What did A.A. learn from the Oxford
Group and why did they leave them?
Answer
AA's
first step was derived largely from my own
physician, Dr. Silkworth, and my sponsor
Ebby and his friend, from Dr. Jung of
Zurich. I refer to the medical hopelessness
of alcoholism - our 'powerlessness' over
alcohol.
The rest of the Twelve Steps stem directly
from those Oxford Group teachings that
applied specifically to us. Of course these
teachings were nothing new; we might have
obtained them from your own Church. They
were, in effect, an examination of
conscience, confession, restitution,
helpfulness to others, and prayer.
I should acknowledge our great debt to the
Oxford Group people. It was fortunate that
they laid particular emphasis on spiritual
principles that we needed. But in fairness
it should also be said that many of their
attitudes and practices did not work well at
all for us alcoholics. These were rejected
one by one and they caused our later
withdrawal from this society to a fellowship
of our own - today's Alcoholics Anonymous.
Perhaps I should specifically outline why we
felt it necessary to part company with them.
To begin with, the climate of their
undertaking was not well suited to us
alcoholics. They were aggressively
evangelical. They sought to re-vitalize the
Christian message in such a way as to
"change the world." Most of us alcoholics
had been subjected to pressure of evangelism
and we never liked it. The object of saving
the world - when it was still very much in
doubt if we could save ourselves - seemed
better left to other people. By reason of
some of its terminology and by exertion of
huge pressure, the Oxford Group set a moral
stride that was too fast, particularly for
our newer alcoholics. They constantly talked
of Absolute Purity, Absolute Unselfishness,
Absolute Honesty, and Absolute Love. While
sound theology must always have its absolute
values, the Oxford Groups created the
feeling that one should arrive at these
destinations in short order, maybe by next
Thursday! Perhaps they didn't mean to create
such an impression but that was the effect.
Sometimes their public "witnessing" was of
such a character to cause us to be shy. They
also believed that by "converting" prominent
people to their beliefs, they would hasten
the salvation of many who were less
prominent. This attitude could scarcely
appeal to the average drunk since he was
anything but distinguished.
The Oxford Group also had attitudes and
practices which added up to a highly
coercive authority. This was exercised by
"teams" of older members. They would gather
in meditation and receive specific guidance
for the life conduct of newcomers. This
guidance could cover all possible situations
from the most trivial to the most serious.
If the directions so obtained were not
followed, the enforcement machinery began to
operate. It consisted of a sort of coldness
and aloofness which made recalcitrants feel
they weren't wanted. At one time, for
example, a "team" got guidance for me to the
effect that I was no longer to work with
alcoholics. This I could not accept.
Another example: When I first contacted the
Oxford Groups, Catholics were permitted to
attend their meetings because they were
strictly non-denominational. But after a
time the Catholic Church forbade its members
to attend and the reason for this seemed a
good one. Through the Oxford Group "teams",
Catholic Church members were actually
receiving specific guidance for their lives;
they were often infused with the idea that
their Church had become rather
horse-and-buggy, and needed to be "changed."
Guidance was frequently given that
contributions should be made to the Oxford
Groups. In a way this amounted to putting
Catholics under a separate ecclesiastical
jurisdiction. At this time there were few
Catholics in our alcoholic groups. Obviously
we could not approach any more Catholics
under Oxford Group auspices. Therefore this
was another, and the basic reason for the
withdrawal of our alcoholic crowd from the
Oxford Groups notwithstanding our great debt
to them. (N.C.C.A. 'Blue Book', Vol. 12,
1960) .
