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Original poster

Alpha course - is this usual?

82 replies

54isanopendoor · 14/09/2023 09:50

I noticed my local Church (of Scotland) was offering an Alpha course so I went.

We watched a video. We were divided in to 2 'discussion' groups. All fine. (friendly enough but the discussion was mostly about childhood church experiences / sunday school / whose parent had been an elder so a bit 'local')
There was 20 mins Hymn singing at end. I didn't join in much as I didn't know the hymns (hummed along where I could). Much glaring & the leader at the end spoke to me & asked me 'when I wanted to accept Jesus into my life'.

I had thought that Alpha was for people not associated with Church to go along & find out what Christianity might be about & to ask questions?

OP posts:
PrimitivePerson · 16/01/2024 12:31

@54isanopendoor Your views are perfectly valid and you're entitled to hold them. Thing is, the people behind Alpha think the complete opposite and would consider you a dangerous liberal who needs converting immediately.

If you don't want that, avoid it.

Notamum12345577 · 16/01/2024 15:21

54isanopendoor · 16/01/2024 12:06

I'm really glad this thread has had a wee revival!

@CrunchyCarrot Thank you for the info that the Alpha course is avail online via HTB. That is what I will try next - I can then judge it's suitability for me from the original 'offering' vs. local hymn singing & 'I have grievously sinned' stuff.

I am a person who believes in God (but haven't thought 'God believed in me' for most of my life). I believe Jesus existed & that by following 'his examples' in the Bible we can lead a better life but I dont believe the Bible is 'the word of God'.
It is a collection of writings, written later & translated & altered for 2K years.
I don't believe babies are born sinful & that baptism is essential to 'save them'. Or that a theoretical remote tribesperson who had never heard 'the word of God' would be doomed. But I do believe there is an 'after-life' & that something of our energy continues in some form & that we are meant to learn & improve.

So I am no doubt quite ignorant & a bit mixed up but I had hoped to go & discuss such things with other similar people (plus those from the Church) .
That wasn't my experience but I do live in a tiny insular village in the arse end of nowhere & I'm an 'outsider' to boot. I will try the online Alpha before I quit it.

Babies being born sinful and needing baptism to save them in not a belief in a lot of churches, especially evangelical. It is a belief of Catholics, I don’t think CofE, but I may be wrong

Notamum12345577 · 16/01/2024 15:26

PrimitivePerson · 16/01/2024 12:31

@54isanopendoor Your views are perfectly valid and you're entitled to hold them. Thing is, the people behind Alpha think the complete opposite and would consider you a dangerous liberal who needs converting immediately.

If you don't want that, avoid it.

Did you go on Alpha for Catholics? As most Christian’s I know do not believe babies are sinful from birth, and also teach that someone who has never had the opportunity to hear about Christ is not doomed (ie those remote tribespeople)

PrimitivePerson · 16/01/2024 15:34

Notamum12345577 · 16/01/2024 15:26

Did you go on Alpha for Catholics? As most Christian’s I know do not believe babies are sinful from birth, and also teach that someone who has never had the opportunity to hear about Christ is not doomed (ie those remote tribespeople)

Show quote history

No, I've never been a Catholic. Those are actually mainstream evangelical protestant beliefs.

CrunchyCarrot · 16/01/2024 17:35

54isanopendoor · 16/01/2024 12:06

I'm really glad this thread has had a wee revival!

@CrunchyCarrot Thank you for the info that the Alpha course is avail online via HTB. That is what I will try next - I can then judge it's suitability for me from the original 'offering' vs. local hymn singing & 'I have grievously sinned' stuff.

I am a person who believes in God (but haven't thought 'God believed in me' for most of my life). I believe Jesus existed & that by following 'his examples' in the Bible we can lead a better life but I dont believe the Bible is 'the word of God'.
It is a collection of writings, written later & translated & altered for 2K years.
I don't believe babies are born sinful & that baptism is essential to 'save them'. Or that a theoretical remote tribesperson who had never heard 'the word of God' would be doomed. But I do believe there is an 'after-life' & that something of our energy continues in some form & that we are meant to learn & improve.

So I am no doubt quite ignorant & a bit mixed up but I had hoped to go & discuss such things with other similar people (plus those from the Church) .
That wasn't my experience but I do live in a tiny insular village in the arse end of nowhere & I'm an 'outsider' to boot. I will try the online Alpha before I quit it.

Yes I do think a lot of those questions you have would be clarified. They certainly should be if (any) course is a proper teaching of Christianity! I've recently done an online theology basics course and that has sorted out some of my own stumbling blocks. I honestly think it's an ongoing lifelong process.

Kdtym10 · 16/01/2024 22:07

It probably varies but I attended an Alpha course - it was awful. It certainly wasn’t a place to explore. It was basically a mechanism to push certain perspectives, all a bit evangelical, we had to make up prayers - it was a little fire
and brimstone

Original poster
54isanopendoor · 17/01/2024 21:41

@CrunchyCarrot I'd be interested in the details of the online theology course. Please PM me if you'd be willing to share them.

The Alpha I attended was being held in a Church of Scotland church.

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