For God and country

Virtual worlds may well be the new frontier for crusades of today. The Jesuits, a Catholic order of priests founded by St. Ignatius Loyola in the 1500s, have decided their next bastion of faith should be raised in Second Life, reports the Financial Times.

In the Civilta' Cattolica, the Jesuits' official organ, Second Life is compared to the once-Godless jungles of Africa and distant China.

Literary critic Father Antonio Spadaro of the Civilta' Cattolica wrote, "This virtual Second Life is becoming populated with churches, mosques, temples, cathedrals, synagogues, places of prayer of all kinds. And behind an avatar there is a man or a woman, perhaps searching for God and faith, perhaps with very strong spiritual needs.”

Father Spadaro is also an expert among the Jesuits in new technologies. In his written description on Second Life, he included instructions on how to become a resident, as well as potential dangers and benefits.

"Second Life is not simply a 'closed' phenomenon," added Spadaro. "It is a real living environment that every day extends its frontiers and increases the number of residents. We cannot close our eyes to it."