The Beginnings of Alcoholics Anonymous

Here is a helpful outline of the real beginnings, the real origins, the real history, the real founding, the real original program, and the real original astonishing successes that gave rise to Alcoholics Anonymous.

Alcoholics Anonymous origins in the 1800's--Evangelists and revivalists; rescue missions; YMCA lay workers and their gospel meetings; Salvation Army and the slums of London; Young People's Society of Christian Endeavor.

Alcoholics Anonymous beginnings in the youngster days of co-founders Bill Wilson and Dr. Bob Smith--The Conversion of Bill W. www.dickb.com/conversion.shtml and Dr. Bob of Alcoholics Anonymous--www.dickb.com/drbobofaa.shtml

Alcoholics Anonymous Founding and How the First Three AAs Got Sober and were Cured when there were no Steps, Traditions, Big Books, drunkalogs, or meetings.

The original Akron A.A. Christian Fellowship program founded in 1935 and summarized for John D. Rockefeller in February, 1938 by his agent and A.A.-trustee-to-be Frank Amos. Published in DR. BOB and the Good Oldtimers, page 131. The 7 point program.

The emergence of the Twelve Step ideas before the Spring of 1939, ideas that Bill Wilson learned primarily from the teachings of Rev. Samuel M. Shoemaker, Jr., Rector of Calvary Episcopal Church in New York and an American Oxford Group leader.

The compromise changes prior to the publication when 400 pages of manuscript were thrown out, when multiple Christian and Bible passages were discarded with them, and when the language of Steps Two, Three, and Eleven was changed to appease the atheists and agnostics.

The beginnings of Alcoholics Anonymous as thus outlined are thoroughly covered and discussed in The Dick B. Christian Recovery Guide, 3rd ed., 2010 www.dickb.com/Christian-Recover-Guide.shtml; and in the new 4 DVD class "Introductory Foundations for Christian Recovery" www.dickb.com/IFCR-Class.shtml.

God Bless, Dick B. dickb@dickb.com