Well, a new age is dawning – and its not the age of Aquarius!
If church can be virtual, how is communion to be conceived? Can this be done online, or do we need to be present together? Who are the officiants? And many more questions.
Here is a reply to one such thread that I posted today:
In the 1970’s, at Canadian Bible College, the question was whether we could hold communion off campus without a faculty member present. A question of the officiant (sacramental view).
Soon the question was whether there was real presence in the elements – and not just symbols. A desire to go deeper than just a picture but not as far as transubstantiation. A question of the efficacy of communion.
Then we moved to the matter of community – not just a selfish act but one of communion in community. A question of ecclesiology and how we combat selfishness.
Now we are into the whole question of virtuality. There is connectedness (community), but not presence (physical) of the participants. I have been affected by the Salvation Army over the years – they did not have baptism or communion for some time (although in the past decades they have questioned that). There would be no problem with virtuality in this case.
So, just studying historical precedents, you can pick one side or the other.