Church of Fools

I remember about 10 years ago visiting someone in a university department who was working o­n virtual reality computing. Then it involved putting o­n goggles and walking about in a virtual world which, if I remember, was based o­n Egypt. (Pyramids were easy to do in those days). Now there is the Church of Fools – an interactive virtual church available o­nline.

I'm fascinated by it. Somehow it reminds me of the Weather Project at Tate Modern and also of the Labyrinth. There is something peculiarly moving about seeing that others whom o­ne does not know are spiritual too.

Last night there was an informal gathering for Evening Prayer at 1930 next to the organ o­n the right of the church. Interestingly, the leader chose to use the Book of Common Prayer. (The Prayer Book Society could get such good publicity from this!). Also striking was the fact that not all the participants came from the UK. o­ne was from California, where it was not evening at all. Public worship is still affected by the movements of the sun and the moon and the stars, which is fascinating.

It was touching to see all the avatars kneel for the prayers and stand for the canticles.

The word “avatar” is worthy of a thesis in itself.

I've thought for a long time that prayer is a cyber-space.