Utilizing Early A.A.'s Spiritual Roots for Recovery Today

UTILIZING EARLY A.A.'S SPIRITUAL ROOTS
FOR RECOVERY TODAY

Author Dick B. has been honored several times with invitations to come to The Wilson House, birthplace of A.A. co-founder Bill Wilson, and deliver a week-end seminar on various aspects of A.A.'s roots in the Bible and Christianity.  The 1998 seminar was titled Utilizing Early A.A.'s Spiritual Roots for Recovery Today. This booklet was part of the seminar.  It will enable Twelve Step groups, individuals, treatment facilities, counselors, and churches to study A.A., the Twelve Steps, and recovery in the backdrop of early A.A.'s real spirituality, beliefs, and tools. 

Dick has been called "A.A.'s unofficial historian."  He has 13 titles published on the six major sources of A.A.'s spiritual ideas:  (1) The Bible, (2) Quiet Time, (3) The teachings of the Rev. Sam Shoemaker of New York, (4) The life-changing program of A First Century Christian Fellowship also known as the Oxford Group, (5)  The contents of a journal kept by A.A. co-founder Dr. Bob Smith's wife, Anne, during A.A.'s formative years between 1922 and 1939, and (6) Christian Literature early AAs read for spiritual growth. 

Here, as always, Dick brings to bear his experience as an active, recovered AA, and Bible student.  He has sponsored over eighty men in their recovery.  He has spent nine years researching A.A.'s biblical roots.  Dick uses these resources in taking AAs through the Twelve Steps, helping them learn A.A.'s Big Book, and utilizing the same tools early AAs used in their Christian Fellowship.  This particular title covers the spiritual beginnings of A.A., the impact of its six major spiritual sources on the recovery program, and specific suggestions on how you can use the history of the Twelve Step roots for recovery today.

You will learn how to combine Big Book study with the study of A.A.'s roots.  You will learn how to incorporate the Bible in Twelve Step recovery.  You will learn the ingredients of the all-important early A.A. Quiet Time.  You will see how the contents of Anne Smith's Journal can help your program.  You will see that A.A.'s Oxford Group roots can be used for understanding, and not theology.  And you will understand God as God understands Himself.  It's all here!

A distinguished seminary professor, psychotherapist, family counselor, and author has said this about Dick's books:  "Carefully researched volumes by the leading historian of A.A."
-- The Reverend Howard J. Clinebell, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus, School of Theology at Claremont, CA. Author of 13 books including his latest Understanding and Counseling Persons with Alcohol, Drug, and Behavioral Addictions, Abingdon Press, 1998