Mission into Eco : M.Div student explores ministry in a virtual world
https://archives.anglican.ca/link/article44616
- Author
- Frankling, Sean
- Journal
- Anglican Journal
- Date
- 2024 February
- Volume
- 150
- Issue
- 2
- Page
- 1, 4
- Notes
- "As many Anglican leaders look for alternative ways of being church in the 21st century, one M.Div student at Halifax’s Atlantic School of Theology is investigating ways of branching out into digital gathering spaces. In a research project he’s developing as part of his degree, Blane Finnie, a postulant to priesthood, has built several church buildings and run daily services in Eco, an online multiplayer video game that simulates a world in which players must cooperate or compete to survive, typically harnessing natural resources, taking specialized roles and trading with one another in an in-game economy" (p. 1).
- "The idea, he says, is to get a sense of how players react to an overt Christian presence in an otherwise secular online meeting space. The server he uses is small, with around 20 people total, but the degree of interest other players have shown has exceeded his expectations" (p. 4).
- "Online games are playing an increasing role in culture and social life; according to one industry report, the global gaming market was valued at $159 billion (U.S.) in 2020, almost four times more than the global movie industry, at $41.7 (U.S.). Games may also allow churches to form relationships with people who might otherwise seldom encounter Christian ideas, Finnie says" (p. 4).
- In an interview with the Anglican Journal Finnie said: "To be ignoring video games as a cultural force is really problematic. They’re one of the biggest cultural forces in the world. Video games make liberal use of religious imagery and religious content, either in the form of villains, or in some cases there’s now what we call empathy games -- games that deal with moral issues head on. It’s a very important part of our culture. .... The old prinicple of, if they’re not going to come to you, go where they are -- it works. Churches need to go where people are. People are on video games, so we should be there too" (p. 4).
- [Text of "Correction" that appeared in April 2024 edition of 'Anglican Journal', p. 2: "About 20 people were playing the online game Eco at any one time on the server Blane Finnie was using for his study when he spoke with the 'Journal'."]
- Subjects
- Eco (Game)
- Finnie, Blane
- Video games
- Video game industry - Statistics
- Video games - Religious aspects - Anglican Church of Canada
- Generation Z - Religious life