The metaverse is a concept that refers to a future version of the internet that is based in virtual and augmented reality. It involves the convergence of physical, augmented, and virtual worlds. The metaverse promises immersive experiences where users can interact with digital objects and environments and with each other in a virtual world.
While the metaverse is still largely conceptual at this point, many technology companies are investing heavily in developing the platforms, hardware, software, and applications to make it a reality. The idea is that the metaverse will allow people to work, play, and socialize together in real-time within virtual worlds.
As a new technological development, the metaverse prompts important spiritual questions for Christians about how to engage biblical principles in virtual spaces. The Bible does not specifically mention the metaverse, since the technology did not exist at the time it was written. However, there are relevant biblical themes and passages that can provide wisdom.
Stewardship of Technology
The Bible teaches that humans are called to exercise wise stewardship over creation as God’s representatives on earth (Genesis 1:28). This includes stewarding new technologies in a way that honors God and people. With any new technology like the metaverse, Christians should seek to understand it and evaluate the potential benefits as well as risks and downsides.
Rather than accepting or rejecting new technologies outright, followers of Jesus are called to engage and shape them in line with God’s purposes. As the metaverse develops, Christians should be asking important questions about how it might be used for good, such as for creative expression, human community and collaboration, education, and experiencing beauty and wonder in new ways. They should also consider how the metaverse might negatively impact human flourishing, such as increased isolation, escapism, or exposure to harmful content and experiences.
Focusing on True Reality
The Bible teaches that the physical world and human relationships have inherent goodness as part of God’s creation (Genesis 1:31). However, sin has damaged these good things (Romans 8:20-21). The prophets warned Israel against false gods and trusting in idols rather than the true living God (Jeremiah 11:12). The New Testament teaches that followers of Christ are citizens of an eternal kingdom, even though they live in temporary human societies (Philippians 3:20).
This biblical perspective provides a healthy skepticism about making an idol out of any virtual human construct. While virtual worlds may reflect human creativity as part of God’s image, they are not the full reality that will be restored when Jesus returns. Christians should evaluate how the metaverse impacts their love for embodied human relationships and physical creation. Does it supplement or distract from caring for real people and stewarding the earth? The metaverse provides opportunities for human flourishing, but also risks losing touch with the goodness of physical reality.
Truth and Falsehood
The metaverse provides new environments and methods for communicating ideas. However, the Bible teaches that truth has an objective grounding in the nature and acts of God (John 14:6). Scripture also warns about deception, false teaching, and the dangers of falsehood (2 Timothy 4:3-4). Christians should be discerning about the ideologies and influence that spread through the metaverse.
This requires evaluating the worldviews and motivations behind metaverse content and experiences. Does this company or experience encourage me to love God and neighbor in real ways? Or does it inflame passions, conflict, and escapes from reality? Followers of Jesus must ground their identity and convictions in God’s truth versus the changeable ideas spread by humans (Matthew 24:4-5).
Human Dignity and Flourishing
The Bible teaches that all people possess equal worth as image-bearers of God (Genesis 1:27). Jesus modeled a countercultural love, dignity, and belonging for those marginalized in his society like women, children, and the poor. So Christians should evaluate if the metaverse affirms human dignity or degrades it. They should ask if it provides complements or substitutes for physical human community.
Immersive virtual experiences open positive opportunities like increased accessibility for those with disabilities. But they also pose risks around privacy, exploitation of vulnerable people, normalization of violence, extremism, and addiction. Christians should advocate for policies, terms of service, age restrictions, and content moderation that reduce harm. They should also be wary of how extended virtual reality might negatively impact human community and equality in the physical world.
Greed and Consumerism
The metaverse relies on massive investment, monetization, and continuous human attention. Several technology companies see it as the next digital frontier for advertising, e-commerce, and profit generation. However, Scripture warns against greed and an overattachment to money and possessions (Luke 12:15). Christians are called to seek the common good above private gain (Philippians 2).
So followers of Jesus should examine if metaverse business models enflame greed, consumerism, and profit motives over human flourishing. Does this metaverse experience feel manipulative or pressure me to overspend? Christians have opportunities to develop alternative platforms and experiences focused on creativity, service, and the common good over profit. The fruits of the Spirit like patience and self-control are needed to temper endless novelty-seeking and impulse purchases (Galatians 5:22-23).
Stewarding Resources and Creation
Developing immersive virtual worlds requires massive amounts of energy for powering servers, devices, and blockchain ledgers. This raises stewardship questions around energy sources and the sustainability of a high-energy metaverse. As role models for care of God’s creation, Christians should advocate for renewable energy to power the metaverse. They should also help develop experiences focused on appreciating the beauty of the physical world over escapes to fully digital environments.
In addition to environmental stewardship, Christians should consider economic impacts. Will small businesses have opportunities in metaverse economies dominated by mega-corporations? Does the metaverse deepen inequality by requiring expensive devices and internet access? Followers of Jesus should develop creative solutions to make the benefits of the metaverse more accessible to all.
Time Management and Balance
Due to the relentless busyness of modern life, time management is already a challenge for many people seeking balance between work, relationships, rest, health, and spiritual practices. A key question is whether immersive metaverse activities will intensify these dynamics and make it harder for people to set boundaries around their time and attention. Christians are called to redeem the time wisely (Ephesians 5:15-16). So followers of Jesus should be asking if the metaverse will draw people into spending less time on what matters most and makes life deeply meaningful.
Potential positives include using the metaverse for efficiency and collaborating across distances to free up time. But Christians should also be wary of endless novelty and entertainment that distracts from physical presence with loved ones, creative work, enjoying creation, prayer, worship, and building their communities. They should help people develop wisdom for life balance rather than escaping real relationships.
Sexuality and Relationships
The hyper-personalized nature of the metaverse provides opportunities for intimacy and connection across distances. But it also poses profound risks related to sexuality, fidelity, and wholehearted presence with those entrusted to our care. Pornography and immoral relationships are already major problems exacerbated by the internet. The metaverse’s embodiment and immersive capabilities create further temptations to engage in virtual affairs and sexual experiences outside of God’s design for human flourishing.
Christians are called to reserve sexual expression for faithful marriage covenants (Hebrews 13:4). Followers of Jesus should avoid metaverse environments and experiences that tempt hearts and minds to embrace sexual immorality. They have opportunities to develop alternative platforms that foster healthy relationships and honor God’s standards. The fruits of Spirit like faithfulness, gentleness and self-control are essential for navigating virtual worlds in a way that honors human dignity (Galatians 5:22-23).
Discerning Spirits and Influencers
The Bible teaches that there are influential spiritual forces of evil that seek to turn hearts away from God’s truth (Ephesians 6:12). Paul warns about false doctrines spread by deceitful spirits (1 Timothy 4:1). So Christians should be alert to how the metaverse might be exploited by destructive influences that oppose God’s kingdom. Virtual worlds provide new environments where people are susceptible to false teachings, conspiracy theories, extremism, and abusive relationships masked by false identities.
Followers of Christ have divine resources to resist demonic influences and test all spirits against God’s revelation (1 John 4:1-3). Walking in wisdom requires discerning immersive experiences and influencers that might lead people astray versus those consistent with biblical truth about God, humanity, and loving relationships. Christians should take care to evaluate ideologies and influencers they encounter in the metaverse based on the fruits they produce (Matthew 7:15-20).
Opportunities for Christian Community
While healthy caution is needed, Christians should also recognize that the metaverse provides new opportunities to build community, share the gospel, and gather for worship and service across physical distances. During the COVID-19 pandemic when physical gathering was limited, some churches used virtual technology to host worship services, small groups, and events. The metaverse offers possibilities to extend this sense of belonging, care, and discipleship formation in immersive digital environments.
Of course, such communities should supplement rather than replace physical relationships and embodied practices like communion, baptism, laying on of hands, and sacrificial service. But imagine followers of Jesus leveraging the metaverse to pray together in creative virtual spaces reflecting God’s glory in creation. Imagine immersive gatherings for teaching, encouragement, and events that draw isolated people into Christian community. May the Spirit guide Christ-followers to innovatively use technologies like the metaverse to promote belonging, discipleship, and flourishing.
Conclusion
The metaverse represents the growing convergence of physical and digital worlds made possible by new immersive technologies. As this new virtual frontier develops, Christians have opportunities to engage it with wisdom, creativity, and care. Scripture provides relevant themes for evaluating both positive potentials and real risks of the metaverse. Followers of Jesus are called to steward emerging technologies like the metaverse in line with God’s purposes for truth, righteousness, justice, and flourishing relationships. While approaching with healthy caution, Christians should also seek Spirit-guided opportunities to shape the metaverse for human thriving and the common good.