Irreplaceable physical presence
Would it suffice to just meet in the metaverse? Or do we need to meet in the world?
I love the film Planes Trains and Automobiles with Steve Martin and John Candy. It tells the story of two very different men trying to make their way from New York to Chicago before Thanksgiving. Almost none of their transport works smoothly, hence the title.
It’s silly, chaotic and ridiculous. IMHO it’s the perfect American comedy.
But it is propelled forward by something deep within us and something universally appreciated. That is, the desire to be with people we love.
There’s something about physical presence that makes taking a trip to loved ones using planes, trains and automobiles a right human choice, even if it’s demoralising.
The Bible suggests this physical presence of humans with one another is a God-intended design for society in general and the church in particular.
On the first pages of the Bible Adam stands before Eve and he speaks.
“The man said, ‘This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman,’ for she was taken out of man.’” (Genesis 2:23)
The wisdom literature talks about the value of the person close by because (presumably) you can see them face to face.
“…better a neighbor nearby than a relative far away.” (Proverbs 27:10)
We see the inherent value of being present with one another as sin and God’s judgement lead to the scattering and separation of people.
“That is why it was called Babel—because there the Lord confused the language of the whole world. From there the Lord scattered them over the face of the whole earth.” (Genesis 11:9)
Jesus’ ministry was carried out alongside and present with people in their myriad needs.
“He touched her hand and the fever left her, and she got up and began to wait on him.” (Matthew 8:15)
The church is expressed as a physical gathering of believers in Christ’s name.
“For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”” (Matthew 18:20)
The Apostles also modelled the kind of Christian love that wants to be physically present with others.
“Recalling your tears, I long to see you, so that I may be filled with joy.” (2 Timothy 1:4)
“I have much to write you, but I do not want to do so with pen and ink. I hope to see you soon, and we will talk face to face.” (3 John 1:13-14)
“…Timothy has just now come to us from you and has brought good news about your faith and love. He has told us that you always have pleasant memories of us and that you long to see us, just as we also long to see you.” (1 Thessalonians 3:6)
The new creation too will be a communal experience. (Just this week I was struck that the collection of individual believers is described as the bride—singular—and her clothing as the works of the saints—plural.)
“…the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear.” (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of God’s holy people.)” (Revelation 19:6-8)
It’s not enough to write letters. It’s not enough to know people’s names and their news. It’s not even enough to pray. There is an appropriate longing to be together. It is written into creation. It is reaffirmed in the gospel. It is fulfilled in the new creation.
Anecdotally it does seem the lockdowns we went through have left a wound in our social psyche—both in the wider community and the church. Being separate is not how we’re built to be.
Yet what I’m interested in is that with so much of our lives—and increasingly this is the case—being spent online, what is happening or will happen to our physical presence with one another?
There are emails, statuses, texts, DMs, zoom calls, phone calls, video calls, group chats, livestreams, snapchats, and comments sections. If predictions are true, soon more of us will be using VR for interacting in the Metaverse, in a similar way to how gamers have used headsets to communicate through avatars.
All of this has the capacity to increase how much we interact with others—which could be a great thing. But it also has the capacity to change how we interact in the first place—which seems to me like it’s the area that needs proper thought.
I doubt we’ll want to say something as crass as that VR or other online interactions are bad any more than we’d want to say a letter is bad. But from a cursory reading of the Biblical data, there is a preference for physical presence with others. It is written into us as God’s creation, and again as his new creation.
As digital communication becomes more prevalent not less, we need to ask ourselves: when is communicating remotely and digitally helpful and useful, and when does it take away from how we are made to live?