The Oxford Group & Alcoholics Anonymous, An AA-Good Book Connection
Thorough, scholarly, comprehensive. A study of the Oxford Group’s contribution to AA’s Big Book and 12 Steps. The Bible and the Oxford Group were pinpointed by AA’s co-founders as the source of their spiritual program. And this book is a first! It precisely details the biblical principles of the First Century Christian Fellowship of which AA was an integral part in its formative years. The author is an active, recovered member of Alcoholics Anonymous, a retired attorney, and a Bible student. His two years of research have taken him to archives, seminary libraries, interviews, conferences, and historical books on AA’s spiritual roots.
‘A masterly book. Dick B. has fully converted me to his use of quotations to show the parallels between the Oxford Group and the statements of Bill W., Dr. Bob and AA literature generally. Dick evidences a power of summarizing the aims of a book in a few lines and with much clarity.’ Garth Lean, Author of On The Tail Of A Comet (the life of Oxford Group Founder, Dr. Frank N. D. Buchman).
‘A wonderful job. It portrays Reverend Sam Shoemaker as I remember him, a great communicator in the pulpit and in his writing.’ Mrs. W. Irving Harris, friend of Bill W.; widow of Rev. Irving Harris, a close associate of Dr. Sam Shoemaker, from whom AA’s founders said they obtained most of their ideas for the Twelve Steps.
‘Some book! I am amazed at how much Dick B. has put into the book and the great amount of research on which it is based. The Index alone has great value.’ George A. Vondermuhll, Jr., Oxford Group volunteer for 40 years; former secretary of its successor, M.R.A.
English