Time-worn places of worship, whether they be ornate gothic cathedrals or simple temples, tend to be communal, bringing people together to bump elbows, sneeze, and whisper while they perform the ritual of religious ceremony. Now, an increasing number of the world's faithful come together to practice in cyberspace, suggesting that the next Chartres may very well be built of pixels.

The move to put religion online has been in the works for a while: a 2000 Pew Internet & American Life survey of congregations found that 'the Internet has become a vital force in many faith communities.' And according to another survey by the research organization in 2004, nearly 82 million Americans -- two thirds of the country's online users -- go to the internet for religious or spiritual reasons.

Today, there are myriad ways the internet is used by the faithful. One way, following the popularity of sites like MySpace, is for social networking. In 'Sites Hope To Redeem Internet,' Bettye Wells Miller reports for Southern California's Press-Enterprise on the popularity of sites like MyChurch, MEETfish, and Shmooze, where members create profiles to share with a network of friends.

Other sites offer mutual support: at DailyConfession.com, anyone can anonymously confess their sins, baring their soul by typing into a text box and clicking 'I Confess.' David Briggs of the Religion News Service notes that the website is particularly popular among the young, who are becoming more comfortable sharing intimate secrets and seeking advice online. And share they do: 300 to 400 confessions are posted and over a million people visit the site each day.