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3D church opened to woo Internet faithful

Reuters, UK
May 12, 2004
www.abc.net.au

ReligionNewsBlog.com • Wednesday May 12, 2004

Christians in Britain have opened a zany 3D Internet church, billed as a first chance for believers to log on and worship interactively.

Bishop of London Richard Chartres gave the inaugural sermon – via a speech-bubble from his cartoon persona – at the first service on the “Church of Fools“.

Fools?

Do not deceive yourselves. If any one of you thinks he is wise by the standards of this age, he should become a “fool” so that he may become wise. {19} For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness”; {20} and again, “The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile.”
- 1 Corinthians 3:18-20 NIV

“No one has ever before created a stand-alone church where you can log on as a worshipper and join in however you like, to kneel, cross yourself, sing hymns or shout ‘Hallelujah’,” website deputy editor Stephen Goddard told Reuters.

Some two dozen believers signed up as cartoon worshippers for the service, sponsored by the Methodist Church but organised by the multi-denominational “Ship of Fools” project, which says its name is deliberately self-deprecating to avoid pomposity.

As well as worshipping, those logged on were able to move around the church and down to its crypt, talk to each other and give money to a collection plate via mobile phone.