Whatever Happened to the Beta Course?

Hotlips

The Beta Course was launched in 2006 independent of but ‘complementary to’ the Alpha Course.

See ‘Beta Treads in Alpha’s Footsteps’, *Church Times*, 2006 <(https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2004/27-february/news/uk/beta-treads-in-alpha-s-footsteps)\> [accessed 21 October 2024].

It also got a footnote mention in Michael Moynagh, *Church in Life: Innovation, Mission and Ecclesiology* (SCM Press, 2017), chapter 2.

A quick internet search shows a few churches running something called a Beta Course but it is not clear if they relate to the original or are local initiatives of presumably an Alpha Course follow-on.

I am curious because a) I don’t like it when things disappear without explanation and b) because what I really want is to find the original source of the phrase  ‘The experience of being listened to is so close to the experience of being loved as to be indistinguishable.’ which Moynagh attributes to Sara Savage in the Beta Course.

North East Quine

A quick internet search shows a few churches running something called a Beta Course but it is not clear if they relate to the original or are local initiatives of presumably an Alpha Course follow-on.

My church ran a "Beta Course" as a local initiative as an Alpha follow-on.

Basically, we kept the "meal" aspect of the Alpha course and asked assorted people, mostly local clergy, to give a talk on a relevant subject of their choosing, followed by questions. The aim was conviviality, and building the sense of community within the church.

chrisstiles

Hotlips wrote: »

The Beta Course was launched in 2006 independent of but ‘complementary to’ the Alpha Course.

I think it suffered from a lack of a sponsor able to encourage churches to take it up (as well as falling somewhat outside the tradition of churches likely to take up Alpha).

I am curious because a) I don’t like it when things disappear without explanation and b) because what I really want is to find the original source of the phrase  ‘The experience of being listened to is so close to the experience of being loved as to be indistinguishable.’ which Moynagh attributes to Sara Savage in the Beta Course.

The internet seems to think this is attributable to the Anabaptist author David Augsburger, and comes from his book "Caring Enough to Hear and Be Heard":

"Being heard is so close to being loved that for the average person, they are almost indistinguishable" comes from page 12 of the copy I was able to access.

Doublethink

Purgwards you are sped.

Doublethink, Admin

Gill H

Am I the only Shipmate who remembers this?

ship-of-fools.com/1998/Beta.html

And yes, it is satire.

Hotlips

chrisstiles wrote: »

I think it suffered from a lack of a sponsor able to encourage churches to take it up (as well as falling somewhat outside the tradition of churches likely to take up Alpha).

I think you are right. The book Sara Savage and Eolene Boyd-Macmillan, The Human Face of Church : A Social Psychology and Pastoral Theology Resource for Pioneer and Traditional Ministry (Canterbury Press, 2007) refers to the Beta course several times and describes it variously:

> [ch.7] ten-week Beta Course, designed to help churches to become informed psychologically, caring faith communities with a realistic understanding of how to do healthy relationships and to meet pressing pastoral needs.

> The Beta Course provides information on how to locate, by the internet, professionally trained counsellors (Christian and secular) in your vicinity who can offer the requisite skills and safe environments for people to lower their defences and explore their childhood scripts.
>
> [ch.8] Beta, a multimedia, interactive ten-part course that incorporates poetry, music, dance and other forms of creative expression to support growing faith.
>
> Beta is a ten-week course covering issues such as relationships, community, sin, atonement, anger, forgiveness, reconciliation, depression, loss, change, stress, coping, suffering, wholeness, and self and God. By focusing on psychological processes inherent to human existence, the course empowers participants to experience the difference that Christianity can make to everyday life both during each meeting and after the course concludes. Through images, music, dance and poetry, the course engages head and heart, left and right brain processes, to challenge participants to continue to grow in self-awareness and loving expression of their relationship with God.

So, indeed, quite a different concept to the Alpha course. The original course materials seem unavailable but there is still a taster video here .

Hotlips

chrisstiles wrote: »

The internet seems to think this is attributable to the Anabaptist author David Augsburger, and comes from his book "Caring Enough to Hear and Be Heard":

"Being heard is so close to being loved that for the average person, they are almost indistinguishable" comes from page 12 of the copy I was able to access.

Thanks. The Human Face of Church does refer to Augsburger's work, although not Caring Enough to Hear but since it is from 1982, it pre-dates the Beta course and would appear to be the original source. Case solved!

stetson

Hotlips wrote: »

chrisstiles wrote: »

I think it suffered from a lack of a sponsor able to encourage churches to take it up (as well as falling somewhat outside the tradition of churches likely to take up Alpha).

I think you are right. The book Sara Savage and Eolene Boyd-Macmillan, The Human Face of Church : A Social Psychology and Pastoral Theology Resource for Pioneer and Traditional Ministry (Canterbury Press, 2007) refers to the Beta course several times and describes it variously:

> [ch.7] ten-week Beta Course, designed to help churches to become informed psychologically, caring faith communities with a realistic understanding of how to do healthy relationships and to meet pressing pastoral needs.

> The Beta Course provides information on how to locate, by the internet, professionally trained counsellors (Christian and secular) in your vicinity who can offer the requisite skills and safe environments for people to lower their defences and explore their childhood scripts.
>
> [ch.8] Beta, a multimedia, interactive ten-part course that incorporates poetry, music, dance and other forms of creative expression to support growing faith.
>
> Beta is a ten-week course covering issues such as relationships, community, sin, atonement, anger, forgiveness, reconciliation, depression, loss, change, stress, coping, suffering, wholeness, and self and God. By focusing on psychological processes inherent to human existence, the course empowers participants to experience the difference that Christianity can make to everyday life both during each meeting and after the course concludes. Through images, music, dance and poetry, the course engages head and heart, left and right brain processes, to challenge participants to continue to grow in self-awareness and loving expression of their relationship with God.

So, indeed, quite a different concept to the Alpha course. The original course materials seem unavailable but there is still a taster video here .

That video is blocked in Canada, for copyright reasons. But 17 yrs old. Wow. That's gotta be among the oldest offerings on YouTube.