Below is a video that dissects the spiritual booby-trap known as known as Alpha. It is a program devised by protestants, ostensibly to facilitate evangelism (such as protestants understand the word "evangelism"). Alpha seems to emphasize protestant priorities such as "relationship" and "experiences". Actual errors seem to include (at least implicitly) the "sola scriptura" heresy and disregard for the Sacraments and Magisterium.
At 9:17 we hear the question, "why are you promoting error to Catholics?" That is a question that should be addressed to the Word Among Us magazine, for their Easter 2019 issue features an article that sings forth the dubious praises of Alpha. Indeed, as I read this article, it makes evangelism sound like one big, slick marketing campaign. Its title is most telling: "Relationship First". That is flat-out not Christianity. Since they are "sola scriptura", let's look at Scripture, namely the Gospel of Mark. What's the first recorded word of Jesus from that Gospel? Is it "relationship"? Is it "experience"? No, it's "Repent".
14:30 "It allows you to become a Christian without change...". Therein lies a big danger to souls. Let's look at what today's gospel would have been if we were in "B" cycle. It's when Jesus sent the 72 disciples on a preaching tour to preach the gospel of repentance. It wasn't a gospel of "experience" or "personal fulfillment", but of repentance.
Time does not allow me to recite all the ills of Alpha, but I will touch on a few. This link states that Alpha has been linked with the dangerous practice known as the "Toronto Blessing". I don't know the precise nature of this linkage but I'd suspect that might be found in this anthology. About thirty years ago I was affiliated with the Mother of God Community, from whence sprang the Word Among Us. Towards the end of its heyday, it started dabbling in the "Toronto Blessing". I knew enough to avoid participation in it like the plague. Such are the dangers of overemphasis on "experience" and disregard for the Sacraments and the Magisterium. If you take a look at the bottom of that "anthology" link, you will see that Cardinal Burke condemned Alpha.
Two years ago, the Word Among Us advocated the new age practice of centering prayer. Now they've linked up with Alpha bile. This is the kind of nonsense that will happen when one stokes lusts for spiritual "experience" instead of preaching the truths of the Catholic faith. I'd advocate the avoidance of WAU.
We quit paying for the subscription quite a while back after they featured Dorothy Day the worker on cover. Socialism has been pushed into every facet of The Church. Commercialism started when the national companies started having local businesses pay for ads on back of bulletins so no cost to the parish. Now they are 4 color clown looking monstrosities that look like a coming Protestant carnival. Eventually some business will make a donation to change the cross into a giant golden arch M.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know about that! Day espoused views that were most decidedly anti-Catholic, for sure.
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