Big Book Study Guides: Reviewing a Position Paper

[Quoted from AA Service News – Summer 2006 – No. 127. This article originally appeared in Box 459, Vol. 51, No. 6, December 2005. Copyright Alcoholics Anonymous World Services 2005.]

“Sober alcoholics are notorious for refusing to be told what to do, say, or think. The Steps are “suggested,” and experienced sponsors are wise enough not to give newcomers hard and fast directives. Yet paradoxically, a surprising number of members seek out and rely on study guides when they begin delving into AA literature. A variety of such guides are available, published by non-AA entities. While the General Service Board neither endorses nor opposes these publications, we have historically declined to produce any kind of interpretive material ourselves, choosing instead to let our literature stand on its own.

In 1977, faced with a rising number of requests from non-AA sources and some AA members to reprint portions of the Big Book and other material in study guides, the directors of AA World Services, Inc. took a hard look at the subject and appointed a committee to explore the question. Members of the committee unanimously recommended that the board not grant permission to outside entities to use excerpts from our literature in study guides, and that AA itself should not publish study guides. [Note: 'Alcoholics Anonymous' 1st edn. is out of copyright and therefore no permission is required in this instance. Other editions remain in copyright]

The resulting paper, Big Book Study Guides and Other Interpretations of the AA Program: A Position Paper, begins with thoughts of several of the directors who made up the committee. For example, one director wrote: “Part of the beauty and magic of AA is that persons from all walks of life with varied backgrounds may benefit from the Big Book, the Steps, the Traditions, the Concepts, from their own points of view. Placing guidelines on paper seems to say, ‘This is the way—the only way.’
“The thrust of our literature, our program, the Steps, the groups, and the meetings are all designed, and effectively so, to facilitate self-diagnosis and self-action within the AA environment. I see our literature, particularly the books, as being study guides. It’s all there: I almost have the feeling that the words are living, changing, growing. I know this isn’t so as they are the same and only I change and grow. But this phenomenon takes place because the words are the words; they are unlayered, uninterpreted, standing on their own. One of our slogans is ‘Keep it Simple.’ I believe our books are just simple enough to stand as they are and just complex enough to live and grow. “I understand our program to be a spiritual program. I know it has been and is for me. However, I don’t believe any amount of study with or without interpretive guides could have given me this. The words were part of it, but the interaction with other AAs at meetings and in face to face discussion is what really got me into action. Knowing what I should do has been less of a problem than having the faith to undertake the first quivering right actions. Exposure to living testament, not written words, provides the spark of faith that results finally in determined action. I would be sorely troubled to think that we believed that this would be better packaged than it already is. I think it would be very unwise to tamper with a delicate balance that seems to be working as they say, ‘just fine,’ for alcoholics who want it.”

Another director felt this way: “My knowledge of recovery has been received in the Fellowship through the experience of one drunk sharing with another drunk and it was not received on an instructive basis or in a classroom atmosphere. I believe that we in AA communicate with each other in a language of the heart, and this type of communication would be extremely difficult with the use of study guides.…
“Finally, Tradition Two tells me we have but one ultimate authority—a loving God as he expresses himself in our group conscience. It seems to me if we allow interpretations of the Big Book through study guides, we will also undermine our ultimate authority.”

The final policy statement reads as follows: “The AA World Services Board of Directors feels strongly that permission should not be granted to outside publishers or other parties to reprint AA literature for the purpose of study guides or interpretive or explanatory texts, etc. If such interpretive or study guides are to be prepared, they should be published by AA World Services, Inc.
“The Board recognizes, however, that AA is a program of self-diagnosis, self-motivation and self-action—and that the use of study guides, courses, classes or interpretations is therefore not generally appropriate. The program is spiritual rather than academic. There are no authorities in AA and even a self-appointed ‘teacher’ has feet of clay. Hence, it is preferable that the individual member or prospect interpret the literature according to his/her own point of view. For these reasons, the Board does not plan to publish study guides or interpretations of AA literature at this time.”

Of course, while Alcoholics Anonymous has declined to participate in the production of interpretive material, it does not oppose their publication or their use by AA members. Many members get in touch with the General Service Office, asking whether they can use study guides. A letter written in 1985 by Bob P., then general manager of GSO, is typical of the replies to such inquiries: “I don’t see that the use of this material by your group would be contrary to either the letter or the spirit of the Twelve Traditions.… And if [your group] wish to use mimeographed guides or forms to help the study of the book, neither the Board nor this office either endorse or oppose such materials.” Bob went on to explain the position of the AAWS Board, and enclosed the 1977 position paper as background.”

(our emphases)

Comment: It should be clear from the above that the use of such guides is to be considered inappropriate within the context of Alcoholics Anonymous and so we would argue (despite the personal (and incorrect) opinion (qualified) to the contrary expressed by the then General Manager of GSO New York). In our view their employment is - or can potentially be - in breach of Traditions 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 12 variously (and dependent on their composition). Outside the context of AA it is of course entirely permissible for individuals to utilise whatever information they wish - and in whatever form it may be presented - in order to support their own recovery. However such activities should not be conducted under the auspices of the Fellowship and study guides should certainly not be utilised within AA meetings. Additionally this same principle may be applied to the present outbreak of circuit speakers, each one “marketing” their own “brand” to all and sundry whilst playing upon the latter's susceptibility to their “snake oil salesman” patter, and with the punter even paying a premium for the privilege! Remember: “There are no authorities in AA and even a self-appointed ‘teacher’ has feet of clay”. These individuals provide nothing that cannot be garnered by attending AA meetings (free of charge!) and reflecting on what is communicated there (both spoken and written ie. conference approved literature) and thereafter acting upon it – or not - as they see fit. Moreover it is well known that the cult have produced their own literature (a hybrid based loosely on conference approved literature but intermingled with their own dogma) and these documents are promoted extensively within their groups. The above caveats applied to study guides most certainly operate when it comes to this type of literature as well.

Finally: 'You pays your money and you gets.... ripped off ….usually!'

Cheerio

The Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)

(our thanks to the AA member who drew our attention to the above article)