Emma on Virtual Theology

This term we've been looking at virtual theology, which is a way of presenting theology via the internet on websites such as second life. We have been looking at different ways of conveying religion such as through humour, via a website called ship of fools. We also made our own service via the internet using YouTube clips and in some cases games. One of the reasons that we did all of this was to see how theology could progress in the future, when we could be having services from our own homes. We also got chances to convey our own opinions, such as in debates and writing. For example, we did one debate on whether humour was a good way of expressing religion, where there were strong opinions on both sides and we never really reached a conclusion. Not surprising seeing as theologians are still arguing about it today.

The main point of this project was to see whether virtual theology would be the way forward, and after watching a virtual service on second life, I believe that it isn't. It was so realistic, but the problem was, that at the end of the day, it wasn't real. It might as well have been done in real life. And although getting people from all over the world to meet for one service may sound like a good idea, your never really going to meet them, you haven't really got a life for yourself. Surely it would be better to go to a church and meet people who you will see regularly because you live near them. That would be making a life for yourself, and it's what we have done for thousands of years. Throwing complete strangers into a church together isn't only plain unrealistic, it takes away individuality and the element of community in a group of people that all live near each other and share the same beliefs. The only way forward in religion is the one that has been going on for thousands of years, encouraging people to join the community of a shared belief.