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Reply Flag 1 Thumbs Up Thumbs Down dhackett (3)  
United States

On this topic, I recommend Doug Estes new book, SimChurch, which Estes writes most interestingly from a liturgical church perspective, exploring these very topics such as can communion, the Eucharist, be mediated virtually.

See the book at http://www.amazon.com/SimChurch-Being-Church-Virtual-World/dp/0310287847.

In short, Estes’ answer is that the subject is much more complex than you would think -- and the church fathers would be surprisingly supportive of this!

17.06.2010

Reply Flag 1 Thumbs Up Thumbs Down italker (1)   
United Kingdom
@ dhackett:

Thank you for your comment David. and your link to the Church Fathers.  I have been really encouraged by the response that we’ve resceived from those who participated in the communion service last Sunday. i have no doubt that we can engage real community on the web. We have actually stopped using the term virtual because we believe community is formed when those who engage have the real intention to belong. The truth is we’ve been streaming out worship now for over two years and we’ve come to see that many of our internet congregation communicate with us more reguarly than some who physically attend worship.

 The thing is it is not our physical presence that brings about Communion  as Christiians we believe that Communion is constituted by the Spirit.  Christ the Son has instituted the Communion but it is the power of the Spirit that constitutes its dynamic reality. So it is He who brings together  all that is needed to create communion. This in itself is a miracle. The iphone in a sense is a demonstration of the reality of presence at a distance being brought near. This too is the work of the Spirit for He  to  brings us near to God. Indeed you could argue that every piece of creative science is the work of the Holy Spirit revealing more and more about this amazing creation and allowing us the created to engage in the experience of creativity.

Traditionally the Church Fathers  believed Communion is not simplly with those who are physically present  they taught it is also a communion of the Saints. The Communion Service is a foretaste of the great eschatological feast. it is a bringing together of the whole church in time  and eternity. The physical and the non physical.

There is also the idea of the communion of the saints having an aspect in which we can be at one with each other although we are many miles apart.  Prayer itself is an example of a type of  Communion.There is a whole understanding of Communion that has seldom been explored when we read of the Prophets being caught up in the Spirit and being put down in another place.

I think we can be seduced to think that Community is formed only when someone is physically present. The truth is that many people go to church and are physically present but they do not belong they do not interact as a member of the worshipping body of Christ.  You can be physically present but disengaged. You can be physically absent but totally engaged on line. Indeed the absence of someone can make their presence come nearer.

18.06.2010

Reply Flag 0 Thumbs Up Thumbs Down Tang_RongHua (0)
China
@ dhackett:

Thanks David Hackett to give this topic.
and I do belive the internet & computer can help Christians to commucation each other by somehow.
I thanks the better thing need to do is make a wonderfull tools of  software which allows peaple have more information in touch. Such as voice, video.
I am teaching bible on skype with my frends. some are helped by understanding bible. Yes it is not enough for spiriture communication,yet. But, compare with not one to talk to them about the truth in bible, it is real helpful.
So I hope can make a good tool for such meeting. with bible searching, text type, and talking in real voice. especially bible searching tool. 
And I bought a  Ipad too. because I have hope that many leader in church (home) in china, them have less education for bible. so them really need help in internet and some tool for searching bible.
So I am looking for someone who have same ideal with me. I want raiseing a team to develope it. Because I was a computer software designer.

 tangdaoyan2008@hotmail.com
China KuangYe reform Church.

01.10.2010

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