The Alpha Course was created by Holy Trinity Brompton as a 10-week evangelistic course which seeks to introduce the basics of the Christian faith through a series of talks and discussions following a shared meal. First launched in 1993, it quickly became popular all across the UK, and subsequently all over the world.

Although several books have sought to chart the history of Alpha, 'Repackaging Christianity' acts as the ‘official’ history; Andrew Atherstone having gained access to HTC’s full archives. It’s a thoroughly researched work, the author leaving no stone unturned in seeking to lay bare the unfolding truth of events in Alpha’s development.

Alpha and Toronto

The opening chapter gives a potted history of HTB, giving accounts of the early ministries of Sandy Millar and Nicky Gumbel, with especial focus on events of the 1970s and early 80s.

‘Californian Catalyst’ relates the influence of American ‘signs and wonder’ evangelist, John Wimber, through his memorable visit to HTB in the early 80s.This chapter goes on to tell of the impact the Toronto Blessing had on HTB staff in 1994, and the subsequent connection in the public’s mind between Alpha and physical manifestations, which actually became problematic for Alpha in various ways. Like numerous other church leaders, Sandy Millar compared the Toronto Blessing to “earlier revivals like those under Jonathan Edwards”; anyone who has read of that eighteenth century revival will know there are more contrasts than comparisons.

Atherstone seeks to be fair-minded in his appraisal, and freely offers criticisms of the Alpha Course.

Critics

Atherstone seeks to be fair-minded in his appraisal, and freely offers criticisms of the Alpha Course. He concedes that following the course’s introduction, “there was no shortage of critics”. Many decried Alpha’s “overt simplicities”, one commentator called it “a sugar-coated, crude and narrow … join-the-dots Christianity”, guilty of “theological vacuity” (p.76). The Herald dismissed Alpha as encouraging “constant false jollity”, “instant conversion” and “smug superiority”. With the theme of God’s love running through Alpha from beginning to end, one commentator dismissed Alpha as “a toothless, and sentimental gospel that fails to ground the love of God in His Justice”.

The language of ‘experience’ pervades Alpha material and one of the most significant – and controversial – aspects of the course is its ‘Holy Spirit weekend’, with its emphasis on personal experience of the third person of the Trinity. Some felt there was too little about Jesus and too much about the Spirit. Our own Prophecy Today gets a mention, for showing concern that the first two Alpha sessions on Jesus seemed merely “preparatory to the real business of an experiential encounter with God through his Spirit”. Despite all the criticisms, a high proportion of Alpha conversion testimonies referenced the Holy Spirit weekend as a crucial, often life-changing experience.

Alpha’s popularity

Alpha quickly grabbed the national media’s attention. The public’s perception of the Church was of old and uninteresting people. Alpha courses filled with young, intelligent adults surprised and intrigued many.

A high proportion of Alpha conversion testimonies referenced the Holy Spirit weekend as a crucial, often life-changing experience.

Atherstone outlines the focused and increasingly sophisticated marketing campaigns used to promote Alpha, as it emerged as a significant and money-making ‘brand’, encompassing a whole suite of resources, paperbacks, tracts, DVDs, conferences, podcasts, newspapers, magazines, etc. Media attention increased when various celebrities started attending Alpha. Model Samantha Fox, disgraced politician Jonathan Aitken, pop star Geri Halliwell and TV personality Bear Grylls all participated in the course and went through conversion experiences.

An entire chapter deals with Alpha’s insistence on Christian unity, and its warm embrace of the Catholic Church and the Vatican. While many saw no particular problem with this, it drew staunch criticism from both conservative evangelicals and Catholic traditionalists.

Global embrace

Another chapter deals with Alpha’s involvement in moral transformation and social activism. Atherstone charts Alpha’s evolving attitude in regard to the thorny topic of homosexuality, as it came under enormous pressure to not be regarded as ‘homophobic’.

Alpha’s evolving attitude in regard to the thorny topic of homosexuality, as it came under enormous pressure to not be regarded as ‘homophobic’.

Alpha’s remarkable success in Britain’s prisons is also related. By 2002, 80% of Britain’s 160 prisons were running Alpha courses, and by 2005, an estimated 35,000 prisoners had attended Alpha in the UK. A final chapter charts Alpha’s spread across the globe, and its embrace of the digital revolution.

The book is well-written, and meticulously researched and documented, a fact proven by its 50 pages of reference notes. Indeed, perhaps an over-abundance of detail is included for the interest of the average reader; making this voluminous study more suited to church pastors and historians or for use as a general reference source. Either way, 'Repackaging Christianity' makes for a fascinating and informative read.

Repackaging Christianity (308pp) is published by Hodder & Stoughton, and is available from Amazon for £17.75 (inc p&p).