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{{Short description|Christian satirical website}}
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{{Infobox Website
⚫
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2022}}
⚫
| name = Ship of Fools
⚫
{{Infobox website
| logo =
⚫
| name = Ship of Fools
| screenshot =
| logo = Ship of Fools logo.gif
| caption =
| logo_size = 126px
| url = {{URL|www.shipoffools.com}}
| url = {{official URL}}
| commercial =
| type = Christian [[online magazine]]
| type = Christian [[online magazine]]
| language = English
| language = English
| registration = Registration required only to use forums
| registration = Registration required only to use [[internet forum]]s or interactive church
⚫
| author = {{ubl|Simon Jenkins|Stephen Goddard}}
| owner =
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| launch_date = {{Start date and age|1998|04|01|df=yes}}
⚫
| author = Simon Jenkins and Stephen Goddard
| current_status = Active
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| launch date = {{Start date and age|1998|04|01|df=yes}}
| alexa = 1,072,676 worldwide<br>288,813 in the United States<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/shipoffools.com |title= Shipoffools.com Site Info | publisher= [[Alexa Internet]] |accessdate= 2012-03-16}}</ref>
| current status = Active
| revenue =
}}
}}
'''Ship of Fools''' is a UK-based Christian satirical website.
⚫
'''Ship of Fools''' is a UK-based Christian satirical website. It was first launched as a magazine in 1977. The magazine folded in 1983 and was resurrected as a website in 1998 on [[April Fool's Day]]. Subtitled "the magazine of Christian unrest", Ship of Fools pokes fun and asks critical questions about the Christian faith. The site is part magazine and part web community.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/503690.stm "The internet according to the Church of England"] [[BBC]] 3 November 1999</ref>


==Origins==
⚫
Ship of Fools was founded and is edited by Simon Jenkins (editor) and Stephen Goddard (co-editor). Jenkins is an author, designer and [[cartoonist]] from London (not to be confused with [[Simon Jenkins]], who has written a more traditional guide to ''England's Thousand Best Churches''), while Goddard is a journalist and [[public relations]] consultant; both have formal [[theological]] education. They also perform a show, ''Ship of Fools Live'', in churches, universities and elsewhere, with excerpts from the site's magazine content. The show toured in the USA in February 2004.
⚫
Ship of Fools was first launched as a magazine in 1977. The magazine folded in 1983 and was resurrected as an internet magazine website and [[bulletin board system]] community [[internet forum|forum]] in 1998. Subtitled "the magazine of Christian unrest", Ship of Fools pokes fun and asks critical questions about the Christian faith. The site is part magazine and part web community.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/503690.stm "The internet according to the Church of England"] [[BBC]] 3 November 1999</ref>


==Leadership==
⚫
Ship of Fools was founded and is edited by Simon Jenkins (editor) and Stephen Goddard (co-editor). Jenkins is an author, designer and [[cartoonist]] from London (not to be confused with Sir [[Simon Jenkins]], former Editor of [[The Times]] and author of ''England's Thousand Best Churches''). Goddard is a journalist and [[public relations]] consultant; both have formal [[theological]] education. They also perform a show, ''Ship of Fools Live'', in churches, universities and elsewhere, with excerpts from the site's magazine content. The show toured in the United States in February 2004.

==Website==
The website presents itself as [[ecumenical]]/pan-Christian, although the prevailing ethos is English-speaking [[Trinitarianism|Trinitarian]] Christianity. The diversity of the users range from complete atheists to evangelical and liberal Christians.
The website presents itself as [[ecumenical]]/pan-Christian, although the prevailing ethos is English-speaking [[Trinitarianism|Trinitarian]] Christianity. The diversity of the users range from complete atheists to evangelical and liberal Christians.


Some notable features of Ship of Fools website are:
Notable features of Ship of Fools website are:

* "The Mystery Worshipper"<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4477845.stm "Mystery reviewers visit churches"] [[BBC]] 24 April 2005</ref> – reports on churches made by users of the site: the intention is that churches find out how they appear to outsiders.
* "The Mystery Worshipper"<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4477845.stm "Mystery reviewers visit churches"] [[BBC]] 24 April 2005</ref> – reports on church services made by anonymous worshippers. The intention is to give feedback on how they appear to outsiders and first-time visitors.
* "Gadgets for God" – kitsch Christian-based products on the internet.
* "Gadgets for God" – kitsch Christian-based products on the internet.
* "Features & Projects" – irregular columns and a range of projects including "R Father" (2001 competition for rewriting the Lord's prayer as a text message<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/2814235.stm "Is txt mightier than the word?"], [[BBC]] 4 March 2003</ref>) and "St Pixels" (see below).
* "Features & Projects" – irregular columns and a range of projects including "R Father" (2001 competition for rewriting the Lord's prayer as a text message<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/2814235.stm "Is txt mightier than the word?"], [[BBC]] 4 March 2003</ref>) and "Church of Fools" (see below).
* Discussion boards – debate and discussion amongst registered members ("shipmates").
* Discussion boards – debate and discussion amongst registered members, who are known as ("shipmates").


⚫
"Church of Fools", an online 3D interactive church, originally ran as a multi-user environment from May to September 2004,<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/3623525.stm "Glimpse inside the virtual church"] [[BBC News]] 13 April 2004</ref><ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/3706897.stm "In cyberspace, can anyone hear you pray?"] [[BBC News]] 12 May 2004</ref> before moving to its own website and eventually becoming [[St Pixels]]<ref>[http://www.churchtimes.co.uk/content.asp?id=37654 "Glory be to God online"] [[Church Times]] 20 April 2007</ref> (whose last service was on Facebook in 2015).
⚫
Activities sometimes leave the site to take place in the real world. There are frequent "Shipmeets" where shipmates get together at different locations around the world. Ship of Fools also ran a [[Ned Flanders]] Night at the Christian festival [[Greenbelt Festival|Greenbelt]].
In April 2020, "Church of Fools" returned to the Ship of Fools website in response to the [[COVID-19]] crisis.


==Other Activities==
⚫
"Church of Fools", an online 3D interactive church, ran as a multi-user 3D environment from May to September 2004,<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/3623525.stm "Glimpse inside the virtual church"] [[BBC News]] 13 April 2004</ref><ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/3706897.stm "In cyberspace, can anyone hear you pray?"] [[BBC News]] 12 May 2004</ref> and as a single-user environment since that date. The Church of Fools has now renamed itself [[St Pixels]].<ref>[http://www.churchtimes.co.uk/content.asp?id=37654 "Glory be to God online"] [[Church Times]] 20 April 2007</ref>
⚫
Ship of Fools sometimes leaves the internet for the real world. There are frequent "Shipmeets" where shipmates get together at different locations around the world. Ship of Fools also ran a [[Ned Flanders]] Night at the Christian festival [[Greenbelt Festival|Greenbelt]].


==See also==
==See also==
{{Portal|Christianity|Internet}}
*''[[The Door (satirical Christian magazine)|The Door]]''
*[[Lark News]]
*''[[Lark News]]''
*''[[The Wittenburg Door]]''
*''[[The Babylon Bee]]''


==References==
==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Reflist}}

== Further reading ==
* {{cite book
|last=Jenkins
|first=Simon
|year=2002
|title=R Father N Hvn: Up 2 D8 Txts Frm d Bible
|publisher=Westminster John Knox Press
|isbn=978-0-664-22598-8
}}


== External links ==
== External links ==
* {{Official website}}
* [http://shipoffools.com Ship of Fools]
* [http://churchoffools.com Church of Fools]
* [http://www.stpixels.com St Pixels]
* [http://www.stpixels.com St Pixels]

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{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2013}}
{{Authority control}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Ship Of Fools (Website)}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Ship of Fools (Website)}}
[[Category:Religious comedy websites]]
[[Category:Religious comedy websites]]
[[Category:Online magazines]]
[[Category:Online magazines published in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Magazines established in 1977]]
[[Category:Magazines disestablished in 1983]]
[[Category:Internet properties established in 1998]]
[[Category:Internet forums]]
[[Category:Christian websites]]
[[Category:British comedy websites]]
[[Category:Online magazines with defunct print editions]]
[[Category:Defunct magazines published in the United Kingdom]]

Latest revision as of 13:31, 18 June 2023

Ship of Fools
Type of site
Christian online magazine
Available inEnglish
Created by
  • Simon Jenkins
  • Stephen Goddard
URLwww.shipoffools.com Edit this at Wikidata
RegistrationRegistration required only to use internet forums or interactive church
Launched1 April 1998; 26 years ago (1998-04-01)
Current statusActive

Ship of Fools is a UK-based Christian satirical website.

Origins

[edit]

Ship of Fools was first launched as a magazine in 1977. The magazine folded in 1983 and was resurrected as an internet magazine website and bulletin board system community forum in 1998. Subtitled "the magazine of Christian unrest", Ship of Fools pokes fun and asks critical questions about the Christian faith. The site is part magazine and part web community.[1]

Leadership

[edit]

Ship of Fools was founded and is edited by Simon Jenkins (editor) and Stephen Goddard (co-editor). Jenkins is an author, designer and cartoonist from London (not to be confused with Sir Simon Jenkins, former Editor of The Times and author of England's Thousand Best Churches). Goddard is a journalist and public relations consultant; both have formal theological education. They also perform a show, Ship of Fools Live, in churches, universities and elsewhere, with excerpts from the site's magazine content. The show toured in the United States in February 2004.

Website

[edit]

The website presents itself as ecumenical/pan-Christian, although the prevailing ethos is English-speaking Trinitarian Christianity. The diversity of the users range from complete atheists to evangelical and liberal Christians.

Notable features of Ship of Fools website are:

  • "The Mystery Worshipper"[2] – reports on church services made by anonymous worshippers. The intention is to give feedback on how they appear to outsiders and first-time visitors.
  • "Gadgets for God" – kitsch Christian-based products on the internet.
  • "Features & Projects" – irregular columns and a range of projects including "R Father" (2001 competition for rewriting the Lord's prayer as a text message[3]) and "Church of Fools" (see below).
  • Discussion boards – debate and discussion amongst registered members, who are known as ("shipmates").

"Church of Fools", an online 3D interactive church, originally ran as a multi-user environment from May to September 2004,[4][5] before moving to its own website and eventually becoming St Pixels[6] (whose last service was on Facebook in 2015). In April 2020, "Church of Fools" returned to the Ship of Fools website in response to the COVID-19 crisis.

Other Activities

[edit]

Ship of Fools sometimes leaves the internet for the real world. There are frequent "Shipmeets" where shipmates get together at different locations around the world. Ship of Fools also ran a Ned Flanders Night at the Christian festival Greenbelt.

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "The internet according to the Church of England" BBC 3 November 1999
  2. ^ "Mystery reviewers visit churches" BBC 24 April 2005
  3. ^ "Is txt mightier than the word?", BBC 4 March 2003
  4. ^ "Glimpse inside the virtual church" BBC News 13 April 2004
  5. ^ "In cyberspace, can anyone hear you pray?" BBC News 12 May 2004
  6. ^ "Glory be to God online" Church Times 20 April 2007

Further reading

[edit]
  • Jenkins, Simon (2002). R Father N Hvn: Up 2 D8 Txts Frm d Bible. Westminster John Knox Press. ISBN 978-0-664-22598-8.
[edit]
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