Christianity Explored
Encyclopedia
Christianity Explored is an informal Christian
evangelistic
teaching course developed by Rico Tice
and Barry Cooper
at All Souls Church, Langham Place
, a leading evangelical Church of England
church, and published by The Good Book Company
.
There is also a day away that features three bonus sessions: The Sower, James and John and Herod. Spin-offs include a youth version, revised in 2010 for two age groups: 11 to 14 years ("CY Nano") and 15 plus ("CY"). The seven session "Soul" DVD is designed to work with CY, and can also be used as a stand-alone resource. There is a follow-on course entitled “Discipleship Explored”, written and presented by Barry Cooper, and "English Made Easy" editions of both Christianity Explored and Discipleship Explored. Christianity Explored publications are also available in Bulgarian, Dutch, German, Hindi, Hungarian, Italian, Luganda, Polish, Spanish, Swahili and Welsh. Translations in progress include French, Mandarin, Norwegian, Portuguese, Russian and Swedish.
generally (e.g. in the 2003 publication "Evangelism - Which Way Now?") considers it, along with Emmaus
and Alpha
, as one of a "trinity" of courses covering all wings of the church. Other churches have also used the course: in 2006-7 the Irish
Presbyterian Church’s board of youth and children’s ministry used the youth version CY extensively with the Boys Brigades. It has also been used in Asia, with leader training run by the Methodist church
in Singapore
.
by shorter videos in less formal settings, less charismatic emphasis on the Holy Spirit
and by an expositional study of scripture – in this case Mark’s Gospel
. 9 Marks comments that Christianity Explored is "plainly an answer to the Alpha course". It says that the course does a "fairly good job of explaining the gospel clearly" but finds it over-full of material, and holds the view that "the use of the sinners’ prayer and immediate assurance is ... troubling." (These criticisms were fully addressed in the third edition of the course.)
It credits Christianity Explored with "the best treatment of sin, giving it a whole session", along with a good treatment of grace and the atonement. This is in agreement with (or perhaps derivative from) a 2001 article in the British Evangelical Council magazine which commended Christianity Explored, in direct contrast to Alpha, for its teaching on grace, penal substitution and the Holy Spirit.
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
evangelistic
Evangelism
Evangelism refers to the practice of relaying information about a particular set of beliefs to others who do not hold those beliefs. The term is often used in reference to Christianity....
teaching course developed by Rico Tice
Rico Tice
Richard Ian Tice is an Anglican churchman and writer, co-author of Christianity Explored. He is currently Associate Minister at All Souls Church, Langham Place, London, and is well known in the UK as a speaker at evangelical Christian conferences and an evangelist of national standing.-Early...
and Barry Cooper
Barry Cooper (author)
Barry Cooper was born in Epsom, United Kingdom. He was educated at St Catherine's College, Oxford and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Chicago...
at All Souls Church, Langham Place
All Souls Church, Langham Place
All Souls Church is an Anglican Evangelical church in central London, situated in Marylebone at the north end of Regent Street on Langham Place, just south of BBC Broadcasting House. As well as the core church membership, many hundreds of visitors come to All Souls, bringing the average number of...
, a leading evangelical Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
church, and published by The Good Book Company
The Good Book Company
The Good Book Company is an evangelical, reformed Christian publisher, located in New Malden, Surrey, England. They are structured as a large unquoted, private company, limited by share capital. Their practices include publishing, mission outreach and training.-History:TGBC began in 1991 under the...
.
Course outline and versions
The third edition of the course was published on 10th May 2011. The sessions are:- Good News
- Identity
- Sin
- The Cross
- Resurrection
- Grace
- Come and Die
There is also a day away that features three bonus sessions: The Sower, James and John and Herod. Spin-offs include a youth version, revised in 2010 for two age groups: 11 to 14 years ("CY Nano") and 15 plus ("CY"). The seven session "Soul" DVD is designed to work with CY, and can also be used as a stand-alone resource. There is a follow-on course entitled “Discipleship Explored”, written and presented by Barry Cooper, and "English Made Easy" editions of both Christianity Explored and Discipleship Explored. Christianity Explored publications are also available in Bulgarian, Dutch, German, Hindi, Hungarian, Italian, Luganda, Polish, Spanish, Swahili and Welsh. Translations in progress include French, Mandarin, Norwegian, Portuguese, Russian and Swedish.
Reaction
The Church of EnglandChurch of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
generally (e.g. in the 2003 publication "Evangelism - Which Way Now?") considers it, along with Emmaus
Walk to Emmaus
The Walk to Emmaus or Emmaus Walk is a three day movement and Protestant version of the Roman Catholic Cursillo Movement. It started in the 1960s and 1970s when Episcopalians and Lutherans, and Tres Dias offered Cursillo...
and Alpha
Alpha course
The Alpha course is a course which seeks to explore the basics of the Christian faith, described as "an opportunity to explore the meaning of life" . Alpha courses are currently being run in churches, homes, workplaces, prisons, universities and a wide variety of other locations...
, as one of a "trinity" of courses covering all wings of the church. Other churches have also used the course: in 2006-7 the Irish
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
Presbyterian Church’s board of youth and children’s ministry used the youth version CY extensively with the Boys Brigades. It has also been used in Asia, with leader training run by the Methodist church
Methodism
Methodism is a movement of Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations, claiming a total of approximately seventy million adherents worldwide. The movement traces its roots to John Wesley's evangelistic revival movement within Anglicanism. His younger brother...
in Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
.
Comparison with other evangelistic courses
Christianity Explored is distinguished from the Alpha CourseAlpha course
The Alpha course is a course which seeks to explore the basics of the Christian faith, described as "an opportunity to explore the meaning of life" . Alpha courses are currently being run in churches, homes, workplaces, prisons, universities and a wide variety of other locations...
by shorter videos in less formal settings, less charismatic emphasis on the Holy Spirit
Holy Spirit
Holy Spirit is a term introduced in English translations of the Hebrew Bible, but understood differently in the main Abrahamic religions.While the general concept of a "Spirit" that permeates the cosmos has been used in various religions Holy Spirit is a term introduced in English translations of...
and by an expositional study of scripture – in this case Mark’s Gospel
Gospel of Mark
The Gospel According to Mark , commonly shortened to the Gospel of Mark or simply Mark, is the second book of the New Testament. This canonical account of the life of Jesus of Nazareth is one of the three synoptic gospels. It was thought to be an epitome, which accounts for its place as the second...
. 9 Marks comments that Christianity Explored is "plainly an answer to the Alpha course". It says that the course does a "fairly good job of explaining the gospel clearly" but finds it over-full of material, and holds the view that "the use of the sinners’ prayer and immediate assurance is ... troubling." (These criticisms were fully addressed in the third edition of the course.)
It credits Christianity Explored with "the best treatment of sin, giving it a whole session", along with a good treatment of grace and the atonement. This is in agreement with (or perhaps derivative from) a 2001 article in the British Evangelical Council magazine which commended Christianity Explored, in direct contrast to Alpha, for its teaching on grace, penal substitution and the Holy Spirit.