Alpha course. (Jesus, ritual, evolve, attending, church)

[Eleison]

Hi all,

I was just wondering if any of you have done an Alpha course - and if so was last night typical of a meeting,?
The celebration supper was a couple of weeks ago, and last night the first official session. We were put into groups of 6. The designated leader has oodles of faith but very limited knowledge of the Bible. 3 of the group do not believe that Jesus was anything other than a nice man, yet have been Confirmed and receive the Eucharist. And because of that belief, feel that Mary was either unfaithful or that writers lied about her. They also “have issues” with the Resurrection. And yet they all say the Creed in church!

I am rather confused to say the least. I can understand going on the course with an open mind. I can understand going in order to learn. I can understand going to question or even to simply develop Christian fellowship. I can not understand attending the course, wearing a cross, declaring yourself Christian while claiming to have no belief in any of the basic tenants of the Christian faith.

I don’t know what they expect to get out of it. And I cant help feeling that I’m certainly not going to get what I hoped and expected to get out of it. Should I look for another group? Or does this sound like the norm?
Thanks.

[Wandered Off]

One can get plenty with a non-literal interpretation. There can be much symbolic significance without insisting on a concretely historical view.

Sea of Faith is such a movement, for example.

[Dunemeister]

The Alpha course is something people either swear by or swear at. It's greatest strength -- the gathering together of several people to simply talk about spiritual stuff -- is also its greatest weakness. For there's little sense of authority in the gatherings. A speaker presents the church's teaching, and then the discussion goes where it goes, and the "leader" at the table doesn't try to emphasize the church's teaching or guide the participants toward any particular conclusion. It can therefore devolve into a mere exchange of opinions. And if that's what you're looking for, then it can be great. If not, not.