Christianity Explored

{{Short description|Informal Christian evangelistic teaching course}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2015}}

{{Use British English|date=April 2015}}

Christianity Explored is an informal Christian evangelistic teaching course developed by Rico Tice and Barry Cooper at All Souls Church, Langham Place, a leading Anglican church,{{Citation | last = All Souls Church | author-link = All Souls Church, Langham Place | title = What is Christianity Explored? | year = 2008 | url = http://www.allsouls.org/ascm/allsouls/static/ministries/outreach/ce/home.html | accessdate = 31 December 2008 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080626175307/http://www.allsouls.org/ascm/allsouls/static/ministries/outreach/ce/home.html | archive-date = 26 June 2008 | url-status = dead }} and published by The Good Book Company. The course is considered to stand within the conservative evangelical tradition. Christianity Explored Ministries has also developed a second evangelistic course in 2016 Life Explored.

Course outline and versions

The third edition of the course was published on 10 May 2011. The sessions are:

  1. Good News
  2. Identity
  3. Sin
  4. The Cross
  5. Resurrection
  6. Grace
  7. 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").{{Citation | title = CY is the evangelistic course for young people in the 21st century. | year = 2007 | url = http://www.christianityexplored.org/faq/cy/ | accessdate = 31 December 2008 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20081208193930/http://www.christianityexplored.org/faq/cy/ | archive-date = 8 December 2008 | url-status = dead }} The seven session "Soul" DVD {{Citation | title = CY / CY Nano / Soul DVD. | year = 2010

| url = http://www.e-n.org.uk/5132-CY-CY-Nano-Soul-DVD.htm | accessdate = 30 June 2010}} 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.{{Citation | last = Tice | first = Rico | author-link = Rico Tice | title = The Promo Movie: Rico Tice talks about the English Made Easy Edition of Christianity Explored. | year = 2008 | url = http://www.christianityexplored.org/downloads/eme/promomed.mov | accessdate = 31 December 2008 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100919073124/http://christianityexplored.org/downloads/eme/promomed.mov | archive-date = 19 September 2010 | url-status = dead }} 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.{{Citation | title = Christianity Explored translations | url = http://www.christianityexplored.org/resources/translations/ | accessdate = 30 June 2010 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100619141649/http://www.christianityexplored.org/resources/translations/ | archive-date = 19 June 2010 | url-status = dead }} In 2011 the course, already being used in over 50 countries, was rolled out in the United States: it was endorsed by John Piper and Tim Keller.{{Cite web|url=http://www.christiantoday.com/article/christianity.explored.expands.to.the.us/28156.htm|title=Christianity Explored expands to the US}}

Use

The Church of England generally (e.g. in the 2003 publication "Evangelism - Which Way Now?") considers it, along with Alpha and the Emmaus Discipleship Course, as one of a "trinity" of courses covering all wings of the church. Other churches have also used the course: in 2006-7 the Presbyterian Church in Ireland’s board of youth and children's ministry used the youth version CY extensively with the Boys Brigades.{{Citation | last = Presbyterian Church in Ireland: Board of Youth and Children's Ministry | author-link = Presbyterian Church in Ireland | title = Annual Report | year = 2007}} It has also been used in Asia, with leader training run by the Methodist Church in Singapore.{{Citation | last = Methodist Church in Singapore | author-link = Methodist Church in Singapore | title = Response Exceeds Expectations | year = 2007 | url = http://www.methodist.org.sg/cms/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=177 | accessdate = 20 August 2007}}

The course is popular with conservative evangelical churches.{{cite web|title=idea: The evolution of Christianity Explored|url=http://www.eauk.org/idea/the-evolution-of-christianty-explored.cfm|website=Evangelical Alliance|accessdate=11 December 2017|date=2 May 2011|quote=The course has always proved incredibly popular with conservative evangelical churches.}}

Comparison with other evangelistic courses

Christianity Explored is distinguished from the Alpha Course 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.{{Citation | last = Hobbs | first = Cedric | title = Resource review: Christianity Explored | year = 2007 | url = http://resource.saltlight.org/evangelism/reviewchristianityexplored | accessdate = 31 December 2008 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080821111817/http://resource.saltlight.org/evangelism/reviewchristianityexplored | archive-date = 21 August 2008 | url-status = dead }} 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."{{Citation | last = Gilbert | first = Greg | title = Evangelism Course Comparison Guide | year = 2001 | url = http://www.9marks.org/partner/Article_Display_Page/0,,PTID314526%7CCHID598026%7CCIID1588422,00.html | accessdate = 31 December 2008 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090109185051/http://www.9marks.org/partner/Article_Display_Page/0,,PTID314526%7CCHID598026%7CCIID1588422,00.html | archive-date = 9 January 2009 | url-status = dead }} 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.{{Citation | last = Gilbert | first = Greg | title = Evangelistic Course Comparison Chart | year = 2001 | url = http://content.silaspartners.com/456/33740/456_33740_EvangelisticComparisonChart.Course_Comparison.pdf | accessdate = 31 December 2008 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110716070801/http://content.silaspartners.com/456/33740/456_33740_EvangelisticComparisonChart.Course_Comparison.pdf | archive-date = 16 July 2011 | url-status = usurped }} 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.{{Citation | last = Anon | title = The 'Alpha' and the 'Christianity Explored' Courses | journal = BEC Foundations | issue = 47 | pages = 36–44 | date = Autumn 2001 | url = http://www.banneroftruth.org/pages/articles/article_detail.php?64 | url-status = dead | archiveurl = https://archive.today/20120730021546/http://www.banneroftruth.org/pages/articles/article_detail.php?64 | archivedate = 30 July 2012 | df = dmy-all }}{{Citation | title = The 'Alpha' and the 'Christianity Explored' Courses | year = 2001 | url = http://www.banneroftruth.org/pages/articles/article_detail.php?64 | accessdate = 31 December 2008 | url-status = dead | archiveurl = https://archive.today/20120730021546/http://www.banneroftruth.org/pages/articles/article_detail.php?64 | archivedate = 30 July 2012 | df = dmy-all}} The course has been described as a conservative evangelical alternative to the charismatic leanings of the Alpha Course.{{cite book|last1=Jackson|first1=Bob|last2=Fisher|first2=George|title=Everybody Welcome: The Course Leader's Manual: The Course Where Everybody Helps Grow Their Church|date=2011|publisher=Church House Publishing|location=London|isbn=978-0715142844|page=90|quote=Some courses are more catholic in tone (Knowing God Better), some are conservative evangelical (Christianity Explored), some are broad church (Emmaus) and some are charismatic (Alpha).}}

The 2003 book 'Evangelism: Which Way Now?' offers a detailed examination of the benefits and drawbacks of Christianity Explored amongst other evangelistic courses and approaches to evangelism.{{Cite web |url=http://www.chpublishing.co.uk/feature.asp?id=68776 |title=Church House Publishing Alpha v Emmaus |access-date=26 December 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120426072334/http://www.chpublishing.co.uk/feature.asp?id=68776 |archive-date=26 April 2012 |url-status=dead }}

See also

{{Portal|Christianity}}

References