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BOOKS
Soul Surgery now available in paperback! This manual on personal evangelism is the earliest Oxford Group text and offers much insight into the 12th step practice of working with others. Buy a copy here or read it free as a download below.
DOWNLOADS (link)
Oxford Group books:
Soul Surgery by Howard Walter (pdf)
This book informed the practices of the Oxford Group. A concise manual for personal evangelism.
What is the Oxford Group?, by A Layman with a Notebook (pdf)
A good introduction to the Four Absolutes, Quiet Time, and other Oxford Group practices
I Was a Pagan, by V.C. Kitchen (pdf)
Personal narrative and description of the Group by a member of the “Alcoholic Squadron”, a group of Oxford Group drunks that included Bill Wilson.
Philosophy of Courage by Philip Leon, with a foreword by Glenn F. Chesnut (pdf)
A careful, systematic explanation of the Group’s practices and beliefs by a philosopher. Includes an excellent introduction by AA Historian Glenn Chesnut. The intro alone makes a perfect introduction to the Group for alcoholics/addicts in recovery. (read forward online)
Other material:
Unpublished NA 4th Step Guides (pdf)
Two guides to the 4th Step that were in early working manuscripts of the Basic Text and It Works. These excellent guides were sadly cut from the final drafts.
Becoming Recovered 1.0 an open source recovery text (pdf) (read an excerpt)
An “open source” recovery text. Describes a program based on the Big Book of AA, but in modern, accessible language. (read terms of use)
SITE FEATURES
Manuscript Pages
Sample pages from the working manuscript of the Big Book of alcoholics anonymous
Time Line of 12 Step History
Articles describing the invention and development of the 12 Steps from the Oxford Group to the modern recovery movement. Gives historical background that supports the article “Three Views of Recovery.”
ARTICLES
Three Views of Recovery
Describes three alternate, and not always complimentary, approaches to understanding the 12 Steps. You may have heard a variety of opinions in meetings about what the step are and how they work; this article should help explain these opinions. The time line above explains the historical roots of these different views.
The Program Is a Life Jacket, by Tom Powers
A discussion of the difference between the “fellowship” and the “program,” with a lot of other solid insight into the recovered life.
Four Types of Moral Inventory
Examines the Four Absolutes, Big Book resentment inventory, the 4th Step described in the 12×12, and one of Hazelden’s guides to the 4th Step. Suggests there is a difference between “Ideal” and “Introspective” inventory writing.
God, as we understood him
Recovery narrative by the webmaster of this site, discussing his experience with “coming to believe”.
The Danger of a Great Experience, by Ebenezer MacMillian
Sermon from an Oxford Group member from South Africa.
How Bill Wilson Learned that the 12 Steps Work for Drug Addicts, Too
Excerpts and discussion of one of Bill Wilson’s talks in which he remember Dr. Tom, an alcoholic and drug addict who brought the program to North Carolina.
Keeping it Simple, by Tom P. Jr
A discussion of some of the major controversies surrounding the 12 Step program and how to keep things simple.
Gresham’s Law and Alcoholic’s Anonymous
An excellent critique of the state of modern AA from a historical, and spiritual, perspective. A must read for folks new to the history of the 12 steps. This entry provides links to several places where the article can be read online.
Spiritual Diagnosis, by Henry Drummond
Article by a forerunner of the Oxford Group. In this article, which was a source of inspiration for Soul Surgery (see above), he explains his approach to personal evangelism.
Progressive Big Book Sponsorship
Details several interviews with Big Book sponsors and their insights into the 12 Steps.
“You Shyster You!”: a brief biography of Jimmy K.
Tells the story of NA founder, Jimmy K, mostly in his own words
History of the Beginner Classes, by Wally P
Reports on an early approach to introducing newcomers to the 12 Steps in four, short meetings.
The Story of Bill Pickle, by Frank Buchman
Founder of the Oxford Group tells the story of one of his formative experiences, his relationship with a bootlegger at Penn State.
Big Book Theology: We Agnostics and William James
Discusses the similarities between the discussion of God in the chapter “We Agnostics” and the pragmatic attitude toward religion taken by philosopher William James
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