Rachel Evans
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and other 12-step programs have been influenced by and compared to various religious and spiritual traditions, including Catholicism. AA's 12 steps of recovery have been likened to Jesus Christ's redemption of mankind, and the program's emphasis on personal conversion and spiritual experience has led some to view it as compatible with or influenced by Catholic theology. However, the program's concept of a higher power has also been criticized for being ambiguous and open to interpretation, potentially conflicting with traditional Catholic doctrine. Adaptations of the 12-step program, such as Catholic in Recovery, aim to integrate the steps with Catholic teachings and provide a Catholic perspective on recovery.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Based on a belief in the necessity of personal conversion | |
| A transforming spiritual experience is sought | |
| Emphasizes confession | |
| Restitution | |
| Focuses on recovery from alcoholism | |
| Incorporates a sacramental perspective | |
| Addresses the weaknesses of the soul | |
| Aims to grow in sanctity by striving for perfection and holiness | |
| The "higher power" is God |
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What You'll Learn
The Oxford Group
The group's philosophy was focused on six principles of self-improvement: performing self-inventory, admitting wrongs, making amends, using prayer and meditation, and carrying the message to others. These principles were eventually expanded and transformed into the 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). Bill W., a co-founder of AA, was heavily influenced by the Oxford Group and its tenets. He wrote the AA book, which was published in 1939, and outlined the steps needed for recovering alcoholics. The 12 Steps became the focus of AA and have since formed the basis of many treatment programs for addiction.
To address these limitations, Scott Weeman, who overcame addiction through the 12-step program and his Catholic faith, developed a Catholic version of the 12-step program called "Catholic in Recovery." This program incorporates a sacramental perspective into the steps and offers Catholics in recovery a safe space to work through the 12 steps from a Catholic viewpoint. Similarly, "The Hook and I: A Catholic 12-Step Program" by David Cannane also takes a traditional Catholic approach to the 12 steps, emphasizing the fight against sinful addiction and the pursuit of holiness.
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The role of 'God' in 12-step programs
The 12-step program, Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), was founded on the belief in the necessity of personal conversion and a transforming spiritual experience. The program owes its origins to the twentieth-century Evangelical movement known as the Oxford Group. While AA is fundamentally theistic, it is tolerant of non-believers. The program's emphasis on an unnamed "higher power" has been criticised for leaving the door open to New Age interpretations.
The role of God in the 12-step programs has been a topic of discussion and debate. Some people have found that the 12-step program complements their Catholic faith, while others have criticised the program for not aligning with Catholic teachings. Robert Aufill, in his work "The Catholic Contribution to the 12-Step Movement", explains how Catholicism influenced the 12-Step Program of Alcoholics Anonymous. He highlights that Wilson, the founder of AA, had a deep attraction to the Catholic faith and corresponded with Bishop Fulton Sheen.
A Jesuit priest, Fr. Edward Dowling, also played a significant role in the early days of AA. He saw parallels between the 12 steps of AA and Ignatian spirituality, specifically the admonition to pray as if everything depends on God and to work as if everything depends on oneself. At AA's twentieth anniversary celebration, Fr. Dowling spoke about the similarities between the steps of recovery and Jesus Christ's redemption of mankind. Through his friendship with Fr. Dowling, Wilson developed a love for the Catholic Church but never converted due to some doctrinal differences.
Scott Weeman, a Catholic who overcame addiction through the 12-step program, developed "Catholic in Recovery", a Catholic version of the 12-step program. Weeman's book, "The Twelve Steps and the Sacraments", shows that the principles of the Twelve-Step movement harmonize with Catholic anthropology. He shares his journey of finding a personal relationship with God and how returning to the Catholic Church brought him healing.
The 12 steps of the program have been examined in relation to Catholic teachings. For example, Step 1, admitting powerlessness over addiction, can be aligned with the Catholic concept of grace and God's will. Steps 4-7, which involve a moral inventory and admitting wrongs, align with the Sacrament of Penance and Confession in the Catholic faith. Step 11, seeking conscious contact with God through prayer and meditation, is similar to Catholic practices such as the Night Prayer of the Office of Readings and Adoration.
In conclusion, while the 12-step program has its roots in the Oxford Group movement and may not align perfectly with all aspects of Catholic doctrine, many Catholics have found that it complements their faith. The program's emphasis on a "higher power" and spiritual transformation has been interpreted through a Catholic lens, and resources like "Catholic in Recovery" have been developed to guide Catholics through the 12 steps from a Catholic perspective.
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Catholic influence on AA
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and its 12-step program are modelled on the twentieth-century Evangelical movement known as the Oxford Group, which was founded on the belief in the necessity of personal conversion, a transformative spiritual experience, confession, and restitution. While AA co-founders Bill Wilson and Dr. Bob Smith were influenced by this movement, they were also deeply influenced by Catholic theology.
Wilson had a deep attraction to the Catholic faith and corresponded with Bishop Fulton Sheen. In the early days of AA, a Jesuit priest named Fr. Edward Dowling became friends with Wilson after reading the AA publication ("the Big Book"). Dowling saw a similarity between the 12 steps of AA and Ignatian spirituality, and at AA's twentieth-anniversary celebration, he spoke about the parallels between the steps of recovery and Jesus Christ's redemption of mankind. Through his friendship with Dowling, Wilson came to love the Catholic Church, but he never converted because some doctrines, especially infallibility and the sacraments, did not align with his experience of God.
The 12 steps of AA involve a personal conversion and a spiritual experience. The first step is to admit powerlessness over alcohol, which can be difficult for Catholics as it means admitting that one cannot simply will oneself to abstinence. However, as a Catholic, one can realise that it is God's will that sets the order of life, which is the beginning of understanding the concept of grace. The second step involves believing that a "Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity," which can be interpreted as God. These steps correspond with Catholic teachings on grace and the power of God.
The eleventh step of the 12-step program involves "improving our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out." This can be done through prayer and meditation, which are important practices in Catholicism. The twelfth step involves having a spiritual awakening and carrying the message of recovery to other alcoholics, which aligns with the Catholic concept of evangelization and helping others.
While the 12-step program has been criticised for its emphasis on an unnamed "higher power," which can be interpreted in a New Age or universalist way, some Catholics have developed Catholic versions of the program. Scott Weeman, for example, created "Catholic in Recovery," which incorporates a sacramental perspective into the steps. Weeman's book, "The Twelve Steps and the Sacraments," shows that the principles of the Twelve-Step movement harmonise with Catholic anthropology and that the sacraments and Twelve-Step programs are complementary. Another Catholic-based 12-step program is "The Hook and I," which uses traditional Catholic spirituality to address the weaknesses of the soul and overcome addiction.
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'The Hook'
The Hook and I: A Catholic 12-Step Program is a book by David Cannane that describes a 12-step recovery program using traditional Catholic spirituality. The book covers the fight against a "hook", which is described as any sinful addiction, and the steps necessary to strengthen the soul to gain mastery over it. The program is designed to help individuals overcome their addiction, grow in sanctity by striving for perfection and holiness, and give glory to God for the graces He bestows on souls struggling against addictions.
The 12-step program has its origins in the twentieth-century Evangelical movement known as the Oxford Group, which flourished in the 1920s and 1930s. The Oxford Group was founded on the belief in the necessity of personal conversion, a transforming spiritual experience, confession, and restitution. Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and other 12-step self-help programs are modeled on this movement.
While AA is fundamentally theistic, it has been criticized for its ambiguous concept of a "higher power", which has been interpreted in various ways, including by New Agers who see it as an "invent-a-god" concept. This has led to concerns that 12-step programs are becoming New Age religions.
Scott Weeman, who overcame addiction through the 12-step program and his Catholic faith, developed Catholic in Recovery, a Catholic version of the 12-step program. Weeman's book, The Twelve Steps and the Sacraments, shows that the principles of the Twelve-Step movement harmonize with Catholic anthropology and that the sacraments and Twelve-Step programs are complementary.
The Hook and I: A Catholic 12-Step Program aims to restore the 12-step recovery concept to its original Catholic roots, providing a traditional Catholic approach to addressing addictions and strengthening the soul.
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Catholic in Recovery
The 12-step program, Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), owes its origins to a twentieth-century Evangelical movement known as the Oxford Group. The Oxford Group was founded on the belief in the necessity of personal conversion, a transforming spiritual experience, confession, and restitution. While AA is fundamentally theistic, it is tolerant of non-believers.
The program has been criticized for its emphasis on an unnamed "higher power", which has been interpreted as an "invent-a-god" concept. This has led to concerns about the infiltration of New Age ideologies and the potential for the program to become a New Age religion.
In response to these concerns, Scott Weeman, who overcame addiction through the 12-step program and his Catholic faith, developed Catholic in Recovery. This program incorporates a sacramental perspective into the 12 steps, providing a safe space for Catholics to work through the program from a Catholic viewpoint.
Weeman's book, "The Twelve Steps and the Sacraments", shares his personal journey and provides a guide for Catholics seeking to bridge the gap between the Higher Power of the 12-step program and the God of the Catholic faith. The book highlights how the principles of the Twelve-Step movement align with Catholic anthropology, emphasizing the realization that only God can grant freedom from addiction.
"The Hook and I: A Catholic 12-Step Program" by David Cannane is another resource that integrates traditional Catholic spirituality with the 12-step recovery concept. It addresses the weaknesses of the soul and provides a method to overcome addiction, grow in sanctity, and give glory to God.
These Catholic-oriented 12-step programs and literature aim to help Catholics in recovery by combining the benefits of the 12-step approach with the spiritual guidance and doctrines of the Catholic faith.
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Frequently asked questions
The 12-step program is a self-help program for people recovering from addiction, modelled on Alcoholics Anonymous (AA).
The 12-step program owes its origins to a twentieth-century Evangelical movement known as the Oxford Group. The Oxford Group was founded on a belief in the necessity of personal conversion, a transforming spiritual experience, confession, and restitution.
Scott Weeman, who overcame addiction through the 12-step program and his Catholic faith, developed a Catholic version of the 12-step program called Catholic in Recovery. The program incorporates a sacramental perspective into the steps and offers Catholics a safe place to work through the 12 steps from a Catholic viewpoint.
The 12-step program has been criticised for its emphasis on an unnamed "higher power", which has been interpreted as a New Age "invent-a-god" concept. There have also been reports of Catholic bashing at meetings, leading some Catholic AA attendees to quit their groups.
The 12 steps of the program have been compared to the teachings of Ignatian spirituality, with parallels drawn between the steps of recovery and Jesus Christ's redemption of mankind. The program's emphasis on personal conversion and spiritual experience also aligns with Catholic theology.
