A metaverse makes sacred sites virtually accessible to digital pilgrims and offers space for individual and communal faith practices such as worship, prayer, baptisms, funerals, weddings, confessions and other religious rituals. Since 2015, it has been possible within "Experience Makkah" , for example, to visit the holy Mecca and, among other things, insert a prayer note into a crack in the Western Wall or participate in the Holy Fire ceremony. "Buddha-Bot" , a Buddhist chatbot, you can ask for advice in the Japanese Teraverse. Here, however, a fundamental media-scientific and theological question becomes apparent: How valid are religious acts in Metaverse? I will mainly refer to Catholic Christianity, as I have the most contact with it and a consideration of all religions would go beyond the scope of this work.
In October 2021, one of the world's largest social media corporations changed its company name from Facebook to Meta. The background to this is the construction of a so-called metaverse: A new 3D digital internet world where we can work, meet friends, do other everyday things or even attend events and concerts. All from the comfort of our own sofa in the physical world. In the same year, Fortnite developer Epic Games also announced they would invest a billion dollars in a Metaverse project, and Microsoft is also working on an "enterprise meta". Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos is also fascinated by new digital 3D worlds. The metaverse is the "next big thing", the "next level of the internet". A metaverse (or cyberspace) today generally describes a global, virtual reality in which people can move and interact as (non-materialised) avatars within a (meta-)3D online space. The terms metaverse and also avatar were both first mentioned and significantly coined in the 1984 novel "Snow Crash" by Neal Stephenson. In the present, one reads again and again about "God has entered the metaverse" , "Metaverse Church is a Massive Hit During the Pandemic" or "Christians, Beware of the Metaverse".
Table of Contents
Introduction
Argumentation
Summary
Objectives and Topics
This work explores the theological and media-scientific legitimacy of religious rituals within the virtual environment of the Metaverse, specifically focusing on the Christian Catholic context and the validity of sacraments in digital spaces.
- The evolution of virtual worlds and the concept of the Metaverse
- Definitions of religious practice and ritual validity
- Theological perspectives on digital communion and sacraments
- Socio-technical analysis of virtual community and pastoral care
Excerpt from the Book
Argumentation
Practical religious practice manifests itself in a wide variety of rules, traditions and rituals. They are perceptible actions in which the respective faith is practised and consolidated. These are usually written down in some way or passed on orally over a very long time. In their religious practice, Christians refer to the Bible, which is made up of various traditions, prayers, songs, historical accounts, letters and legal texts. The most important Christian rituals are the (since the "second Council of Lyon", 1274) seven sacraments: baptism, Eucharist, confirmation, marriage, penance, consecration and anointing of the sick. The sacraments are rituals that "as visible signs or visible actions make present and participate in an invisible reality of God"8. The word sacrament goes back to the Latin sacer (holy). Baptism and marriage are sacraments that Christians can administer to each other. All other sacraments may only be administered by priests and bishops in a certain way (prescribed clothing, colours and procedure). Therefore, the holy administration of sacraments is an important aspect of the raison d’être of Christian churches in general. Each sacrament consists of the union of an external and an internal sacred sign. The degree of its efficacy depends on the willingness of the recipients. Jesus Christ himself is called the primordial sacrament. Through the unique baptism with holy water, the person is accepted into the Christian, ecclesial community and is given an additional baptismal name. The Eucharist is the celebration within the Mass in remembrance of the Last Supper of Jesus, his death and resurrection. Here, bread (as a sign of the body of Jesus) and wine (as a sign of the blood of Jesus) are consumed together, since - so the belief goes - Jesus sacrificed himself for the sins of the people. The bread and wine are transformed into Jesus' real body and blood. This process is called transubstantiation.
Summary of Chapters
Introduction: This chapter introduces the rise of the Metaverse and its connection to increasing interest in religious applications within virtual digital 3D worlds.
Argumentation: This section provides a theological analysis of traditional religious rituals and examines the applicability and validity of sacraments within modern virtual environments and cyber-spaces.
Summary: The concluding chapter synthesizes the discourse between the necessity of physical presence and the potential spiritual value of digital religious exchanges.
Keywords
Metaverse, Virtual Reality, Sacraments, Religion, Eucharist, Baptism, Catholicism, Digital Theology, Cyberspace, Ritual, Ecclesial Community, Transubstantiation, Virtual Community, Media-scientific
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fundamental subject of this academic work?
The work examines the intersection of religion and digital technology, specifically investigating the validity of religious acts and sacraments within the Metaverse.
What are the central thematic fields covered?
The study covers the definition of the Metaverse, traditional Christian ritual practices, theological definitions of sacraments, and the impact of virtual environments on religious community life.
What is the primary research question?
The core research question addresses whether religious acts performed in the Metaverse hold theological and media-scientific validity.
Which scientific methodology is employed?
The author employs a qualitative approach, utilizing a comparative analysis of theological doctrines (such as the meaning of sacraments) and technical definitions of the Metaverse provided by experts like Matthew Ball.
What is discussed in the main body of the text?
The main body examines the history and definitions of virtual reality, the theological nature of sacraments (baptism, Eucharist, etc.), and the current efforts by various churches and tech companies to integrate religious practice into virtual worlds.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
Key terms include Metaverse, Virtual Reality, Sacraments, Digital Theology, and Ecclesial Community.
How does the author define the "Metaverse" in a theological context?
The author situates the Metaverse as a digital "non-materialised" space and explores how its existence challenges or complements traditional notions of spatial presence in religious worship.
What is the author's stance on the validity of digital sacraments?
The author remains cautious, noting that while virtual blessings and gatherings are seen as potentially valuable for information exchange, traditional sacraments like the Eucharist are generally rejected in the Metaverse due to the lack of physical presence and transubstantiation.
What role does the Catholic Church play in this digital transformation?
The text highlights that the Vatican maintains a cautious stance, emphasizing that virtual reality is no substitute for the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist, even as it acknowledges the value of digital communication for evangelisation.
- Quote paper
- Lara Katharina Schneider (Author), 2023, Religious Acts in Metaverse. Catholic Christianity, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1338328
