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“I Type the Amens and Think the Rest”: An Ethnographic Look at Religion in Virtual Reality

Title“I Type the Amens and Think the Rest”: An Ethnographic Look at Religion in Virtual Reality
Publication TypeThesis
Year of Publication2008
AuthorsKlink, MLN
Date PublishedMay 2008
UniversityReed College
CityPortland, Oregan
Abstract

In 2003, a company called Linden Labs launched the first widely-accessible virtual reality: Second Life. Religious groups have been among the first to take advantage of this new frontier, but they have thus far garnered no attention from the academy. This thesis explores the new phenomenon of religious activity in virtual reality through a three-month ethnographic study of a Bible study at the Campivallensis Catholic Meditation,Center in Second Life. I supplement the study with six interviews with Bible study attendees. I also review scholarly research and Catholic theology that relates to religious activity in virtual reality. My thesis concludes that Campivallensians value individualism and theological diversity { values which are supported and reinforced by the medium of Second Life. I speculate that these values will cause friction between virtual reality participants and religious authorities in years to come.

URLhttp://www.blotts.org/thesis.pdf