Talk:Alpha course

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This page is a duplicate of Alpha Course. should probably merge the two together Dfarmer 19:44, 19 Feb 2004 (UTC)

Which Archbishop of Canterbury? The course described Rowan Williams as akin to the anti-christ in Robert Beckford's documentory. (unsigned comment from 193.62.25.51)

Good point. It was Carey, and I've made that explicit. Also, it seems clear from Alpha's website that the course does not (so presumably cannot) claim direct endorsement from any Pope so I've cut that claim. Chelseaboy 13:48, 8 November 2005 (UTC)

The course material that I have read does not state that "New Age" materials (e.g. Ouija boards) must be burnt, it simply says that they are 'almost certaintly a power of evil'.Helzagood 20:10, 5 February 2006 (UTC)

I've asked for a specific source for that assertion. — Matt Crypto 20:46, 5 February 2006 (UTC)

The source for the suggestion that Ouija boards, etc. should be burnt, or at the least destroyed, is page 160 of "Questions of Life" (Nicky Gumbel, 2003 edition). It says:

"There is a whole new interest in spiritualism, palm-reading, ouija boards, 'channelling' (consulting the dead), astrology, horoscopes, witchcraft and occult powers. Involvement in these things is expressly forbidden in Scripture (Deuteronomy 18:10; Leviticus 19:20ff; Galatians 5:19ff; Revelation 21:8; 22:15). If we have meddled in any of these things, we can be forgiven. We need to repent and destroy anything associated with that activity such as books, charms, videos and magazines (Acts 19:19)."

Consulting the NRSV translation of Acts 19:19 we find it saying:

"A number of those who practiced magic collected their books and burned them publicly; when the value of these books [implicit "them" in the Greek] was calculated, it was found to come to fifty thousand silver coins."

During the sermon based on this chapter ("How Can I Resist Evil") it was emphasised that New Age materials should be destroyed. I checked with the Alpha group leader that he did indeed believe horoscopes, Ouija boards, and the other materials mentioned in the Alpha text should be burnt.

Presumably other means of destruction are deemed acceptable, but the only one I heard specified, and the only one pointed to in the Bible, was burning. If no one gets back to me on this I'll restore what was previously there on this subject, but without specifying burning as the means of destruction.

Stuarta 16:27, 18 February 2006 (UTC)

Please do restore it; thanks for digging up a source. — Matt Crypto 18:47, 18 February 2006 (UTC)

Before I do, what's the reference for "a power of evil"? Stuarta 11:25, 20 February 2006 (UTC)

I don't have any Alpha course materials, but I think we should make sure we are careful about whether they either "state" or only "suggest" certain principles. Currently we say that the Alpha materials "suggest pre-marital sex is unequivocally wrong". It's hard to see how anything could suggest pre-marital sex is unequivocally wrong! — Matt Crypto 17:16, 20 February 2006 (UTC)

I take your point. The wording could be improved there, but the intention was to communicate that if one believes "Searching Issues" then the Bible is unequivocal on these matters.

On pre-marital sex, Gumbel interprets various Biblical injunctions, including the "seventh" commandment (seventh in the Protestant numbering system), to mean that "[a]ny sexual intercourse outside marriage is forbidden" (page 46, 1995 edition).

In answer to the question "Is homosexual practice an option for a Christian?" Gumbel answers (p 79):

"He did not design our bodies for homosexual intercourse. This view of marriage and sex [in Chapter 3 and Genesis 2:24], which Jesus quoted and endorsed, rules out all sex outside marriage, whether heterosexual or homosexual."

He then points out Levitical prohibitions, the destruction of Sodom on account of homosexuality, and Paul's condemnations. None of this is qualified, and the final paragraph of the section says this:

"What the Bible condemns is not homosexual preference, but homosexual practice (a distinction we will consider later in this chapter). Jesus took the Scriptures as his authority and if Jesus is our Lord, then we must follow him."

In this case perhaps better wording would be "interprets the Bible to mean that homosexual intercourse is unquivocally prohibited".

On the subject of New Age, I found the Gumbel describing New Age practices as "what appears to be a satanic counterfeit" of the Holy Spirit (page 73), but I haven't managed to find the quote given above.

Regarding the move of critical material, I agree we can't suggest reports of the Alpha attitude to homosexuality are in themselves a source of criticism, but on the other hand this attitude certainly is a source of criticism from liberal Christians and non-Christians. I think this fact should be mentioned under "critics".

Stuarta 23:39, 20 February 2006 (UTC)

[edit] 10 weeks, 15 talks

We say, "the Alpha course is organized as a series of sessions over ten weeks, starting with some food, a talk..." Then we list some fifteen talks. We should say how this works in practice; e.g. are some talks omitted, two talks done in one session etc? — Matt Crypto 18:47, 18 February 2006 (UTC)

Christianity: Boring, Untrue and Irrelevant? is usually delivered at an "Alpha Supper", which is basically a taster for the main course, though typically people who have been on the last course run by a particular church (or Christian Union or whatever) also attend the Alpha Supper. The Holy Spirit topics (I think those are basically the four listed with asterisks) are covered on a weekend or awayday somewhere in the middle of the course, called the Holy Spirit Weekend/Day. I'm not sure what the best way of adding that information into the article is, though.Bouncelot 00:24, 15 August 2006 (UTC)

[edit] LGAT?

Fair to characterize as Large Group Awareness Training, even though based on a "normal" and established religion? --81.105.251.160 02:27, 6 August 2006 (UTC)

It seems that, based on the Wikipedia definition of Large Group Awareness Training, that Alpha displays none of the key characteristics such as marathon sessions, personality attack and "lovebombs". As it's an unsourced allegation, I suggest removal. -- Adders 16:25, 26 February 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Is Alpha an "evangelical group"?

My attention was piqued by this curious Observer article which refers to "Alpha, a controversial evangelical group [that] opposes homosexual acts and sex before marriage". They make it out to be an extreme or fringe sect of some sort, which doesn't really tie in with anything else I've read about the Alpha course. 217.155.20.163 23:04, 30 December 2006 (UTC)