Sunday, December 11, 2011

Alcoholics Anonymous History, Bill Wilson, "God of our fathers"


One of our followers posed the question, and here it is with our response:

Dear Bill: Perhaps you know that Bill took a four year Bible study course at Burr and Burton

Academy, went to daily chapel, attended Manchester Congregational Church, was president

of the YMCA there and was studying the Bible with his friend Mark Whalon and with his

Grandfather Fayette Griffith before that. He also attended East Dorset Congregational Church

And its Sunday school. There, a Wilson was a founder and officer, his parents were married, and

the Griffiths regarded it as the family church.



In Bill’s Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, at page 29, Bill stated: “The god of intellect

displaced the God of our fathers.”



Deut 26:7- “And we cried unto the LORD God of our fathers, the LORD heard our voice,

And looked on our afflictions, and our labour, and our oppression:”



2 Chronicles 20:6a – “And said, O LORD God of our fathers, artnot thou God in heaven?”



Ezra 7:27- “Blessed be the LORD God of our fathers, which hath put such a thing as this

In the king’s heart, to beautify the house of the LORD which isin Jerusalem:”



Acts 3:13a – “The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers,

hath glorified his son Jesus; “



See also 1 Chronicles 12:17; Acts 5:30; Acts 22:14; Exodus 3:15-16.



See Dick B., Dr. Bob of Alcoholics Anonymous and The Conversion of Bill W. www.dickb.com/titles.

As to Dr. Bob and his Bible training as a youngster, see The Co-Founders of Alcoholics Anonymous

(Pamphlet P-53), “I had refreshed my memory of the Good Book, and I had had excellent

training in that as a youngster.”



My son Ken researched this for me, and we hope you will check out and, if approved,

Become a participant in International Christian Recovery Coalition www.ChristianRecoveryCoalition.com



God bless,



Dick B.

Author, 42 titles & over 650 articles on A.A. History and the Christian Recovery Movement





(808) 874-4876

PO Box 837, Kihei, HI 96753-0837



Ps 118:17 (NJB):
I shall not die, I shall live to recount the great deeds of Yahweh.



Facebook: DickBmauihistorian




From: William

Sent: Sunday, December 11, 2011 8:54 AM
To: dickb@dickb.com
Subject: citing confirmation



Dear Dick,



Would you share the source of the phrase "God of our fathers" as cited in your entry here:



The word “God” is used in the basic text, Alcoholics Anonymous, over 400 times in the 3rd edition. That includes biblical names like Creator, Maker, Father, Father of Light, Spirit, God of our fathers, Almighty God, and capitalized pronouns that refer to Him. Present-day newcomers can ignore this Heavenly Father or reject His help if they choose.

from



AA History Lovers Quotable Quotes – Series II



I'm SURE I've seen it in AA literature somewhere, but I can't recall or find it anyehre.



Thanks for all you do for us.



Bill R.




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