‘God As We Understood Him': Being ‘Spiritual But Not Religious' in Alcoholics Anonymous

Members of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) draw upon beliefs, practices, and experiences they deem spiritual in order to help them get and stay sober. This article traces how AA emerged from its evangelical parent to become a "spiritual rather than religious organization" by encouraging members...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Implicit religion
Main Author: Hahn, Jennifer Lois (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
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Published: Equinox [2019]
In: Implicit religion
Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains:B Alcoholics Anonymous / Idea of God / Spirituality
RelBib Classification:AD Sociology of religion; religious policy
AG Religious life; material religion
Further subjects:B Perennialism
B Spirituality
B ‘spiritual but not religious'
B Alcoholics Anonymous
B unchurched
Online Access: Volltext (Verlag)
Volltext (doi)
Description
Summary:Members of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) draw upon beliefs, practices, and experiences they deem spiritual in order to help them get and stay sober. This article traces how AA emerged from its evangelical parent to become a "spiritual rather than religious organization" by encouraging members to engage with "God as we understood Him." Interviews with thirty-four current and former AA members in the greater Los Angeles area, as well as ethnographic observation at AA meetings and related events, reveal how a significant number of modern AAs have adopted a personal "spiritual but not religious" orientation, seeking a healing truth outside of traditional religious organizations. Emerging from the Twelve Steps and sometimes in imitation of one of AA's founders, this perennialist orientation touts a loving and forgiving Higher Power and a notion of spirituality as a profound interconnection with other alcoholics, challenging scholarly assumptions about narcissism and social disengagement in contemporary spirituality.
ISSN:1743-1697
Contains:Enthalten in: Implicit religion
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1558/imre.37778