ABSTRACT
Focusing on the practice of Buddhism in Second Life, this chapter describes an ethnographic method for the study of religion in video game environments. Gregory Price Grieve argues that if one takes into consideration the narrative imagining of role-play, then Second Life can be considered a game and that its religion practice is authentic because its game play engages with what its users perceive as sacred. He then goes on to outline an ethnographic method based on the field of virtual game spaces, the methodological tool of participant observation, and the analytic instrument of thick description, as well as briefly touching on ethics. Finally, Gregory Price Grieve illustrates a case study by examining Second Life Zen Buddhist objects, places, avatars, groups, and events, as well as touching on the life cycle of the research project described.
