The NEW AGE of Alpha
A critique of the Alpha Course for those who know their Bible
"THE Alpha Course has swept the globe and is being used by an incredibly wide range of groups—including Anglicans and Roman Catholics, Methodists and Seventh Day Adventists. Where other evangelistic initiatives have petered out very swiftly, Alpha has done the opposite. From its roots in the late 1970s, Alpha has grown to stunning proportions today and millions have already participated. What is the secret of its popularity—and what issues does this raise?"— See Entire Document by Dusty Peterson/Elizabeth McDonald
The content of the Course been made as inoffensive – and thus attractive – as possible? The following tables (for more of the comparisions click HERE ) identify some of the topics raised during Alpha. Let us compare various statements by Nicky Gumbel on these topics with those in the holy scriptures…
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Nicky Gumbel, Alpha’s director since 1990, puts its wide appeal down to a completely new approach for a ‘post-Christian age’. Not only has he over-hauled the cosmetics of the program in order to make Alpha more relaxed and pleasant, he has even revised the Course content for this same reason: “[T]he talks themselves were [made] … as attractive as possible”.2 Thus Alpha is now able to be advertised as “a gentle and enjoyable experience”,3 and attendees report that “The whole thing was just so easy going, so much fun … It was genuine fun”.4 Indeed, guests have likened the Course to “a free weekly therapy session”.5
As one Roman Catholic Bishop – and friend of Alpha’s home church – puts it, “[The Course] meets people where they are; it befriends them. They feel affirmed and they enjoy it. Because they enjoy it and are enthused by it, they invite their friends to attend the next course and so it grows”.6
THE ISSUES
The problem is that the full gospel is not very enjoyable, for the full gospel tells unbelievers they are on their way to a lake of fire. (Regrettably, this is not yet stated on Alpha.) The gospel does not “affirm” us; it warns us that God is almighty and terrifyingly holy – and that we, in contrast, are wretched sinners. It alerts us to the fact that, unless we repent of our sinful nature, we are under God’s wrath and utterly without hope. It also teaches us that God’s infinite purity means there was only one way we could be forgiven – i.e. if God Himself came to earth as a man, lived a sinless life, and allowed Himself to be tortured and crucified in our place. If folks hear all this, and do not harden their hearts against it, the full gospel humbles and breaks them. Either way, it can hardly be described as “easy going” or “fun”.
Alpha’s guests often testify to feeling “changed” after the Course, but many people testify to precisely these same changes after secular psychotherapy. From both, participants come away feeling affirmed and, as Nicky Gumbel approvingly quotes one Alpha veteran phrasing it, “accepted for who I am”.7 But only Christ is truly acceptable to God, which is why we all need to be “found in Him” (Php. 3:9). The Bible says that even faithful believers are “unprofitable” and must abide in Christ – so anything which has the affirming effect seen above cannot be the true gospel. Alpha is very soothing, hence some guests become ‘Alphaholics’, attending the program over and over. Alpha’s therapy can certainly change more than this.
