Alcoholics Anonymous & History of AA

A.A. Origins – Christian Healings

Sat, 31 Jul 2010 15:58:00 -1000

We are beginning a series of articles on the five principal Christian organizations and people that impacted on the Christian healings and Christian program of early A.A. founded in 1935. A.A. history, to be complete, needs to present these items.

Alcoholics Anonymous—Bill Wilson’s Decision for Christ—The Oxford Group

Sat, 31 Jul 2010 15:55:40 -1000

The Three Factors Explored in this Series This is an exploratory article on the relevance of three different subjects to each other. And also on the relevance of each subject to the cure of alcoholism. The three subjects are: (1) Alcoholics Anonymous. (2) A.A. cofounder Bill Wilson's decision for Jesus Christ at Calvary Rescue Mission in New York in late 1934. (3) The position of the Oxford Group on conversion to God through Jesus Christ and its relationship to the cure of alcoholism.

A.A. Twelve Steps & How to Study Them and How the “Introductory Foundations for Christian Recovery” Class Can Help You

Sat, 31 Jul 2010 15:57:45 -1000

There are several important ways to study the Twelve Steps. The first, of course, is to go through the Big Book, paying particular attention to the portions which are presumed to contain the “instructions.” The next is to listen to or attend a Big Book study meeting or seminar, such as the seminar conducted by Joe and Charlie for many years. Unfortunately, neither of these approaches will give you the underlying thoughts behind either the Twelve Steps or the Big Book. Probably the earliest materials that found their way into the Steps are those written by Rev. Samuel M. Shoemaker, Jr., before A.A. was founded. His first book, Realizing Religion, was published in 1923 and contains many of the seed concepts. Just before that, Howard Walter wrote the book Soul Surgery which contains explanatory information on the 5 C's which became the heart of the middle Steps. (For further information, see: www.DickB.com/NewLight.shtml and www.DickB.com/Oxford.shtml.) And it was Bill Wilson who claimed that the teachings behind the Steps came directly from Rev. Samuel M. Shoemaker, Jr.—particularly in the case of Steps 3 to 12. Next in line would be the extensive discussions by Anne Ripley Smith, Dr. Bob's wife, in the personal journal she kept from 1933 to 1939, and shared with all the early AAs and their families. You will be amazed at the parallels between Anne's remarks and the Step language and instructions. See www.DickB.com/Annesm.shtml, and also the articles I am posting on my blog www.MauiHistorian.blogspot.com. You will see why Bill called Anne Smith the "Mother of A.A." Finally, since Dr. Bob said the basic ideas for the Steps came from his and Bill W.'s (and possibly others') study and effort in the Bible, the best line-by-line exploration of the biblical roots of the Twelve Steps can be found in my titles found here: www.DickB.com/GoodBook.shtml; www.DickB.com/GuideBook.shtml; and www.DickB.com/JamesClub.shtml. See also the "Introductory Foundations for Christian Recovery" class information found at www.DickB.com/IFCR-Class.shtml.

AA-History, Amends, Restitution, and Bible Origins A.A. Bible Refresher: Steps 8 and 9

Fri, 07 May 2010 18:34:40 -1000

The making of amends and restoring for things wrongfully taken are rooted in the Bible. And there are particular verses from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, from the Gospel of Luke, and from the Book of Numbers that provided what Dr. Bob was later to state were the basic ideas studied by A.A. cofounders long before the Steps were written and the Big Book was published.[1]

A.A. Cofounder Bill W.: His Younger Years at a Glance

Sat, 10 Apr 2010 18:34:40 -1000

Bill Wilson was born in East Dorset, Vermont, November 26, 1895. His parents were married in the East Dorset Congregational Church. That church lay on the green between The Wilson House and the Griffith House. Bill was born, and his parents lived briefly, in The Wilson House. His paternal grandparents had been among the founders and attenders at the church. Bill was raised in the Griffith House by his maternal grandparents who considered the church their family church. Bill got sober in November 1934 and never drank again. He died on January 24, 1971. A.A. literature records: All his life, Bill retained, as did Dr. Bob, a deep affection for and identification with the people of Vermont. . . .

Are There Two A.A.’s?

Sat, 10 Apr 2010 17:00:50 -1000

Present-day AAs—members of the fellowship of Alcoholics Anonymous—certainly can’t be divided into two A.A.’s or ten A.A.’s. At least not the AAs that I met in April of 1986 when I entered the rooms. Nor the AAs I have fellowshipped with over the past 23 years. Nor the AAs I have met at International Conventions, regional conventions, gatherings like the “Spring Fling,” Big Book Seminars, Dr. Bob’s Home in Akron, the Wilson House in Vermont, the Snyder retreats in many states, the Roman Catholic retreat for AAs that I led in a monastery several years back, or just the plain old “meetings” that go on continually in communities wherever I go. The people differ. The behavior differs. The groups differ. But the doors are open to all who want to stop drinking.

The Seven Basic Christian Roots of Early A.A.

Fri, 31 March 2010 18:34:40 -1000

A.A. Cofounders Dr. Bob and Bill W. both were born and raised in Vermont, had a Congregational upbringing, were much involved in Bible study, knew of conversions, attended church weekly or more, and daily chapel at their Academies daily. Each was steeped in the seven basic Christian roots of early A.A.