Movement 113

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feature: introduci ng christianity means quite centrally addressing a society in the thrall of materialism, of Mammon. ln Jesus' he argues, the irreconcilable antinomy between God and Mammon and the irrevocable covenant between God and the poor are made flesh. True evangelism is to live this out in fellowship with the authentic spirituality and liberative dimensions of other reli$ons. Note, evangelism does not mean in the first instance displacing True evangelism is to live in fellowship with the authentic spirituality and liberative dimensions of other religions . Tim GorrinEle has wotked in parishos' taught theology in south lndia' worked a3 a college chaplain ln Oxfold' and lectuled at St Andrewg and Exeter, where he is now St Luke's Plofeseor of Thoological Studies. He was chaptain to SCM ln the 1970s. other reli$ons. On the contrary, Pieris argues that each of the great reli$ons has its own version of the Sermon on the Mount, the Truth that sets us free from being tied to things that cannot $ve us freedom. The Asian churches (but why just the Asian churches?) have to experience solidarity with non-Christians by witnessing to the spirituality common to all reli$ons (by practising the Beatitudes); and reveal their Christian uniqueness in proclaimingJesus as the new covenant by joinin$ the poor against Mammon's principalities and powers that create poverty and oppression. ln a $obalised world, I would argue, that is as true in London, Birmingham or Glasgow as in Colombo' The attempt to serve Mammon, whether or not in the name of God, is the decisive marker of what is not of God's Spirit. Whatever frees us from Mammon is of the Spirit. We experience solidarity with such anti-Mammon forces and we proclaim Jesus as the new covenant in solidarity with the Poor. lf this is a true account of evangelism it follows that mission campai$ns which rely on huSe quantities of money, or on the strength of imperial orders, are confiadictions in terms. What it actually means to make disciples of nations is to baptise them into a spirituality of nonacquisitiveness and nonaccumulativeness which guarantees a healthy, ecologically balanced sharing of our resources. The cross is not, as it is for much Protestant preaching, 'the price for sinners paid' but the price fixed by the rich who refuse to be evangelised by the poor. 'lf one day we truly take up this cross as a body and go underground and pay that price for the sake of our intimidated masses, that day the world will see the miracle it is yearning to see' a church which has been evangelised by the poor, and therefore, a church that has become Good News to the poor, as Jesus was'. As each religion discovers that in the other which liberates from acquisitiveness it discovers and renames itself precisely in and through encounter. Pieris warns that the liberating spirituality of the religions is gradually being extinguished by the wave of capitalistic techniculture that has begun to shake the relisious foundation of all cultures. 'The market economy (which thrives on the quest for profit) and consumerism (which plays to our accumulative instinct) have enthroned Mammon where, once, the human Person and the human community as well as the earth on which we live, were the sole beneficiary'. This is, I believe, the key perspective in any contemporary theoloSl of evangelism. Gospel is good news, and this has to be addressed to the situation of the day, in our case one where the possibility of the continuance of life as we know it is threatened by the rapacity of present economic practices, as '2,000 concerned scientists' warned in 1996. Reviewing my ATheologr of the Built Environ' rnent, which examines these claims, John Macquarrie dismissed it as the work of 'an old fashioned Christian Socialist'. The question we are left with, though, is what the gospel can be today, other than a warning and a call to repentance in the name of the God of life? Evangelism in our context is, as it was for the prophets, a sombre business, and it is certainly not primarily about getting more bums on pews. lt is, as it has always been, a callto repentance, but not one which is made in competition with other religions. On the contrary, its primary concern is obedience to the God of life, and engagement with all that makes for death. I Tim Gorrin$e see also,,, M Barnes, Theolo$y and the Dialo$ue of Retigions, Cambrid$e: Cambrid$e University Press, 2002 Pieris, Fire and Water, Maryknoll: Orbis' 1996 'Evangelism is a call to repentanGe, hut not one which is made in competition with other religions' 16 lmovement
{ feature: introducing christianity marketin$the Sospel For years, the Alpha course has been used by many churches and groups as a way of introducing'unchurched' people to Ghristianity. But dissatisfaction with the Alpha approach has led to the development of several alternative courses. We compare and contrast the different courses, and look at people's experiences of Alpha... Alpha Did you know? Accordingj to Stephen Hunt's book Anyone tor Alpha?, only 3-4% of participants in Alpha courses become Christians at the end. Most 'introductory' courses are actually attended mainly by existing churchgoers. Developed at Holy Trinity Brompton over the last 20 years and now headed by Revd Nicky Gumbel, Alpha is the longest-established and best-known of the introductory courses. The organisers say that thousands of courses are now running in many countries. They also say that it's used in secular locations - prisons, businesses and schools. Alpha bills itself as a fifteen-session practical introduction to the Christian faith, aimed especially at people who don't go to church. At Holy Trinity, Alpha courses are held throughout the year and have hundreds of people attending each week. The syllabus for the course is contained in a book called Questions of Life. Some courses are held during the day, but most are evening events, with a light meal followed by a talk. Then participants break into pre-arranged groups of around a dozen people (in which they remain for the entire course) to discuss the talk. A team of around three or four 'leaders' or 'helpers' from the host church is attached to each group. There is also a weekend away focusing on the subject of the Holy Spirit. The problem for many people is that Alpha introduces participants to a very particular kind of Christianity. The emphasis is very much on the evangelical, charismatic side of Christian faith, and on participants 'accepting the Lord Jesus into their heafts' (or words to that effect). Whilst a dissatisfaction with this approach has led to the creation of at least one of the alternative courses now available, it hasn't stopped people adapting Alpha lo work with a much more open view of faith. We asked some SCM members and groups to reflect on their experiences of Alpha, and you can see what they thought below. tii"Jrot ""\^Icomers' . -,..^ment with Atohl Y: " il*";,,' y:::l":t Hi!I"*l: i::r:'ffSi,i#Fl ,' *tr'5fiff{*g*$$g-ffi postglraduate student everyone l".u]ll;,., armosphere. a warm and trtetrur] uu"--' ,ames, Gontact Alpha lnternational, Holy Trinity Brompton, Brompton Road, London SW7 1rA : t; 020 7581 8255 f: O2O 7584 8536 e.' info@alphacourse.org w: www.alphacourse.org :,t^:o to hetp read an Atpha cot,,, ;ffi#;lXts:,i"ul #"l:::e when aso' unr€, I was ii:- "t ;t';",,#3rs tendency to rorll? ilfi ;r"J" at the ;lll',rxn:rxiH;jfi"lf:# 19." : rn e probtJri",-"j' ]rjls .!n at it e n co urquesttons ,^, .il is that it "n."], ;;ffi;#'.;1"T^,"_,f ;;;il;;:'ifr";l iiii:,:,?#'ix. e*f:["i:;ffi ? fi :l:l fl-'Tl,:",yl "; r#"J:u_ aso, €Vonererica r ffi ff :J:f "" j::"*;.y."*"SiTl?fi ; _13:u^y,tn "il;;r:"', l]lh..,'ourdn't go ffi**;*li',ffi Symon, individual SGM rnember movement | 17
Page 1 and 2: the magazine of the student christi
Page 3 and 4: platform just war theory ls the Wes
Page 5 and 6: stop the war As with mct potests, t
Page 7 and 8: campargns cetrr)petigrt.J \ .l \ fa
Page 9 and 10: headless chicken? Where now for the
Page 11 and 12: worldview . Campaign for Clean Clot
Page 13 and 14: celebrity theologian I fr 1*.,p :iG
Page 15: feature: i ntrod uci ng christian i
Page 19 and 20: feature: i ntroduci ng ch ristian i
Page 21 and 22: ties and binds I ties and binds I j
Page 23 and 24: poverty Four ways to make a differc
Page 25 and 26: eviews: books revleyvs J cinema...
Page 27 and 28: eviews: film srryeet sixteen? Ken L
Page 29 and 30: overview: web touched by the hand o
Page 31 and 32: the serpent TOO BUSY TO PRAY? Then

Movement 113

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