| Review – The Good Book and The Big Book |
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A.A.'s Roots in the Bible by Dick B.
Review by Tom Gilbert
The Good Book and the Big Book
By Dick B.
Alcoholics Anonymous has done more for the plight of alcoholics than
any other group or method in history. In the nearly seventy
years of its existence AA has carried a message of hope
and recovery to seemingly hopeless individuals.
There is still a debate over whether alcoholism is a disease.
Regardless, this malady affects the afflicted in often
tragic ways. There is physical, mental and spiritual damage.
A.A.’s remarkable early success is the focus of
this book by Dick B. He’s an author of numerous
books chronicling the history of the A.A. movement (see
a list of his publications at his website).
In this book the author makes the case that the program
and its twelve steps are rooted in the Bible and its principles.
His exhaustive research, complete with numerous footnotes,
shows that the early days of A.A.’s fellowship relied
heavily on the Bible as well as devotionals and writings
by notable ministers and clergy for their recovery and
consequent spiritual awakenings.
The Oxford Group and their tenets have long been documented
as the forerunner of Alcoholics Anonymous. In this book,
Dick B. goes further by discovering what books, and particularly,
what Bible passages, most influenced and guided these
alcoholics in the early days of AA. In the days prior
to the publication of “Alcoholics Anonymous”
(affectionately referred to as the “Big Book”
by members) groups frequently selected readings from the
Bible for meeting topics. Dr. Bob, one of A.A.’s
co-founders, was a voracious reader and devoted Bible
reader. He, and his wife Anne, studied and lived by the
Good Book and used it regularly in their work with suffering
alcoholics.
If you are familiar with the 12 recovery steps of Alcoholics
Anonymous and the Bible you can easily see the parallels.
The spirit of the New Testament is woven through and through
the Big Book text. Nowadays, it is fashionable in many
A.A. circles to downplay religious influence, although
the text itself recommends “Be quick to see where
religious people are right. Make use of what they offer”
(pg. 87).
It’s been important to A.A.’s collective growth
to be open to all who seek help and to not place restrictive
demands on those who enter the rooms. The only requirement
for membership is a desire to stop drinking (Tradition
Three). The preamble of A.A. states that “Alcoholics
Anonymous is not allied with any sect, denomination or
religion”(pg.xiv Foreword First Edition). Dick B.,
himself a recovered alcoholic with long-term sobriety,
does not pitch for Christianizing Alcoholics Anonymous.
Rather, he points to the early success of the fellowship
which he infers is the direct result of relying on the
God of the Bible as the higher power and from applying
to daily living the principles of Christianity.
The scriptures that he states were most used and most
influential include the Sermon on the Mount, the book
of James and the first letter of John. Also of primary
importance was first Corinthians 13 with its emphasis
on love and the attributes of love.
Service is one of the cornerstones of the A.A. program
and certainly that is in line with the commandment from
Jesus to love your neighbor (Matthew 22:19; Mark 12:31).
One of the most important tenets of A.A. is the admission
by the alcoholic of powerlessness. It is believed fervently
that real alcoholics are beyond mere human aid and must
find a power greater than their self to solve their problem.
Over and over again the Big Book speaks of this power
as God. Coming to believe in this power, turning one’s
life and will over to it, and relying completely on God
is right in line with the fundamental teaching of the
Bible. It is, as the Big Book states, “a design
for living that really works”(pg. 28).
The book is exhaustively researched and footnoted. Dick
B. relies on many of A.A.’s old-timers’ writing,
as well as officially sanctioned A.A. literature. Chapters
like “Biblical Impact on Big Book Language”
and “The Good Book and the Twelve Steps” trace
direct linkage, wherever possible, between A.A. concepts
and the Bible. There are plenty of inferred references
of biblical influence, too.
To remake A.A. into a purely Christian outreach would
be a disservice. “The Good Book and the Big Book”,
nevertheless, is an important read for anyone interested
in the roots and history of Alcoholics Anonymous. It clearly
shows how important the Bible was to early A.A. and it
makes a strong case that newcomer and long-timer alike
can experience greater spiritual growth by studying it.
To help alcoholics recover and become true Christians
is a worthy end result that can be accomplished only with
love and consideration by sober believers. Many professed
Christians might benefit in their witnessing by taking
a cue from AA’s eleventh tradition that states as
a public relation policy the importance of attraction
rather than promotion.
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Scripture taken from the
Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®.Copyright ©
1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. All rights
reserved throughout the world. Used by permission of International
Bible Society.
NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION® and NIV® are registered
trademarks of International Bible Society. Use of either
trademark for the offering of goods or services requires
the prior written consent of International Bible Society.
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy
Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996. Used
by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton,
IL 60189, USA. All rights reserved.
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