Dick B on the Christian History of AA
and the 12 Step Movement and It’s UCC Roots – An Interview
September 25. 2013 – Revised. No Comments
Today we’re interviewing “Dick B” of DickB.com who is a
historian of the Alcoholics Anonymous movement. What sets his work apart is
that he has specialized in documenting the Christian origins and roots of the
original AA which described itself as a “Christian Fellowship”. This is “news”
for many today who are familiar with “12 Step Programs” . They have frequently
heard that “A.A. is a ‘spiritual program’ and not a ‘religious program’” and
some 12 Step groups are actually known for their hatred of Christianity and the
Church. Despite these modern misconceptions, the early program of the AA
Christian Fellowship had over a 75% “cure” rate and they frequently used the
term “cure” to describe the transformation that occurred through the ministry
of A.A.
Of importance to the UCC these days is our role in forming
what became the “12 Step Movement” – what a legacy! The 12 Step movement and
the UCC have fallen on hard times spiritually speaking. Perhaps in returning to
this story of God’s blessing which flowed from our past, we will regain a
vision for our future?
Without further delay, let’s get to our discussion with Dick
B, AA Historian.
Dick, thank you for your insight. Our readership is composed
of “Mainline” Christians and, in particular, members of the United Church of
Christ who came from a merger of the Congregationalists and another
Reformed body, the
Evangelical and Reformed Church.
1. Dick what caused you to start looking into the Christian
origins of Alcoholics Anonymous?
I came into A.A. on April 23, 1986, having had my last drink
two days before. I was a very very sick alcoholic with lots and lots of
troubles. I had been the president of the Mill Valley California Community
Church, which had become part of UCC. I was also a born-again Christian and a
Bible student and one who had attended Bible fellowships. I talked in A.A.
meetings and to friends a great deal about God and the Bible. Not without
flack! I certainly relied on our Heavenly Father, His son Jesus Christ, and the
Bible for help. But I never heard a word in all the meetings I went to about
the biblical roots, the Bible, or Jesus Christ. Then, when I was about three years
sober, a young man named John (now dead of alcoholism), who had been in Bible
fellowships, asked me if I knew that A.A. had come from the Bible. I said I had
never heard of such a thing. He suggested I read A.A.’s own DR. BOB and the
Good Oldtimers, which I did. He pointed out that early AAs had wanted to call
their society the James Club because the Book of James was their favorite. I
found his information and suggestions to be catalysts for research. And all of
that started me on a 19 year quest which continues to this day. And see my
title, The James Club and the Original A.A. Program’s “Absolute Essentials”
(http://dickb.com/Jamesclub.shtml).
2. You have many books already on the influence of the Bible
(“Good Book”) on AA, the Oxford Group’s influence on AA, and leaders like Rev.
Samuel Shoemaker on AA. Now at last you have written on the roots of AA as
traceable to St. Johnsbury, VT. Specifically the North Congregational Church
and the YMCA and Christian Endeavor movements of the time. What lead you down
that research path?
Just as AAs seldom today talk about the Bible, they talk
even less about Dr. Bob’s Bible training and church affiliations—particularly
as a youngster. But their literature and Dr. Bob’s talks make mention of his
excellent training in the Bible as a youngster in Vermont. He mentioned the
number of times he and his family went to church each week. He also mentioned
his activity in Christian Endeavor—a society which was born in the Williston
Congregational Church in Portland, Maine, in February 1881; had come to Vermont
that same year; and spread like wildfire to an eventual world-wide membership
of four million.
See my title, Dr. Bob of Alcoholics Anonymous
(http://dickb.com/drbobofaa.shtml). For a number of years, I had been conducting
seminars on early A.A.’s roots—and for eight years at the Wilson House in East
Dorset, Vermont. I had tried to get several people to go to St. Johnsbury and
dig out the facts. Finally, my son Ken and I made two extended trips in October
2007 and June 2008, and encountered a gold mine of unreported information. We
found records of: (1) the Fairbanks family of St. Johnsbury, and of their
strong Congregational and YMCA ties; (2) Dr. Bob’s family and their involvement
in North Congregational Church, St. Johnsbury; (3) what North Congregational
Church did—as shown in their Sunday school teachings and records, Christian
Endeavor records, and YMCA records; and (4) the “Great Awakening” of 1875 in
St. Johnsbury. During that “Great Awakening,” the whole community was
transformed by revivals and conversions; and, out of a population of about
5,000, some 1,700 made decisions for Christ under the impetus of the Vermont
State YMCA Executive Committee, YMCA laymen from Massachusetts, the six local
churches (which had been holding “union meetings” in anticipation of such a
revival). Also, I had earlier acquired a great deal of Christian Endeavor
literature and could see the direct relevance of their principles and practices
to those that were incorporated into the early Akron A.A. program. In fact, Tim
Eldred, the Executive Director of Christian Endeavor International invited me
to speak in Washington, D.C. at the 125th Anniversary of Christian Endeavor,
and this furthered my interest and enthusiasm.
3. One of our concerns is how the “Mainline” church helped
shape the AA Christian Fellowship. Could we say that between Buchman of the
Oxford Group, Shoemaker of Calvary Church, and St. Johnsbury, we have some
Lutheran, Episcopal, and Congregationalist influences at the beginning of AA.
One early resource you found was the Methodist devotional publication The Upper
Room. What did these “streams” share in their contribution to AA, and how did
they differ? Most importantly – which “won” out in the final form of the AA
program in Akron?
As to the influence of the “Mainline” church, you can and
should consider the following:
a. New England Congregationalism dominated every aspect of
Bill W.’s training in East Dorset and Manchester, and of Dr. Bob’s training in
St. Johnsbury. It was Congregational to the core. And conversions were a major
focus of the Congregational Church, of the YMCA, and of the revivals in those
days.
b. The Oxford Group had much less influence than most
historians would have you believe. The reason is that A.A. began in Akron, not
New York. And the Akron Christian Fellowship was having old-fashioned prayer
meetings, Bible studies, conversions to Christ, hospitalizations, and outreach
to drunks which simply was not characteristic of the Oxford Group. See my titles
The Akron Genesis of Alcoholics Anonymous (http://dickb.com/Akron.shtml) and
The Oxford Group and Alcoholics Anonymous (http://dickb.com/Oxford.shtml). In
fact, the Akron group was called a “clandestine” lodge of the Oxford Group
because of its particular thrust and methods.
c. Nonetheless, when Bill W. wrote his Big Book (Alcoholics
Anonymous) three-to-four years later and published it in 1939, the tables
turned. Bill knew far less about the Bible than Dr. Bob. He was much more
deeply involved in the Oxford Group–with Buchman, business teams, house
parties, Calvary House, Irving Harris, Victor Kitchen, Rowland Hazard, and Sam
Shoemaker–than Dr. Bob was. See my title New Light on Alcoholism: God, Sam
Shoemaker, and A.A. (http://dickb.com/newlight.shtml). The people clustered
around Frank Buchman and Sam Shoemaker were “Mainline” in roots though
seemingly unconventional in their “life-changing” emphasis. The leaders of the
Oxford Group were Episcopalian, Anglican, Dutch Reformed, Presbyterian, and in Buchman’s
case Lutheran.
d. One cannot understand A.A. then or now without
understanding the varied and diverse sources—16 in all as I count them today.
See my title A New Way Out (http://dickb.com/anewwayout.shtml). The diverse
roots are: the Bible, Quiet Time, Anne Smith’s journal, Dr. Bob’s reading and
library, the Oxford Group, Sam Shoemaker, William James, Carl Jung, William D.
Silkworth, the Salvation Army, the YMCA, Gospel Rescue Missions, conversions,
Christian Endeavor, New Thought writings, and Richard Peabody.
During the earlier years of my research (beginning in 1990),
the major roots seemed to me to be just: (1) the Bible; (2) Quiet Time; (3)
Anne Smith’s journal, (4) the reading of devotionals and other Christian
literature; (5) the Oxford Group; and (6) Sam Shoemaker. See my title Turning
Point (http://dickb.com/Turning.shtml). But then it became more and more clear
that there were at least five major epochs and that each involved different or
varied root sources:
a. The youthful training of Dr. Bob (born in 1879) and Bill
W. (born in 1895) in Vermont which encompassed Bible study, prayer meetings,
conversions to Christ, Quiet Hour, and love and service—these were primarily
from New England Congregationalism, the YMCA, Salvation Army techniques, and
Rescue Mission work. See my title The Conversion of Bill W.
(http://dickb.com/conversion.shtml).
b. Next came the melding into the simple program at Akron
where Bill W. brought to the table his own conviction about conversion as a
solution (see my title The Golden Text of A.A.,
http://dickb.com/goldentext.shtml); his hospitalization experiences with Dr.
Silkworth and the “Great Physician”; and his own conversion at Calvary Rescue
Mission. [See my title A New Way In (http://dickb.com/anewayin.shtml)]. This
program arose in the cradle of the Oxford Group events of the early 1930’s but
quickly turned into the five-point Akron Christian Fellowship program: (1)
abstinence; (2) reliance on the Creator and coming to Him through His son Jesus
Christ; (3) obedience to God’s will; (4) growth in fellowship with God through
Bible study, prayer, Quiet Time, the reading of devotionals and other Christian
literature; and (5) working with others. Anne Smith’s journal, with a strong
Bible bent and a clear understanding of Oxford Group life-changing ideas, had a
great impact. See my title Anne Smith’s Journal, 1933-1939
(http://dickb.com/annesm.shtml). Henrietta Seiberling’s beliefs and teachings
were important in emphasizing the power of God. See my title Henrietta B.
Seiberling (http://dickb.com/HenriettaSeiberling.shtml). The program achieved
astonishing, documented, 75% and 93% success rates (in Akron and in Cleveland,
respectively) among “seemingly-hopeless,” “medically-incurable,” alcoholics who
really tried. See my titles Cured! (http://dick.com/cured.shtml) and When Early
AAs Were Cured and Why (http://dickb.com/alcoholismcured.shtml). It placed
enormous emphasis on the Bible (which Dr. Bob often called “the Good Book”);
[see my titles The Good Book and the Big Book: A.A.’s Roots in the Bible
(http://dickb.com/goodbook.shtml) and The Good Book-Big Book Guidebook
(http://dickb.com/guidebook.shtml)]; on old-fashioned prayer meetings; on
conversions; on Quiet Hour and meditation; on the reading of devotionals and
other Christian literature; and on intense work with others.
c. Oddly, the use of devotionals–such as The Upper Room, The
Runner’s Bible, The Greatest Thing in the World, Daily Strength for Daily
Needs, Abundant Living, The Meaning of Prayer, My Utmost for His Highest–seems
to have come from a number of influences. For example: (1) “Mother Galbraith”
used to bring The Upper Room to Akron meetings, and it became a standby. (2)
The use of The Runner’s Bible–and the use of books by Drummond, Glenn Clark,
and E. Stanley Jones–was largely the product of Dr. Bob’s own reading, spurred
perhaps by the Christian Endeavor practice of choosing topics and reading
literature. (3) Sam Shoemaker and several other Oxford Group members were
prolific writers, and the Oxford Group pieces early AAs in Akron used very
probably came from T. Henry Williams’ home where the meetings were held. The
meetings at his home were at first “clandestine” Oxford Group meetings; though
Williams had been a Sunday school teacher at two churches, and his wife had
studied to be a Baptist missionary.” Meditation” was a “must” and was called
“Quiet Time.” But it faded away as Bill’s Eleventh Step approach took
precedence. See my title Good Morning: Quiet Time, Morning Watch, Meditation,
and Early A.A. (http://dickb.com/goodmorn.shtml). (4) Oswald Chambers, Glenn
Clark, Harry Emerson Fosdick, and E. Stanley Jones were popular writers of the
day.
4. If the early AA program worked so well… why do you think
it was changed? Was it for the sake of secular respectability? to incorporate
Roman Catholics? Both? Or other reasons? It seems hard to believe that when
Lois said that the changes were made to accommodate people who were not
Christians that there really were that many non-Christians they were coming
into contact with…
The changing tides of AA are mapped out in these titles I
have written: (a) Introduction to the Sources and Founding of Alcoholics
Anonymous (http://dickb.com/introduction-sources); (b) Real Twelve Step
Fellowship History (http://dickb.com/realhistory.shtml); (c) The First
Nationwide Alcoholics Anonymous History Conference
(http://dickb.com1stAAHistConf.shtml); and (d) Making Known the Biblical
History and Roots of Alcoholics Anonymous (http://dickb.com/making.known.shtml).
The early program worked well for believers because they believed and tried to
stick with God, His Word, resisting temptation, fellowshipping together, and
focusing on new people. But the influence of a few atheists, (and later)
treatment people, historians, psychiatrists, and New Thought took their toll.
The five resultant phases or epochs, I believe, were these:
1) The New England training of Dr. Bob and Bill W., and of
Bill’s conversion to Christ.
2) The formulation and development of the Akron program,
based primarily on Christian Endeavor principles and practices,
hospitalization, conversions to Christ (resembling a James 5:16 ceremony),
outreach to drunks, reading of devotionals and other Christian literature, and
fellowship with like-minded believers.
3) Bill’s attempt to write a book that would “sell” and
would eliminate all specific traces of the Bible, Quiet Time, Oxford Group, Sam
Shoemaker, prayer meetings, and Christian literature. Yet his ideas codified
Oxford Group life-changing ideas; drew on William James and his “higher power”;
drew on Carl Jung and his discussion with Rowland Hazard of the need for
“conversion”; drew on William D. Silkworth and his “disease” concept (yet
leaving Silkworth’s solid convictions about Jesus Christ unmentioned); drew on
Richard Peabody and his “no cure” thesis; picked up New Thought language about
“Czar of the Universe,” and so forth; and changed conversion to “spiritual
experience.” Bill and his partner Hank had their eye on book sales and profits.
Bill took his “theology” largely from Sam Shoemaker and, in fact, asked Sam to
write the Twelve Steps (which Sam did not do).
4) The period immediately following the publication of the
Big Book in 1939 and lasting until Dr. Bob’s death in 1950. A.A. was much
altered while Bill W. was, for the most part, “missing in action,” due to his
deep depression of 12 years. Dr. Bob—based in Akron–focused on helping
alcoholics recover. And new writers, writings, and workers emerged to fill the
gap. The new alterations came from sources such as: (1) Clarence Snyder; (2)
Sister Ignatia; (3) Father Ed Dowling, S.J.; (4) Father Ralph Pfau; (5)
Richmond Walker; (6) Ed Webster; and, finally (7) Dr. Bob himself, who made his
own “last stand” of sorts through his approval of the publishing of the four AA
of Akron pamphlets (which are still in available today through the Akron and
Cleveland Intergroup offices).
5) The period that began after Dr. Bob’s death in 1950. A.A.
was heavily influenced by the activity and writing of the two Jesuit priests
(Father John C. Ford, S.J., and Father Ed Dowling, S.J.); and the tide turned
toward “spiritual,” and left “religion” outside of A.A. from their perspective
and by their seeming design.
5. Were the effects of this change positive in helping
alcoholics?
If herding alcoholics into support groups, emphasizing the
changing of old habits and friends, stressing abstinence, catalyzing outreach
to others, and talking about “spirituality” can be deemed “positive,” the
answer is yes. But Jim Houck of the Oxford Group and A.A. endorsed one of my
books, saying: “Take God out of A.A., and you have nothing.” Today, there are
still tens of thousands in A.A. who believe in God. Roman Catholics comprise a
large chunk. Their stance seems to call for going to church for religion and to
A.A. for alcoholism. Christian critics in and out of A.A. are claiming A.A. is
not “of the Lord” and should not be attended. There are now thousands of AAs
who never heard anything about their history, the Bible’s role, Dr. Bob’s
emphasis on the Good Book, or the original Akron “Program” set forth in Frank
Amos’ report to John D. Rockefeller in 1938; and the best of these are “Big
Book Thumpers.” My 19 years of research have shown that God, Jesus Christ, and
the Bible had major roles in the highly-successful Akron “Program” led by Dr.
Bob. And I believe that Christians involved in A.A.—as well as Christians
trying to help other Christians involved with A.A.—can benefit greatly from
learning about those important roles. The Big Book, in many ways, had its roots
in the Bible. See my title The Good Book and the Big Book
(http://dickb.com/goodbook.shtml). But the Big Book incorporated fuzzy New
Thought words, un-credited biblical language, no-cure thinking, and Oxford
Group practices. And the proliferation of “higher powers,” criticism of
religion, inadequately-answered intimidation of Christians in A.A., growth of
New Thought and New Age as well as atheism and idolatry provide a tough
challenge for a newcomer. In a very real sense, the newcomer to A.A. has these
choices: (a) Leave A.A. because it is too “religious.” (b) Leave A.A. because
it is not Christian enough; (c) Don’t leave A.A., and don’t talk about God or
Jesus Christ or the Bible (in order to avoid having one’s beliefs challenged
publicly); (d) Change A.A.’s Steps so they are or look “Christian”; (e) Join
outside Christian groups comprised of former alcoholics and addicts focused on
learning about the Creator’s role in early A.A. and on sharing that role with
other Christians in A.A. and other Twelve-Step Fellowships; or (f) Get drunk.
The current facts are that A.A.’s original, documented, 75% and 93% success
rates in Akron and Cleveland have dropped to a disputed, one-to-five percent
success rate today–or at least to no more than 25%. A.A. has stopped growing.
There are still 1 million American AAs and perhaps 18 million American drunks.
A.A. cannot come to terms with the fact that, although most of its members
today have used both drugs and alcohol, its members are urged not to mention
anything but alcohol. A.A. is diverse in belief and population today, not
monolithic. A.A. is compulsory for many, not voluntary. A.A. suffers
increasingly from “leadership” rigidity and enforcement thinking. A.A. in a
sense competes with therapy, treatment programs, religious programs, and
support groups of other types. But it is still vibrant, supportive,
enthusiastic, and almost ever-present. My view is that I got sober in A.A. I
loved its support and activities. I loved helping others. I have found no
appealing alternative. At least not one that offers day-in-day-out, continuous,
hands-on help and outreach to the suffering newcomer. I believe it’s possible
to be a Christian, a Bible student, and an AA—and to enjoy sobriety in the
comfort of my heavenly Father’s Everlasting Arms. I believe that is what I
am–22 years to the good at age 83.
6. One common Lutheran, Reformed, and Anglican
(Episcopalian) emphasis in doctrine historically was the doctrine called
“Justification by faith”. How does that doctrine find expression in the early
AA movement?
Justification by faith. I will leave the answer to that
question, for the most part, to others. Your question did send me scurrying to
the Bible; and, in particular, to the Rom 1:17 of Martin Luther and the
Reformation, to John 3:16, to Romans 10:9, and to the first chapter of 1 John.
But it also turned me to some of my reading in Schaff, in Harnack, in the New
Bible Dictionary, and about the disputes with Universalists in Dr. Bob’s days.
The theology is not something I am qualified to discuss. I just go by the Bible
and the justification, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption that are
covered, for example, in Galatians 2:20; 3:11-14, 26. The newcomer to A.A. is
filled with guilt, fear, shame, anxiety, confusion, and worldly problems. For
me, these need to be filled with standing as a child of the living Creator and
with a renewed mind walk. The facts of the early program seem to be these: (1)
A person would voluntarily confess Jesus as Lord and Savior, believing in his
or her heart that God had raised Jesus from the dead (John 3:16; Rom 10:9, 10).
Dr. Bob very likely had done that in North Congregational Church, St.
Johnsbury. Bill W. very likely did that at Calvary Rescue Mission in New York;
and he had probably also done that earlier at the Congregational churches in
East Dorset, in Rutland, and/or in Manchester, Vermont (at Burr and Burton
Academy, at which he was president of the YMCA). And early AAs did it upstairs
at T. Henry’s house. (2) That person was then born again of the spirit of God;
and, by God’s grace, that person was at that moment saved from the wrath to
come, acquitted of his or her past sins, and enabled to ask forgiveness for
deeds thereafter. (3) What that person then reaped from that point on was
another matter which depended on his or her fellowship with the Father and with
His son Jesus Christ—i.e., on walking by the spirit, not by the flesh. And that
choice is tough. But to attempt an injection of theological justification into
the early program is not for me except to say that Dr. Bob Smith, his wife
Anne, and the Akron folk read and studied the Bible daily, they led newcomers
to acceptance of Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, and they endeavored to
stay in fellowship with God and with like-minded believers. Probably none of
these precepts could be declared universal in today’s recovery groups.
7. As you also note in your books, the Book of James (along
with the Sermon on the Mount and 1 Corinthians 13) holds a place of preeminence
in early AA Bible reading. James 2:20 says “faith without works is dead”. Why
were such passages so compelling do you think to early AA’s?
E. Stanley Jones and Oswald Chambers expressed the
relationship between the gift of the Holy Spirit and the precepts of Jesus’
Sermon on the Mount in different ways. One said the Sermon without the Holy
Spirit is “spiritual powwow.” The other said that the Holy Spirit without the
Sermon leaves work to be done and hence something missing. One might equate
that with 1 Cor. 13. “Faith without works” is used in the Big Book out of
context. James is deep into other matters such as overcoming temptation, asking
wisdom of God, being a doer of the Word and not just a hearer, loving one’s
neighbor, submitting to God and resisting the devil, seeking help when sick,
confessing faults one to another, and the efficacy of prayer. I truly believe
that the pioneers STUDIED the three segments (i.e., Matthew 5-7, 1 Cor. 13, and
the Book of James) lots and did not merely hang on such ideas as “faith without
works.” The emphasis on the three segments was very very substantial, and it
explains the loose references to each that are embodied in the Big Book.
8. Are there 12 step groups that are recovering this early
vision? How can people find these AA groups that foster this early vision? Do
you consider the ministry “Celebrate Recovery” to be walking in the steps of
early AA?
There are many 12 Step study groups that are returning to
the early A.A. emphasis on Bible study, prayer, asking God for guidance, Quiet
Time, reading the Book of James and the other segments, reading Christian
literature, using Christian devotionals, and looking for the roots of the
Steps. See my titles By the Power of God (http://dickb.com/powerofgod.shtml);
The Books Early AAs Read (http://dickb.com/bks-read.shtml); Utilizing Early
A.A.’s Spiritual Roots (http://dickb.com/earlyaaroots.shtml); and Twelve Steps
for You (http://dickb.com/12StepsforYou.shtml). There is emerging recognition
that the phony, nonsense gods of recovery talk are detours from truth,
recovery, and cure. See my titles God and Alcoholism
(http://dickb.com/Godandalcoholism) and Why Early A.A. Succeeded
(http://dckb.com/aabiblestudy.shtml). There are many groups today in A.A. who
are conducting Bible/Big Book study groups. Not a day goes by that I don’t
receive several phone calls or emails from people wanting to know where to
begin. In the years past, I have: (a) conducted eight A.A. history weekend
seminars at the Wilson House in Vermont; (b) conducted six A.A. history
conferences; (c) spoken by invitation at annual conferences of Alcoholics
Victorious, Celebrate Recovery founders, Overcomers Outreach, Inc., The Net
Ministries in Florida, the Tampa Bay Clean and Sober Conference, YWAM, City
Team Ministries, Roman Catholic and A.A. spiritual retreats, and many Clarence
Snyder spiritual retreats for AAs and their families. I believe there is an
immense hunger for books, for articles, for talks, for teachers, for
leadership, for support, for guidance, and for encouragement WITHIN 12 Step
Groups. My 33 published titles and four websites endeavor to help feed the
hungry (http://www.dickb.com/index.shtml; http://www.dickb-blog.com;
http://DrBob.info; and http://freedomranchmaui.org.) These contain articles,
archives, links, resources, audio talks, radio talks, tributes, and
recommendations.
Conclusion. In many ways the mainline churches in the US parallel
this story. Our historic faith was the foundation for the AA ministry and the
Risen Lord described in our confessions is the One who brought these wonderful
cures.
But somewhere along the line, the mainline and the 12 Step
movement has become secularized and lost it’s connection to this historic
faith.
I pray your work will restore the Christian faith to it’s
proper place in the AA movement and that the same faith in the living Christ
will predominate again in the Mainline churches. Thank you Dick.
Note: Those interested in providing donations so that Dick
B’s works may be circulated free of charge to those in need of them may contact
Dick B directly through the links above or here: dickb@dickb.com; 808 874 4876 ; PO Box 837, Kihei, HI
96753-0837
All passages below are from the book Alcoholics Anonymous unless otherwise stated.
