The Biblical Roots Of The 12 Steps
It has often been assumed that the 12 Steps are original ideas brought to humanity through the thought and speech of Bill Wilson. The fact that Wilson attributes them to Rev. Sam Shoemaker has never stopped the membership of A.A. or other 12 Steps from “idolizing” Bill Wilson’s role in revolutionizing addiction recovery in the 20th Century.
The Sam Shoemaker Connection
The idea for the 12 Steps came to Bill Wilson early in in his religious self discovery. In 1933 Bill Wilson had hit rock bottom. His alcohol addiction had destroyed his once promising Wall Street career, leaving he and his wife lived in poverty. It was at this time that Bill Wilson began to attend Oxford Group meetings at Calvary Church. It was at Calvary Church where he met his mentor Rev. Sam Shoemaker.
Shoemaker was the rector of Calvary Church and the head of The Oxford Groups in America. Although Shoemaker’s connection to Frank Buchman has clouded his immense impact, Wilson credited him time and again on the inspiration for the 12 Steps. It was in those early years at Calvary Church that Wilson gained the spiritual strength and inspiration to write the 12 Steps. In fact Bill Wilson originally wanted Sam Shoemaker to write the steps, but Shoemaker convinced Wilson that he in fact was the most suited to write them.
Out of the Bible
Although Sam Shoemaker’s contributions to the 12 Steps like self surrender, taking a personal inventory, and righting wrongs are clearly drawn from his own writings, their sources go much farther back into the Bible itself. Many of Sam’s teachings are sourced in famous passages in the “New Testament” like the Sermon on the Mount. Yet, it is clear whether conscious or not of a connection with more Biblical ideas. Psalms are replete with affirmation of surrender and cleaving to G-D from King David. “Oh G-d, you are my G-d, I seek You. Thirsts for You does my soul, longs for you does my flesh; in a land parched and weary with no water,” David says in Psalm 63, Verse 2. Proverbs is filled with affirmations about proper character building. In fact the entire book is said to be written with this understanding in mind. The first four verses of the book state: “The proverbs of Shelomo the son of David, king of Yisra