A.A. History Brief: Oxford Group Principles
By Dick B.
© 2011 Anonymous. All rights reserved
What the Oxford Group Principles Were
Many within and without the Oxford Group have endeavored to describe the principles of the Oxford Group. One Australian Oxford Group writer spoke of eight principles of the Group. Bill Wilson sometimes spoke of six “Steps” of the Oxford Group. But the idea that the Oxford Group had any “Steps”—let alone six—was dispelled by Oxford Group historian and activist T. Willard Hunter. And repudiation of this idea was finally publicized in A.A.’s own “Pass It On” (NY: Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc., 1984), 206 n.2.
Undaunted, Bill Wilson’s wife Lois spoke of some six “ideas.” Then one writer called on an anonymously-authored book by a non-Oxford Group writer and deduced that there were “four principles” and “four practices.” Finally, when I wrote my title, The Oxford Group & Alcoholics Anonymous: A Design for Living That Works (now in its third edition), I set forth some 28 ideas of the Oxford Group that had impacted on Alcoholics Anonymous. And this book and its view received the endorsement of a large number of experienced Oxford Group writers and optimists.
But history has also made possible a very explicit statement of the real Oxford Group “Principles,” as the Group people themselves characterized them. First, in the early 1920’s, Rev. Samuel M. Shoemaker, “a chief lieutenant” of the Oxford Group in America, asked his long-time friend (who was also a long-time associate of Oxford Group Founder Dr. Frank Buchman) to write a statement of the ideas. They were seven in number.
Accordingly, Shoemaker’s friend, Sherwood Sunderland Day, penned a short pamphlet, titled The Principles of the Group (Oxford, University Press, n.d.). Years later, Rev. Sam Shoemaker’s assistant minister, Rev. W. Irving Harris, wrote that Bill Wilson was familiar with those principles when he (Bill) later discussed formulation of the Twelve Steps with Rev. Shoemaker. Harris then summarized Sherwood Day’s seven Oxford Group principles in slightly-different language.
Actually, Dr. Bob’s wife, Anne Ripley Smith, discussed those seven Sherry Day principles in the personal journal she kept from 1933-1939, and also shared with early AAs and their families.
Comments about the Background and Words of Rev. Sherwood Day
First, the Oxford Group probably was founded about 1919 when Dr. Frank Buchman (its founder), Buchman’s mentor Professor Henry Wright, and Howard A. Walter collaborated to write what was the first Oxford Group book—Soul Surgery. Shortly thereafter, Frank Buchman gathered around him an informal group of young supporters who would join him in traveling about the world. Sam Shoemaker was one of the men. Sherry Day was another. And, though this group of men had no formal name, they called themselves “A First Century Christian Fellowship.” It was in this period that Buchman’s ideas—gathered through the years before—had become known to his “Fellowship” members.
Sherwood Sunderland Day’s The Principles of the Group
Sherwood Day began his pamphlet with the statement that the principles of the Oxford Group were the principles of the Bible. The statement and the principles are discussed and annotated accurately in Dick B., Anne Smith’s Journal, 1933-1939: A.A.’s Principles of Success, 3rd ed. Kihei, HI: Paradise Research Publications, Inc., 1998), 129-32.
Day said: “It is never possible to find Life—peace with God—victory—power by merely trying to follow out principle.” He said: “That life comes to one as a possession through but one gateway—a personal experience of Jesus Christ and Him Crucified.” He said further that the Oxford Group was a life—that life which is hid in Christ with God; and that the following principles are revelations or pictures of what is bound to take place in any life that is surrendered to the Will of God (Dick B., Anne Smith, 130).
Day then set forth the following seven biblical principles—the principles of the Oxford Group:
God-guidance. Day said “guidance” meant “communion with our Father, the Living God . . . listening to God . . . two-way prayer . . . thinking God’s thoughts after Him” (Dick B., Anne Smith, 130).
Fearless dealing with sin. Day said: “The great fact of history is Jesus Christ, the second is the presence of sin.” He said the Bible frankly faces the fact of sin and offers a cure. He said Jesus Christ faced men honestly and fearlessly, gave them courage to do the same with themselves, and then showed them the way out (Dick B., Anne Smith, 130).
Sharing: Day said: “A sharing Christian is a propagating Christian.” He said: “sharing,” as used by the Group, covered two distinct things: (1) confession, and (2) witness. Quoting James 5:16, Day said it was necessary to “confess your faults one to another.” He then said sharing, or witnessing, was necessary in helping others. It established confidence because the person confessed to know that the confessor had been through a like experience (Dick B., Anne Smith, 131).
The necessity for adequate, intelligent, expressional activity. Day urged: “a God-guided, released life with constant outgo into the lives of needy people” (Dick B., Anne Smith, 131).
Stewardship. Day pointed out “that He who bought us with a price owns us and all that He has entrusted to us. On such a basis, houses, lands, money, things, relationships, gifts, all that we are and have, made up a trust which we are to administer” (Dick B., Anne Smith, 131).
Team-work. Day said Jesus Christ believed in team work. He gathered a small group about him and set the example for all his followers in this respect Dick B., Anne Smith, 131).
Loyalty. Day said: The supreme loyalty in life should be to Jesus Christ, but . . . the person or group of persons embodying for us the highest challenge we know, the person or persons that have been used to reveal Jesus Christ to us are persons and groups which demand our loyalty” Dick B., Anne Smith, 131-32).
References
Garth Lean, Frank Buchman: a Life (London: Constable, 1985)
Sherwood Sunderland Day, The Principles of the Group (Oxford: University Press, n.d.)
Dick B., The Oxford Group & Alcoholics Anonymous: A Design for Living that Works, new
rev ed. (Kihei, HI: Paradise Research Publications, Inc., 1998)
Dick B., New Light on Alcoholism: God, Sam Shoemaker, and A.A., Pittsburgh ed. (Kihei,
HI: Paradise Research Publications, Inc., 1999)
Dick B., Anne Smith’s Journal 1933-1939: A.A.’s Principles of Success, 3rd ed. (Kihei, HI: Paradise Research Publications, Inc., 1998)
Gloria Deo
Showing posts with label AA-Oxford Group. Show all posts
Showing posts with label AA-Oxford Group. Show all posts
Friday, January 21, 2011
Thursday, January 20, 2011
A.A. History Brief: Oxford Group
A.A. History Brief: Oxford Group
Dick B.
© 2011 Anonymous. All rights reserved
Where My Oxford Group Evidence Came From
As soon as I learned that the Oxford Group was a major source of A.A. ideas, I began going directly to its own literature to see exactly what the program was and how it might relate to
Alcoholics Anonymous.
I was able to befriend and communicate with a large number of Oxford Group leaders, activists, and writers. These included Garth Lean, Frank Buchman’s biographer. Dr. Morris Martin—Frank Buchman’s personal secretary. Also James Draper Newton and his wife Eleanor Napier Forde (Newton)—long-time activists and personal friends of Frank Buchman and Rev. Sam Shoemaker. Kenneth Belden, Michael Hutchinson, and R.C. Mowat in Great Britain. Richard Ruffin—MRA Executive Director in America. Harry Almond, Ruffin’s predecessor. George Vondermuhll, Jr., Treasurer of MRA in America. T. Willard Hunter—long-time Oxford Group employee and writer. Mrs. W. Irving Harris—who was (with her husband) an activist and a keeper of the book stall for the Oxford Group in Calvary House. The entire Shoemaker family—Mrs. Samuel M. Shoemaker, Jr., Sally Robinson Shoemaker, and Nickie Haggart Shoemaker. L. Parks Shipley, Sr., Richard Hadden, Michael Henderson, James Houck, and Frederick Watt.
This array of well-informed Oxford Group people furnished me with many references, books, articles, magazines, and films—as well as a great many personal recollections. I purchased many Oxford Group books and articles. I was given many by the foregoing people. And then came the opportunity and time to obtain almost every piece of Oxford Group material that existed in the United States, Great Britain, Canada, and elsewhere.
From the following, I either acquired all of their Oxford Group literature or important items I did not already have. The number of books, articles, pamphlets, magazines, manuscripts, pieces of correspondence, and other relevant items exceeded 25,000. These came, in large part, from:
George Vondermuhll, Jr., of Connecticut (now deceased): his entire Oxford Group archives—some 500 items.
T. Willard Hunter, of Claremont, California (now deceased): his entire library.
James D. Newton and Eleanor Forde Newton, of Ft. Myers Beach, Florida (both now deceased): a pick of their entire collection of Oxford Group, Shoemaker, and MRA books, articles, and pamphlets
Mrs. W. Irving Harris, of New Jersey (now deceased): all of the Shoemaker books and many Oxford Group pieces.
Richard Ruffin, of Washington, D.C.: many of the older Oxford Group books and pamphlets in the library of Moral Re-Armament in Washington, D.C.
Garth Lean, England (now deceased): copies of all his books.
Kenneth Belden, England (now deceased): copies of all his books.
Morris Martin: copies of his books
Dennis Wayne Cassidy (now deceased), A.A. historian and speaker: his entire library of Oxford Group, Shoemaker, and relevant A.A. books, pamphlets, and pictures.
Danny Whitmore of Palmdale, California, A.A. Historian: his entire library of Oxford Group, Shoemaker, and relevant A.A. books, pamphlets, and pictures.
Where This Historical Treasure Trove Is Available Today
1. At the Griffith Library (in the house where Bill Wilson was raised), East Dorset, Vermont. Ozzie Lepper (Manager of the Wilson House) built an entire library of
A.A. historical literature and proposed calling it the Dick B. Library. While that
proposal was declined by me, I was able to have several benefactors donate sufficient
funds to ship and locate at the Griffith Library some 23,900 items.
2. At St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Akron, Ohio—the church to which Dr. Bob
belonged at the time of his death, and the church of which Rev. Walter Tunks
was rector in the 1930’s. A small library containing a portion of my Oxford Group, Shoemaker, and other A.A. historical books was established through funding by a number of benefactors.
3. At Calvary Episcopal Church in Pittsburgh, Ohio—the last church of which Rev.
Samuel M. Shoemaker, Jr. was rector. A library was established in the Shoemaker
Room at the church; and two benefactors enabled all of my Shoemaker papers to
be lodged in that room.
The purpose of these libraries was to make accessible and available for viewing almost every Oxford Group and Shoemaker book and writing—all being relevant to A.A. history and important article.
References
Dick B., Making Known the Biblical History and Roots of Alcoholics Anonymous: A 16-Year Research, Writing, Publishing, and Fact-Dissemination Project. 3rd ed. (Kihei, HI: Paradise Research Publications, Inc., 2006)
Dick B. The Oxford Group & Alcoholics Anonymous: A Design for Living That Works, new rev. ed. (Kihei, HI: Paradise Research Publications, Inc., 1998)
Gloria Deo
Dick B.
© 2011 Anonymous. All rights reserved
Where My Oxford Group Evidence Came From
As soon as I learned that the Oxford Group was a major source of A.A. ideas, I began going directly to its own literature to see exactly what the program was and how it might relate to
Alcoholics Anonymous.
I was able to befriend and communicate with a large number of Oxford Group leaders, activists, and writers. These included Garth Lean, Frank Buchman’s biographer. Dr. Morris Martin—Frank Buchman’s personal secretary. Also James Draper Newton and his wife Eleanor Napier Forde (Newton)—long-time activists and personal friends of Frank Buchman and Rev. Sam Shoemaker. Kenneth Belden, Michael Hutchinson, and R.C. Mowat in Great Britain. Richard Ruffin—MRA Executive Director in America. Harry Almond, Ruffin’s predecessor. George Vondermuhll, Jr., Treasurer of MRA in America. T. Willard Hunter—long-time Oxford Group employee and writer. Mrs. W. Irving Harris—who was (with her husband) an activist and a keeper of the book stall for the Oxford Group in Calvary House. The entire Shoemaker family—Mrs. Samuel M. Shoemaker, Jr., Sally Robinson Shoemaker, and Nickie Haggart Shoemaker. L. Parks Shipley, Sr., Richard Hadden, Michael Henderson, James Houck, and Frederick Watt.
This array of well-informed Oxford Group people furnished me with many references, books, articles, magazines, and films—as well as a great many personal recollections. I purchased many Oxford Group books and articles. I was given many by the foregoing people. And then came the opportunity and time to obtain almost every piece of Oxford Group material that existed in the United States, Great Britain, Canada, and elsewhere.
From the following, I either acquired all of their Oxford Group literature or important items I did not already have. The number of books, articles, pamphlets, magazines, manuscripts, pieces of correspondence, and other relevant items exceeded 25,000. These came, in large part, from:
George Vondermuhll, Jr., of Connecticut (now deceased): his entire Oxford Group archives—some 500 items.
T. Willard Hunter, of Claremont, California (now deceased): his entire library.
James D. Newton and Eleanor Forde Newton, of Ft. Myers Beach, Florida (both now deceased): a pick of their entire collection of Oxford Group, Shoemaker, and MRA books, articles, and pamphlets
Mrs. W. Irving Harris, of New Jersey (now deceased): all of the Shoemaker books and many Oxford Group pieces.
Richard Ruffin, of Washington, D.C.: many of the older Oxford Group books and pamphlets in the library of Moral Re-Armament in Washington, D.C.
Garth Lean, England (now deceased): copies of all his books.
Kenneth Belden, England (now deceased): copies of all his books.
Morris Martin: copies of his books
Dennis Wayne Cassidy (now deceased), A.A. historian and speaker: his entire library of Oxford Group, Shoemaker, and relevant A.A. books, pamphlets, and pictures.
Danny Whitmore of Palmdale, California, A.A. Historian: his entire library of Oxford Group, Shoemaker, and relevant A.A. books, pamphlets, and pictures.
Where This Historical Treasure Trove Is Available Today
1. At the Griffith Library (in the house where Bill Wilson was raised), East Dorset, Vermont. Ozzie Lepper (Manager of the Wilson House) built an entire library of
A.A. historical literature and proposed calling it the Dick B. Library. While that
proposal was declined by me, I was able to have several benefactors donate sufficient
funds to ship and locate at the Griffith Library some 23,900 items.
2. At St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Akron, Ohio—the church to which Dr. Bob
belonged at the time of his death, and the church of which Rev. Walter Tunks
was rector in the 1930’s. A small library containing a portion of my Oxford Group, Shoemaker, and other A.A. historical books was established through funding by a number of benefactors.
3. At Calvary Episcopal Church in Pittsburgh, Ohio—the last church of which Rev.
Samuel M. Shoemaker, Jr. was rector. A library was established in the Shoemaker
Room at the church; and two benefactors enabled all of my Shoemaker papers to
be lodged in that room.
The purpose of these libraries was to make accessible and available for viewing almost every Oxford Group and Shoemaker book and writing—all being relevant to A.A. history and important article.
References
Dick B., Making Known the Biblical History and Roots of Alcoholics Anonymous: A 16-Year Research, Writing, Publishing, and Fact-Dissemination Project. 3rd ed. (Kihei, HI: Paradise Research Publications, Inc., 2006)
Dick B. The Oxford Group & Alcoholics Anonymous: A Design for Living That Works, new rev. ed. (Kihei, HI: Paradise Research Publications, Inc., 1998)
Gloria Deo
Monday, November 01, 2010
Alcoholics Anonymous Oxford Group Facts (1)
Probably the first extensive research that I began twenty years ago had to do with the Oxford Group and its impact on Alcoholics Anonymous. And, though it has been revised and reprinted several times, my landmark book was and is The Oxford Group & Alcoholics Anonymous: A Design for Living That Works. www.dickb.com/Oxford.shtml.
There followed a number of my later books which can be very useful to one who has heard of the Oxford Group, sensed that certain ideas in that group were incorporated into the Alcoholics Anonymous program, and wished to learn the whole story.
My own principal books on the subject, therefore, are:
The Oxford Group & Alcoholics Anonymous www.dickb.com/Oxford.shtml
New Light on Alcoholism: God, Sam Shoemaker, and A.A. www.dickb.com/newlight.shtml.
Good Morning!: Quiet Time, Morning Watch, Meditation, and Early A.A. www.dickb.com/goodmorn.shtml.
Turning Point: A History of the Spiritual Roots of Alcoholics Anonymous www.dickb.com/Turning.shtml.
Making Known the Biblical History and Roots of A.A. www.dickb.com/makingknown.shtml
Anne Smith's Journal 1933-1939 www.dickb.com/annesm.shtml.
Twelve Steps for You www.dickb.com/12StepsforYou.shtml.
This first factual article is limited to the suggestion that any student of the Oxford Group--Alcoholics Anonymous connection begin with the thoroughly researched, thoroughly documented, heavily footnoted books mentioned above--and pay particular attention to the bibliographies in those books.
Far too many writers have simply made the Oxford Group the subject of a mere scan, the victim of inadequate reading and research by the writer, or a template for some well-known criticisms of the group. These have been fomented by Roman Catholic periodicals, by those who focused on one remark by Frank Buchman about Hitler, by those who bought into Bill Wilson's apologetic remarks about learning more from the Oxford Group about what NOT to do, than what to do.
The correct approach is to read my books, note the immense amount of Oxford Group materials that were incorporated into A.A.'s Big Book and Twelve Steps, place those materials in context with other major A.A. sources such as the Bible, Anne Smith's Journal, Quiet Time, Anne Smith's Journal, and the teachings to Bill W. by Rev. Samuel M. Shoemaker, Jr.
The facts in the articles that follow will simply hit the high points: (1) The origins of the Oxford Group. (2) The principal books by Oxford Group adherents that heavily influenced the thinking of some AAs. (3) The 28 Oxford Group ideas that impacted A.A. (4) The proper view of the differing Oxford Group roles in the early A.A. Akron Christian Fellowship, the things that Bill Wilson learned originally from Rowland Hazard and Ebby Thacher, the actual participation by Bill Wilson in a number of Oxford Group activities, the substantially lesser participation and imitation at the Akron level, the major importance of Rev. Sam Shoemaker's teachings, and the residual importance of the Oxford Group today taken in the context of the other major influences on the Big Book program.
www.dickb.com/Oxford.shtml; www.dickb.com/titles.shtml
There followed a number of my later books which can be very useful to one who has heard of the Oxford Group, sensed that certain ideas in that group were incorporated into the Alcoholics Anonymous program, and wished to learn the whole story.
My own principal books on the subject, therefore, are:
The Oxford Group & Alcoholics Anonymous www.dickb.com/Oxford.shtml
New Light on Alcoholism: God, Sam Shoemaker, and A.A. www.dickb.com/newlight.shtml.
Good Morning!: Quiet Time, Morning Watch, Meditation, and Early A.A. www.dickb.com/goodmorn.shtml.
Turning Point: A History of the Spiritual Roots of Alcoholics Anonymous www.dickb.com/Turning.shtml.
Making Known the Biblical History and Roots of A.A. www.dickb.com/makingknown.shtml
Anne Smith's Journal 1933-1939 www.dickb.com/annesm.shtml.
Twelve Steps for You www.dickb.com/12StepsforYou.shtml.
This first factual article is limited to the suggestion that any student of the Oxford Group--Alcoholics Anonymous connection begin with the thoroughly researched, thoroughly documented, heavily footnoted books mentioned above--and pay particular attention to the bibliographies in those books.
Far too many writers have simply made the Oxford Group the subject of a mere scan, the victim of inadequate reading and research by the writer, or a template for some well-known criticisms of the group. These have been fomented by Roman Catholic periodicals, by those who focused on one remark by Frank Buchman about Hitler, by those who bought into Bill Wilson's apologetic remarks about learning more from the Oxford Group about what NOT to do, than what to do.
The correct approach is to read my books, note the immense amount of Oxford Group materials that were incorporated into A.A.'s Big Book and Twelve Steps, place those materials in context with other major A.A. sources such as the Bible, Anne Smith's Journal, Quiet Time, Anne Smith's Journal, and the teachings to Bill W. by Rev. Samuel M. Shoemaker, Jr.
The facts in the articles that follow will simply hit the high points: (1) The origins of the Oxford Group. (2) The principal books by Oxford Group adherents that heavily influenced the thinking of some AAs. (3) The 28 Oxford Group ideas that impacted A.A. (4) The proper view of the differing Oxford Group roles in the early A.A. Akron Christian Fellowship, the things that Bill Wilson learned originally from Rowland Hazard and Ebby Thacher, the actual participation by Bill Wilson in a number of Oxford Group activities, the substantially lesser participation and imitation at the Akron level, the major importance of Rev. Sam Shoemaker's teachings, and the residual importance of the Oxford Group today taken in the context of the other major influences on the Big Book program.
www.dickb.com/Oxford.shtml; www.dickb.com/titles.shtml
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