The Reverend Nicky Gumbel’s ecumenical Alpha Course delivered, worldwide, and in particular, to the Anglican Church and Roman Catholic Church.
During the entire course, of which, millions have attended, Nicky Gumbel fails to mention, expound, from Scripture, the foundational truth; “salvation by works” cannot save anyone (Ephesians 2:8-9). Of which, is startling, and noteworthy, given his position in the Anglican Church of England, Nicky Gumbel is more than aware of both Anglican and Catholic Alpha attendees who place their trust in; the sacraments, christening, baptism, confirmation, confession, Mass attendance, church membership, and good deeds, all in the hope of entering heaven.
Total omission of crucial doctrinal truth of Scripture, not so much as a ‘jot or tittle’ with regard to the difference between ‘”grace” and “works.” He does not expound the foundational truth of “Salvation by Grace through Faith in Christ” (Ephesians 2:8-9).
What is undoubtably clear, is the reason as to why the Roman Catholic Church finds Alpha so acceptable. In Alpha News, July 1997 issue, Catholic Bishop Ambrose Griffiths commended the Alpha Course for being a “powerful evangelistic tool…it doesn’t contain anything that is contrary to Catholic doctrine.”
Hence, to date, thousands of Roman Catholics have completed the Alpha Course, recited the sinner’s prayer, received the ‘spirit’ and spoken in charismatic tongues – without ever realising that the rosary, prayers to Mary, confession to a priest and the seven Romish sacraments are all unscriptural ‘good works’, furthermore, that not only play no part in salvation, but according to the word of God, they are an abomination to God, including of course, the daily “transubstantiation” sacrifice of the Mass.
Nicky Gumbel has admitted that the sections in Questions of Life about baptism and holy communion were carefully scripted to enable them to be used by Roman Catholics and Protestant Evangelicals alike.
In February 2004, after shaking hands with the Pope in the Papal Audience Centre in the Vatican, Gumbel said, “It was a great honour to be presented to Pope John Paul II, who has done so much to promote evangelisation around the world…what unites us is infinitely greater than what divides us.”
Also, in February 2004, Hong Kong launched its first Alpha for Catholics course: Alpha News
Nicky Gumbel’s ecumenical Alpha “Road Home to Rome”
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