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Alpha course

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The Alpha course logo.

The Alpha course is a course on the basics of the Christian faith, described as "an opportunity to explore the meaning of life,"[1] currently running in churches, homes, workplaces, prisons, universities and a wide variety of other locations. The course is being run around the world by all major Christian denominations.

History

Alpha was started by the Revd Charles Marnham, a curate at Holy Trinity, Brompton, a Church of England parish in London. The name 'Alpha' was suggested by Tricia Marnham, Charles' wife. It started as a course for church members on the basics of the Christian faith but then began to be used as an introduction for those interested in the faith. In 1990 the Revd Nicky Gumbel, at that time a curate at Holy Trinity, took over the running of the course[2] at the invitation of the Revd Sandy Millar, the then vicar, and oversaw its revision and expansion.

In 2008, over 33,500 courses were offered in 163 countries by Anglican,Presbyterian, Lutheran, Baptist, Methodist, Pentecostal, British New Church Movement and Orthodox [2] denominations and the Roman Catholic Church. By 2009 proponents claimed over 13 million people worldwide had attended an Alpha course (two million in the UK).[3]

Structure

The Alpha course is organized as a series of sessions over ten weeks, typically preceded by an 'Alpha Supper' which often includes the talk "Is there more to life than this?" and with a day or weekend away which includes three or four of the talks asterisked [*] below. Each session starts with a meal, followed by a talk (often a video of one by Nicky Gumbel) and then discussion in small groups. The talks aim to cover the basic beliefs of the Christian faith. The complete list of talk titles, which follows the chapters of Nicky Gumbel's book Questions of Life, is:

Attenders are issued with The Alpha Course Manual, which contains an outline of each talk, and space for making notes.

Special versions of the Alpha course tailored for specific demographics exist, including Youth Alpha, Alpha for Prisons, Student Alpha, Alpha in the Workplace, Senior Alpha, Alpha for forces, and Alpha in a Catholic Context. [5]

Doctrine

Alpha's teachings are intended to centre upon aspects of Christian faith on which all denominations are in general agreement, however the contradict they ethos of the Anglican Chuch and thus can be observed as a fringe group. In fact, many aspects directly contradict Anglican doctrine. Nicky Gumbel says "What unites us is far greater than what divides us." Roman Catholic distinctives, such as those concerning the Virgin Mary and certain sacramental teachings are absent, as are Baptist teachings on baptism. Instead, individual denominations are encouraged to provide follow-up courses of their own. The interpretation of the 10 week course material varies widely depending on the individuals organising it, and their personal beliefs.

The New International Version of the Bible is quoted in the course materials. St Paul's reference to scripture being "God breathed" (2 Timothy 3:16) is referred to, although whether this view of scripture implies strict inerrancy is not made clear.

Within evangelical Protestantism the most controversial element of the Alpha Course is what is considered to be its charismatic slant. Three of the fifteen sessions are given to the person and work of the Holy Spirit and cover the infilling of the Spirit; speaking in tongues and healing via prayer. Conversion stories in the book of Acts (see 2:1ff, 9:17-19, 10:44-46, 19:1-6) are seen as normative.

Influences

The Alpha course does not clearly advocate a particular church polity, but is designed to be used in a broadly Evangelical environment, (and has also been successfully used by Catholics). A number of influences can be discerned, possibly the most influential has been the ministry of John Wimber who visited Holy Trinity Brompton a number of times during the 1980s and 1990s. It has also been suggested that Nicky Gumbel has been influenced by the ministry of E. J. H. Nash (Bash), an influential Anglican clergyman who set out to evangelise "top boys at top schools,"[6] and who organised summer camps at Iwerne Minster in Dorset.[7] It has been said that the Alpha scheme of talks rather resembles that used on an Iwerne Minster summer camp. Rob Warner says: "Alpha can therefore be summed up as Bash camp rationalistic conservatism combined with Wimberist charismatic expressivism... this is a highly unusual, even paradoxical hybrid."[8] Gumbel himself will only admit an indirect link.

Cross Denominational Use

Although originating from the Anglican church, it has subsequently been used by a variety of denominations and groups. Father Raniero Cantalamessa, a monk of the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin and Preacher to the Papal Household for Pope Benedict XVI wrote a document praising Alpha in June 2005.[9]

Critics

The Alpha course has been criticised for a charismatic emphasis. A particular problem for non-charismatic evangelicals is what is seen as Gumbel's emphasis upon the person and work of the Holy Spirit. As a result, some churches have chosen to teach a different view of the Holy Spirit, although this is discouraged in Gumbel's book How to Run the Alpha Course.

Because it has been recommended as supplementary reading, Gumbel's book Searching Issues has become a focus of criticism. There is a chapter criticising homosexual practice, although this is not unique to the Alpha course, but part of the wider Evangelical context.[10]

More conservative critics (especially from a Reformed and Evangelical perspective) have complained that the course does not adequately define sin and therefore does not properly explain the reason for Jesus's death and resurrection. The alternative Christianity Explored course is an attempt to go beyond what the Alpha Course teaches on sin.

The Revd Dr John Vincent of the Urban Theology Unit in Sheffield has suggested that Alpha presents too narrow a version of Christianity, and one too centred on what theologians have said about Jesus, rather than allowing students the freedom to draw their own inspiration from studying Jesus' life and teaching. "The Alpha course, because of its didactic style, its narrow-mindedness and its closed nature, doesn't facilitate alternative views," he says. "I happen to believe it therefore leads people into a self-centred religion which is not the same as the genuine Christian discipleship".[11]

Books

Books for use with the course

  • Nicky Gumbel, Questions of Life (Kingsway Publications 2003). ISBN 1842911643
  • Nicky Gumbel, Searching Issues (Kingsway Publications 2001). ISBN 0854767398
  • The Alpha Manual (Alpha International Publications 2005). ISBN 1904074235

Books about the course

  • Andrew Brookes (Editor), The Alpha Phenomenon (Churches Together in Britain and Ireland[12], 2007). ISBN 978-0-85169-331-6
  • Stephen J. Hunt, The Alpha Enterprise: Evangelism in a Post-Christian Era (Ashgate Publishing, Ltd., 2004) ISBN 978-0-75465-036-2

See also

References

  1. ^ From the official website of the alpha course http://alpha.org
  2. ^ a b "How Alpha Began | Alpha UK". Uk.alpha.org. Retrieved 2009-10-23.
  3. ^ "The Alpha Course - Explore the meaning of life | Alpha UK". Uk.alpha.org. Retrieved 2009-10-23.
  4. ^ "Course Content | Alpha UK". Uk.alpha.org. Retrieved 2009-10-23.
  5. ^ "Alpha in different contexts". Alpha Friends. Retrieved 2009-10-23.
  6. ^ Alister McGrath Evangelicalism and the Future of Christianity (Leicester: IVP, 1005) 45
  7. ^ John Eddison (ed) A Study in Spiritual Power; An Appreciation of E J H Nash (Bash) (Highland; Crowborough, 1992)
  8. ^ Rob Warner Reinventing English Evangelicalism 1966-2001 (Milton Keynes: Paternoster, 2007) 122
  9. ^ Faith Which Overcomes The World London, Alpha Course, 27 June 2005[dead link]
  10. ^ Nicky Gumbel Searching Issues: Exploring the Meaning of Life (Eastbourne: Kingsway, 2001)
  11. ^ Pigott, Robert (2001-07-27). "Church leaders launch controversial courses". BBC. Retrieved 2009-10-17.
  12. ^ http://www.ctbi.org.uk/253/
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