. He already had two wars and the great recession. But the lack of adequate federal government response appropriately redounds on him. In a Wall Street Journal investigation published Thursday, reporters Jeffrey Ball and Jonathan Weisman wrote the federal government at first moved quickly, but soon "faltered." "The federal government, which under the law is in charge of fighting large spills, had to make things up as it went along." It hadn't anticipated a spill this big. The first weekend in May, when water was rough, contractors hired by BP to lay boom "mostly stayed ashore," according to a local official. "Shrimpers took matters into their own hands, laying 18,000 feet of boom," compared to about 4,000 feet by BP's contractors.

No reason to join the pile on, but some small points. Two growing weaknesses showed up in small phrases. The president said he had consulted among others "experts in academia" on what to do about the calamity. This while noting, again, that his energy secretary has a Nobel Prize. There is a growing meme that Mr. Obama is too impressed by credentialism, by the meritocracy, by those who hold forth in the faculty lounge, and too strongly identifies with them. He should be more impressed by those with real-world experience. It was the "small people" in the shrimp boats who laid the boom.

There is still a sense about Mr. Obama that he needs George W. Bush in order to give his presidency full shape and meaning. In this he is like Jimmy Carter, who needed Richard Nixon, or rather the Watergate scandal, which made him president. Mr. Carter needed Richard Nixon standing in the corner looking like he'd spent the night sleeping in his suit as it hangs in the closet. The image is from Joe McGinnis's "The Selling of the President, 1968." Mr. Carter needed to be able to point at Nixon and say, "I'm not him. He dirty, me clean. You hate him, like me." Carter's presidency was given coherence and meaning by Nixon, Watergate, and without it that presidency seemed formless. Mr. Obama, in the same way, needs Mr. Bush standing in the corner like Boo Radley, saying "Let's invade something!" But Mr. Bush is wisely back home in Texas finishing a book, and the president never sounds weaker than when he suggests his predicament is all his predecessor's fault.

Mr. Obama needs Mr. Bush in the corner and doesn't have him. That's part of why he looks so alone out there.

You can Read Peggy Noonan's entire editorial, "A Snakebit President," here.

Truth Is Stranger than Fiction 2010.11

Cops bust woman, 74, for pouring mayo in book drop

Associated Press
Monday, June 14, 6:18 pm EST

BOISE, Idaho – Police in Idaho think they might have solved a yearlong condiment crime spree. Authorities said a 74-year-old Boise woman arrested after pouring mayonnaise in the Ada County library's book drop box is a person of interest in at least 10 other condiment-related crimes.

Joy L. Cassidy was picked up Sunday at the library, moments after police say she pulled through the outside drive-through and dumped a jar of mayo in the box designated for reading materials.

Cassidy was released from jail and faces a misdemeanor charge of malicious injury to property.

Boise police say Cassidy is under investigation for other cases of vandalism that started in May 2009. Library employees have reported finding books in the drop box covered in corn syrup and ketchup.

Wherever Two or Three are Gathered in My Name, I Am Virtually There: Ekklesia in the Metaverse Church #2

Defining 'Church' and the Virtual World

by Lara M. Zinda

Just about everyone has an idea about how to define ―church. Usually, the definition stems from a sociological or biblical understanding. At conferences and meetings we often hear Christian leadership advocating for a return to the ―real church which suggests a divestment in the physical buildings that strangle our ministries by drawing attention away from the true calling of the Great Commission in Matthew 28. Others will argue the biblical notion of church as a spiritual union among people to worship and celebrate God. Those of this approach mostly agree that ―church is ekklesia, a body of believers, unified in their dedication and commitment to God and consequently, each other. Stanley J. Grenz states,

One fountainhead for the conclusion that the church is a covenant people lies with the Greek word, ekklesia, which the New Testament writers commonly used to designate the church… The Jewish scholars who translated the Hebrew Scriptures into Greek (the Septuagint) chose ekklesia to render the Hebrew word qahal (―Assembly), which the historical writers used to refer to Israel as the ―congregation or ―assembly of the Lord (Deut. 23:1ff; 1 Chron 28:8).10

Biblically, it is ekklesia or the assembly of the Lord that defines ―church.

In the New Testament, ekklesia manifests in two ways. In the first, ancient Christians considered themselves not an organization or a legal entity, but a people who lived, loved, and fellowshipped among one another in celebration and worship of Christ. Believers in the earliest centuries after Christ‘s resurrection met in homes and public places, sharing a communal meal and worshiping God (1 Cor 1:16; 16:19); they even were known to share their possessions (Acts 2:44-45; 4:32-5:11). Life as an early Christian was not easy due to persecution so they became a small, tight knit group who stayed together and took care of one another. The other kind of church mentioned in the New Testament refers to the body of Christ (Eph. 1:22-23, 5:23). This kind of church is depicted as a body of believers who are connected to Christ through salvation. Neither ―church connects to a building but is a divinely created establishment, a body of believers unified in our Lord.

In 2008, Angie Ward wrote an article for Out of Ur that stated, ―As of this writing, there were around 100 churches listed in Second Life. Some were obviously created as a joke (The Church of Apathy), but dozens of others advertise legitimate doctrine, membership, and church functions.11 A search for the word ―church today provides over 2800 results. These include places (a virtual church building) and groups (a group of members affiliated with a specific genre, theme, etc). Ward‘s assessment that some were created as a joke is sound. In fact, many of the listings advertise wedding chapels for the growing wedding business in SL, some are jokes, and some are fronts for fraudulent operations. In a discussion with retired Second Life Mentor Rails Bailey12, there are many legitimate communities of worship in all faiths. But there are also a number of places that claim to be one thing and are really a scam to line the pocket of the creator. This reminds us of Brown's conversation with the Anglicans: one of the largest problems about the virtual world is accountability and regulation.

Next Wednesday: "Snapshots of Virtual Churches"

Previous Posts in the Series

Part 1: "Second Life and the Metaverse Church"
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NOTES

10 Stanley J. Grenz, Theology for the Community of God. (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1994), 605.
11Angie Ward, "The First Church of Second Life" Out of Ur. Christianity Today International, 25 Jul. 2008. Web. 18 May, 2010.
12Rails Bailey is a well respected Linden Labs volunteer within Second Life who lead the official volunteer program on behalf of Linden Labs, remains the director of programming for welcome islands, and maintains an in world business for building and scripting. Part of Mr. Bailey’s work as a mentor was to help flush out fraudulent agencies within SL and report them to Linden Labs. In real life, Mr. Bailey is retired and resides in Australia.

The Methodist Blogs Daily Links--Wednesday 6.16.10

Any Methoblogger who would like a link included in the MBDL, email your post to me at umweeklyroundup(at)yahoo(dot)com. Your link will be posted within two weekdays. No blog will be listed more than once a week.

Today's ponderings from the Methoblogosphere:

Dan Dick asks where the power and the energy is at our Annual Conferences this year.

Randy Willis reflects on time management.

Kim Matthews writes on Santa Claus faith.

Thoughts on spiritual malpractice from Brian Vinson.

Ernie Lee provides an Annual Conference update from South Georgia.

It's one of those weeks for Andy Bryan.

Sally Coleman ponders inclusivity and awe.

"Why Don't We Remember"-- a sermon by Tony Mitchell.

Guy Kent wonders if God is moving.

Susan Cox posts on lime green ministry.

Opinion Central Poll 2010.19: Final Results

Do you agree with President Obama's foreign policy posture toward Israel?

God is Not a Bureaucrat

When I was a young boy I remember going home from Sunday night church service one evening. I was with my brother in the backseat of the car. My father was driving and my mother was sitting on the passenger side of the car. As we traveled home my parents were having a conversation about a young couple in the church who had been in a terrible automobile accident and survived. At one point as I listened to them talking my father indicated that their safety was a demonstration of God's presence with them.

As a six-year-old, I found myself with a puzzling question. I interrupted their conversation and asked my Dad, "If God was with those people and saved them from the wreck, does that mean God is not with those who die when they have an accident?"

I was told that I asked too many questions.

But that is a perennial theological dilemma for more than a few people of faith as well as many who lack faith. Why are some healed of cancer while others are not? Why do some people die tragically at such a young age while others are snatched from the jaws of death to go on to live a long life, as we human beings reckon time?

This is a complex matter and many have found the answer to such a dilemma in a kind of practical deism where God is aloof from it all. If God intervenes and saves this person from drowning, but not that person trapped in the fire, then it seems as if God plays favorites. Since such events appear to demonstrate that God does not treat everyone fairly and perhaps seems to care more about this person instead of that individual, isn't it best simply to take God out of the equation? That solves the dilemma of unfair divine treatment.

As a pastor I have been asked many times over the years why God did not heal this person or why did that family seem to have all the bad luck. After all the years I have spent pondering the problem, I have no deep and profound answer. Sure, I can talk about the role of freedom in human life. I can speak of contingency that appears to built into the very fabric of the universe. And while such matters are important to reflect upon, they are of little consequence to someone encountering the crisis of her or his life.

But I simply refuse to take God out of the equation. The idea that God must treat everyone exactly the same and deal with all persons "equally," at least as we define it, is to turn God into the great big bureaucrat in the sky. When Christians do this in actuality they do not highlight God's love, but they marginalize it. Anyone who has ever dealt with a bureaucracy knows that it is not exactly loving, caring, and personal.

Life is a complex thing. If God is going to deal with each one of us in a loving and graceful way, God must deal with each one of us differently. To insist that God must heal everyone or no one is to insist on a deity we do not want in the final analysis. Jesus healed many people during his ministry, but he did not heal everyone. Many still died from tragic events and disease.

So, while I have no profound answers to offer as to why someone is spared and someone else is not, I would much rather journey through this life with such difficult and unanswerable questions, then to turn God into the Great and Cold and Procedurally Fair Bureaucrat in the Sky.

The Methodist Blogs Daily Links--Tuesday 6.15.10

Any Methoblogger who would like a link included in the MBDL, email your post to me at umweeklyroundup(at)yahoo(dot)com. Your link will be posted within two weekdays. No blog will be listed more than once a week.

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Today's reads from the Methoblogosphere:
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Bishop Robert Schnase reflects on God's call.
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Bishop William Willimon says, "Let the children come," but let the children's sermon go.
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Richard Heyduck writes on the "sausage factory" that is the church.
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Is the UM Connection the end of life or new creation? Ken Carter ponders the problem.
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Jeremy Smith wonders what might happen if small churches sell out to corporate churches.
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David Hallam posts on Methodism and multi-faith.
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To do or not to do... that is the question from Pastor Deb.
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Lauren Porter comments on the shrinking American Church and the growing Nigerian Church.
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Robb McCoy posts some thoughts on unpopular humility.
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Mark Winter cogitates on coming to Jesus and then going out for Jesus.

Caption Contest 2010.6... And the Winner Is...

Mark: "Fowl Play"

The Methodist Blogs Daily Links--Monday 6.14.10

Any Methoblogger who would like a link included in the MBDL, email your post to me at umweeklyroundup(at)yahoo(dot)com. Your link will be posted within two weekdays. No blog will be listed more than once a week.

Posts to ponder from the Methoblogosphere:

Annual Conference- Day 3- reported by Dave Nichols.

Kim Fabricius posts on seven things we need to know about the young Rowan Williams on his 60th birthday.

Larry Oksten tried an experiment in worship.

Shane Raynor writes on Claremont's religious food court.

John Meunier comments on fear at the food court.

Jesus the Heart Slayer-- a post from Joseph Yoo.

Tim Good publishes his Field Guide to the Pew Dwellers.

Jim Parsons reflects on Annual Conference thus far.

Rick Weber ponders another chicken or egg conundrum.

God's tempo according to Cathy Turner.

Off to Annual Conference

I am leaving this afternoon for the East Ohio Annual Conference. I will be blogging this week from beautiful Lakside, Ohio.

A Prayer for the Third Sunday after Pentecost

Keep, O Lord, your household the Church in your steadfast faith and love, that through your grace we may proclaim your truth with boldness, and minister your justice with compassion; for the sake of our Savior Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Book of Common Prayer

I Think This Pretty Well Sums Up the Average Voter

The Methodist Blogs Weekly Roundup 2010.15.226

Any Methoblogger who would like a link included in the Methodist Blogs Daily Links (MBDL), email your post to me at umweeklyroundup(at)yahoo(dot)com. Your link will be posted within two weekdays. No blog will be listed more than once in a week.

If you discover that a link is not correct, please email me at the above address.

*Thanks to everyone for their email submissions*

The week in review in the Methoblogosphere:

The Methodist Blogs Daily Links--Tuesday 6.8.10

The Methodist Blogs Daily Links--Wednesday 6.9.10

The Methodist Blogs Daily Links--Thursday 6.10.10

The Methodist Blogs Daily Links--Friday 6.11.10

This week's Best of the Methoblogosphere!

John C. Montgomery: "Guaranteed Appointment for Whom? A PK's Point of View"

Steve Heyduck: "Value-Free - the Only Required American Value?"

Caption Contest 2010.6

The Methodist Blogs Daily Links--Friday 6.11.10

Any Methoblogger who would like a link included in the MBDL, email your post to me at umweeklyroundup(at)yahoo(dot)com. Your link will be posted within two weekdays. No blog will be listed more than once a week.

Posts to ponder from the Methoblogosphere:

Pastors only work on Sundays, right? Read Becca Clark.

Richard Heyduck writes on dangerous places.

According to Dave Warnock every town needs the Thrapston Hope Team.

Henry Neufeld posts on publishing, page layout, and busy-ness.

Dave Faulkner ponders compassionate mission.

Kevin Watson reflects on new life, rest, and rejuvenation.

Josh Tinley offers his two-state solution.

"Sales and Failures"-- a sermon by Jim Parsons.

Greg Hazelrig posts his thought for the day on Habakkuk 3:19.

Lorna Koskela comments on growing up.

"Galatians" according to Beth Quick.

Is BP the Only One to Blame for the Oil Spill in the Gulf?

Complexity is something that we human beings like to avoid. Life makes more sense if we can package our reality in a neat and clean way. The same is true when attempting to find someone responsible for an event, particularly one that is tragic and affects people's lives on a grand scale. Such is the case with the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. But in this case, reality is more complex than cable news soundbites and partisan perspectives.

Let me say at the outset that British Petroleum is primarily and mainly responsible for what has happened. They have cut corners in reference to safety and lobbied the government to reduce regulation in key areas. They are guilty far beyond a reasonable doubt. But when something of this magnitude happens, there is more often than not, more than one culprit responsible.

Over the years environmental groups have utilized litigation and put pressure on politicians to push oil companies to drill in deep water instead of shallow ocean. Their concern was understandable, but near-sighted. The logic was that if a spill happened close to shore, the more quickly it would contaminate beaches and marshland. If the rigs were farther out to sea, rescue crews would have more time to plug the hole. The unforeseen problem, which is now clear, is that it is extremely difficult to plug an oil leak in 5000 feet of water. It is impossible to get human beings down to such a depth on the ocean floor to plug the hole, so all one has to rely on are robotic possibilities. Had this spill happened closer to shore in 200 feet of water, the leak would have been capped within a few days.

Local politicians from Gulf and Coastal states from both parties have acquiesced to environmental groups because they have not wanted such "unsightly" rigs spoiling the sea scape of tourists on the beaches. Moreover, Congress has not allowed drilling in the Alaskan Arctic which would have left minimal scars in the region and would have been quite safe. We must remember that this is the second rig disaster in over forty years with over 30,000 oil rigs in the world's oceans. Modern methods of oil drilling are not the methods of fifty years ago.

So, the long and short of all of this is that the current situation in the Gulf has been the result of a concerted effort on the part of an oil company and its greed, short-sighted but well-meaning environmentalists, and politicians with legitimate concerns, but also making decisions because they are eternally focused on their desire to be re-elected.

Now, before anyone mentions the need and necessity to develop green sources of energy and wean ourselves off of fossil fuels, let me say that I agree completely. But we are naive if we believe that we will be rid of oil and gas within the next decade and beyond. Fossil fuels are our fate for the foreseeable future. What we need to do, therefore, is to continue to drill for oil in the safest and most environmentally friendly way possible, while developing the kind of green technology that will eventually make oil obsolete.

My biggest complaint against business, government, and special interest groups is that they are all so narrowly focused on their own "thing," they are unable to see the big picture of what is best for everyone and will best serve the common good.

Large vision is so necessary; the unfortunate thing is that such vision is not common; and too often the people in charge lack what is needed to see over the horizon that imparts a greater wisdom.

The Methodist Blogs Daily Links--Thursday 6.10.10

Any Methoblogger who would like a link included in the MBDL, email your post to me at umweeklyroundup(at)yahoo(dot)com. Your link will be posted within two weekdays. No blog will be listed more than once a week.

Today's reads from the Methoblogosphere:

Bishop Robert Schnase comments on five practices of fruitful living.

Bishop William Willimon posts on the importance and danger of entrances and exits.

Not wanting what God wants-- a reflection from Sue Whitt.

Dale Tedder writes on faith with teeth.

Larry Oksten is considering going back to school for his Doctor of Ministry degree.

Ken Hagler ponders when God speaks.

"The Dream of Love"-- a sermon based on the Song of Solomon by Craig L. Adams.

Andrew Conard on finding value of a church's Facebook page.

A sermon on "Life Together" by Ken Carter.

Greg Milinovich explains why he is not a hunter.

Wherever Two or Three are Gathered in My Name, I Am Virtually There: Ekklesia in the Metaverse Church #1

For the next several Wednesdays, we will be reading posts from Lara M. Zinda, a student at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary in Evanston, Illinois. Lara was one of my students a decade ago at Ashland Theological Seminary, and one of my finest students, I am proud to say.

I invite all to read her posts over these next few weeks and join the discussion.

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Second Life and the Metaverse Church

by Lara M. Zinda

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In 2003, the virtual world of Second Life (SL)1 opened its metaverse doors to the world. Computer users logged into the ―grid, the platform of SL, created a representative avatar of him or herself, and began to wander in the 3-D virtual universe as ―residents. Over time, residents developed building skills and began to create the virtual world around them, participating in virtual activities just like they do in the real world. Douglas Charles Estes, author of SimChurch reminds us, ―As of 2007, Second Life residents exchange more than one and a half million dollars in commerce every day in that virtual world. Second Life even has its own currency (the Linden dollar), a real-estate market, virtual millionaires and crime rings, and virtual churches.2 Today, Second Life has grown to become a universe unto itself. It has ―grown to become the virtual world leader—owning 90 percent of the market—with a profitable, stable, and growing business. Eighteen million people have registered in Second Life from over 150 countries and this virtual world work solution has already been chosen by hundreds of enterprises, governments, and educational institutions.3 Dozens of accredited institutions of higher learning have virtual campuses in SL, hosting classes with distance learning students from all over the world. This metaverse4 is one aspect of the embodiment of Internet 2.0, or rather, the second phase of the internet in which users no longer simply review static data, but instead, create and share content within three dimensional, virtual space.

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When Mark Brown5 became a Second Life resident, he did so in conversation with several Anglicans who discussed the nature of church mission:

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At the heart of the mission to the virtual world is to glorify God. Technology is simply a new context in which to express this. Where people are, so the church needs to be also. This is a rather messy process as there are no maps and limited rules of engagement. One of the early discussions the Anglican Group engaged in was around whether sin in the virtual space constituted actual sin. This very clearly displayed a split between those who saw the virtual as an extension of who they are and those who saw it as pure role play.6

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Members of that discussion were observing a much debated ethical debate about the nature of sin in the metaverse. They also argue that wherever people are, ―so the church needs to be also. In traditional models of ekklesia, this makes perfect sense. However, the question remains, ―where exactly are these people? According to lay leader and avatar Helene Melina (Ailsa Wright), the people are in her church pews, in a virtual world.

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Despite the existence of the church in SL, some suggest that one must be in an ―authentic or ―real church in order to live out one's faith. Dr. Elaine Heath, an ordained minister and professor at Southern Methodist University argues that ―The church cannot be the church without flesh and blood interaction… We have to be in our communities living out our faith together.7 Yet, Melina states, ―You can know the person really well without seeing them. There is no doubt in Melina‘s mind that her church in the virtual world is a community of believers in relationship with God and one another, living out their faith.8 She is happy to share with you her experiences of worship, prayer and study in world (she was kind enough to welcome me to her one of the many bible studies hosted on the cathedral campus). With so many opinions on such a new phenomena, there is much work to be done. As Douglas C. Estes states, ―When the subject of virtual churches comes up, the first question I am always asked is, Are virtual churches real? And the second always is, Well, how do they do Communion?9 This series of posts seeks to explore the nature and value of the Church and its viability in the virtual world.

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Next Wednesday-- "Defining Church"

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NOTES

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1 To learn more about Second Life, visit http://secondlife.com/whatis/?lang=en-US and enjoy several short presentations about the virtual community.
2 Douglas C. Estes, Simchurch: Being the Church in the Virtual World. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2009), 21.
3 "Why SL Work?" Second Life Work. Second Life, n.d. Web. 20 May, 2010.
4 The Metaverse is a computer-generated, interactive, virtual environment; the term entered the computer industry’s jargon in the early 1980’s.
5 Rev. Mark Brown is an ordained deacon of the Anglican Diocese of Wellington, senior pastor of the Anglican Cathedral in Second Life and Chief Executive Officer of the Bible Society in New Zealand.

6 Mark Brown, "Christian Mission to a Virtual World" Brownblog.info, April 2008. PDF, Web. 19 May, 2010), 7.
7Don Teague, "Online religious observance gains a foothold" NBC Nightly News. MSNBC, 21 May, 2007. Video, Web. 17 May, 2010.
8 Helene Melina [Ailsa Wright], Personal Interview in Second Life. 16 May, 2010.

9 Estes, 115.