Friday, September 21, 2012

A.A. Big Book 1st Ed Personal Stories:God, Jesus Christ, Bible


Christian Recovery Radio Interview of A.A. Historian Dick B.

on

www.ChristianRecoveryRadio.com

 

By Dick B.

© 2012 Anonymous. All rights reserved

 

Dick B.’s Radio Interview on September 22, 2012, will cover the newly-released book by Dick B. and Ken B., God, His Son Jesus Christ, & the Bible in Early A.A.: The Long-Overlooked Personal Stories in the First Edition of Alcoholics Anonymous.

 

The personal stories by “old-school,” early A.A. pioneers have been in limbo for decades. Yet they show exactly how those individuals practiced the early A.A. “Christian fellowship” program founded in June of 1935. Piece by piece the stories were removed after the first edition and their removal left AAs in a quandary as to what their original program looked like and whether it could be applied today.

 

The early program is summarized on page 131 of DR. BOB and the Good Oldtimers. The sixteen principles and practices of the early AAs are specified and explained in The Dick B. Christian Recovery Guide, 3rd ed., 2010.

 

In this interview, Dick will read many excerpts from what is now A.A. General Service Conference-approved literature (as of the release of Experience, Strength & Hope: Stories from the First Three Editions of Alcoholics Anonymous.) Each excerpt will be from a testimonial by an A.A. pioneer in his own language and from his own point of view as to how he practiced the pioneer “old-school” program. Also, how he turned to God for help. And how he freely read the Bible, prayed, sought God’s guidance, endeavored to obey God’s will after having renounced liquor permanently. Once cured, these pioneers set about helping others apply the same program and get well.

 

These are not war stories. These are not “drunkalogs.” These are not recitals about the Twelve Steps and Big Book because, in early A.A., there was no Big Book, and were no Steps at all.

 

You will remember these pithy statements long after you have forgotten the endless, wearying, drinking tales that have become so commonplace in today’s 12 Step programs. You will remember them because they speak of the power and love of God. You will remember that the Lord cured them. And you will remember that their successes were grounded on the help they then provided to others.

 

Gloria Deo

 

 

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