I recently received via Twitter from Leonard Sweet – an post about a Baptist professor who teaches at Oxford who is arguing for a sacramental theology for Second Life. The heart of the arguments seems to be that if one can worship virtually one should be able to received the sacraments virtually. I’m not sure I agree. This was my response to Len:
I would use a different take. I’m not sure matter matters in the sense of explaining/differentiating virtual matter versus real matter. Relationships matter and sacramental relationships are consumated relationships, to know and be fully known and that cannot be done virtually. If the Incarnation is more than God as avatar in our “second life”, then the sacraments must also be a “first life” experience of a consumated relationship with the Body of Christ, God and people together in community.
This is worth some more thought and a podcast.