A narrative timeline of the History of AA
To put a miracle
into words is impossible because miracles are by definition an unexpected event
attributed to divine intervention and unable to be adequately given earthly
description. With that in mind from the outset, I approached the impossible task
of putting into words the miracle of AA’s foundation by simply telling a story.
The story that describes the “history” of AA is one that is filled with a long series of synchronistic events. The progression of these “coincidences” slowly builds as time passes and concludes at a “peak moment” when we arrive at a point in time that is now described as the “founding moment”.
I begin the story by illustrating America’s relationship with alcohol starting with the earliest settlements in the New World. History shows that through the colonial period that relationship grew to become a major problem for our very young nation.
By the early 1800’s it became clear that something had to be done and the Temperance movement emerged as a response to the alcoholic epidemic that was sweeping the nation.
By the mid nineteenth century the most successful society in the treatment of alcoholics, The Washingtonians, came forth along with The New Thought Movement. Both of these would have a good deal of influence on Bill W. and the early AA pioneers. The Washingtonians, as Bill discovered in AA’s very early days, had made mistakes that AA took measures to avoid.
New Thought affected not only AA but two of the most influential predecessors to AA, the Emmanuel Movement and the Oxford Group.
I also wanted to illustrate how many of the main players in the story affected one another and how much they had in common through a variety of associations and relationships. Throughout the book you will find many examples of the interwoven connections that in complex ways would influence AA and its founders.
The point is this, AA has deep roots that tap into a variety of ancient religions and spiritual movements and it is clear that the history of AA starts long before the meeting between Bill Wilson and Dr. Bob Smith. I hope that as you read the story it will reveal these fascinating synchronicities that lead up to the final founding moment of Alcoholics Anonymous. My hope is that you will become engaged and interested by a story of such important magnitude.
Yours Truly,
Gary Stebbings
The story that describes the “history” of AA is one that is filled with a long series of synchronistic events. The progression of these “coincidences” slowly builds as time passes and concludes at a “peak moment” when we arrive at a point in time that is now described as the “founding moment”.
I begin the story by illustrating America’s relationship with alcohol starting with the earliest settlements in the New World. History shows that through the colonial period that relationship grew to become a major problem for our very young nation.
By the early 1800’s it became clear that something had to be done and the Temperance movement emerged as a response to the alcoholic epidemic that was sweeping the nation.
By the mid nineteenth century the most successful society in the treatment of alcoholics, The Washingtonians, came forth along with The New Thought Movement. Both of these would have a good deal of influence on Bill W. and the early AA pioneers. The Washingtonians, as Bill discovered in AA’s very early days, had made mistakes that AA took measures to avoid.
New Thought affected not only AA but two of the most influential predecessors to AA, the Emmanuel Movement and the Oxford Group.
I also wanted to illustrate how many of the main players in the story affected one another and how much they had in common through a variety of associations and relationships. Throughout the book you will find many examples of the interwoven connections that in complex ways would influence AA and its founders.
The point is this, AA has deep roots that tap into a variety of ancient religions and spiritual movements and it is clear that the history of AA starts long before the meeting between Bill Wilson and Dr. Bob Smith. I hope that as you read the story it will reveal these fascinating synchronicities that lead up to the final founding moment of Alcoholics Anonymous. My hope is that you will become engaged and interested by a story of such important magnitude.
Yours Truly,
Gary Stebbings