Alcoholics Anonymous and the Rise of Spiritual Relativism

Alcoholics Anonymous and the Rise of Spiritual Relativism

Today, nearly every behavioral struggle—from gambling and overeating to compulsive shopping and substance abuse—has been reclassified as a “disease” and matched with a corresponding 12-step program. The prototype for all of these is Alcoholics Anonymous (A.A.), established in the 1930s.  Alcoholics Anonomous, in my experience,  is often perceived as morally sound, spiritually helpful, and even Christian-friendly. After all, doesn’t it talk about God and spirituality?

But a closer look reveals troubling theological roots that should concern any Bible-believing Christian.

A Common Misconception: Were the Founders Christians?

Many assume Alcoholics Anonymous’s founders, Bill Wilson and Dr. Bob Smith, were Christians who founded the program on biblical principles. But that’s a misunderstanding. While both men were religious, neither professed saving faith in Jesus Christ, nor did they promote Christian doctrine. I discovered both were heavily influenced by Emmet Fox, a leader in the Divine Science movement—part of the broader New Thought/New Age belief system.

Divine Science teaches that God is not a personal being, but a spiritual force that permeates everything. This is pantheism—the belief that God is identical with the universe itself. As such, sin is not rebellion against a holy God, but simply wrong thinking. According to Fox and Divine Science, humanity is already divine—we just need to become aware of it.

Key Errors in Fox’s Theology:

• God is impersonal and omnipresent in all things (pantheism)
• Sin is not moral rebellion but incorrect thinking
• Jesus did not come to die for sin but to enlighten minds
• There is no real heaven or hell—only mental states
• All religions contain truth, and salvation is about self-realization

It is obvious to me these teachings are directly opposed to Scripture, which clearly presents sin as lawlessness (1 John 3:4), Jesus as the divine Savior (John 1:1, 14), and salvation as found in Him alone (John 14:6).

A.A.’s Early Literature: Emmet Fox’s Influence

Before the publication of Alcoholics Anonymous (1939), A.A. promoted Fox’s book The Sermon on the Mount. In it, Fox wrote:

“The plain fact is that Jesus taught no theology… All the doctrines and theologies of the churches are human inventions… There is absolutely no system of theology or doctrine to be found in the Bible.”

Fox rejected the doctrine of original sin, the atoning death of Christ, and the biblical gospel. According to him, Jesus didn’t come to redeem sinners but to remind people of their innate divinity. He even called the story of Adam and Eve a mere parable and promoted reincarnation as essential for spiritual growth.

Obviously, this is not Christianity—its spiritual deception masked as enlightenment.

Carl Jung, William James, and A.A.’s Psychological Foundations

Another pillar in the founding of Alcoholics Anonymous was Carl Jung, the psychologist known for integrating mysticism and occultism into his psychoanalytic theories. Jung told a patient suffering from alcoholism that only a religious experience could cure him. That idea reached Bill Wilson, who claimed he found sobriety through such an experience after reading William James’s The Varieties of Religious Experience—a book analyzing mystical experiences from various faiths.

Wilson would later write to Jung with great appreciation, thanking him, James, Dr. Silkworth, and Oxford Group leader Sam Shoemaker for influencing the formation of A.A. Pass It On, the authorized biography of Bill Wilson, I read detailed accounts of séances he and Dr. Bob attended. According to Wilson they used Ouija boards and claimed to receive messages from deceased friends, spiritual beings, and even historical figures like Aristotle.

This isn’t spiritual experimentation, it’s spiritual rebellion. God’s Word speaks clearly:

“Do not turn to mediums or spiritists… I am the LORD your God” (Leviticus 19:31).
“There shall not be found among you anyone… who practices witchcraft… a medium or spiritist, or one who calls up the dead…” (Deut. 18:10–12).

These aren’t gray areas.  A.A.’s spiritual foundation mixed with dangerous, forbidden practices—things God calls “detestable.”

Alcoholics Anonymous’s God: “As You Understand Him”

Perhaps the most misleading feature of A.A. is its intentionally vague view of God. For example, Step Three of the Twelve Steps reads:

“Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.”

That phrase is key. A.A. invites people to invent their own god. One A.A. publication said your higher power could be a “doorknob, a tree, or the A.A. group itself.” This is nothing short of polytheism—the belief in and worship of many gods.

A.A. promotes confession, repentance, prayer, and spiritual awakening—but to whatever god you choose. That’s not biblical spirituality; it’s spiritual relativism.

Can True Christians Endorse Alcoholics Anonymous?

Sadly, many believers assume Alcoholics Anonymous is compatible with Christianity because it uses religious language. But we must ask: Compatible with what gospel? Certainly not the one Paul preached:

“For I delivered to you as of first importance… that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures…” (1 Cor. 15:3).

A.A. does not proclaim this gospel. It offers a path to sobriety through self-invented spirituality, not through repentance and faith in Christ. Step Twelve even says:

“Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps…”

But awakening to what? Not to Christ. Not to God’s holiness. Not to man’s sin. Not to the cross. A person can follow all twelve steps, have a “spiritual experience,” and never encounter the gospel or the Savior.

Biblical Contrasts: Paul in Athens

In Acts 17, Paul visits Athens, where the people worshiped many gods. They even had an altar “to the unknown god.” Paul did not affirm their sincerity. He told them:

“What therefore you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you…” (Acts 17:23)

He then preached the one true God who created all things and raised Jesus from the dead. That message directly contradicts A.A.’s pluralistic theology.

Paul’s question in 2 Corinthians 6:15 still rings true:

“What harmony has Christ with Belial?”

There is no harmony between Christ and the false gods of Alcoholics Anonymous.

Is There a Better Way?

Yes—there is. God has provided the true remedy for addiction, sin, and brokenness. I will tell you it is not found in 12 steps, a vague higher power, or mystical experiences. It is found in Jesus Christ alone.

“Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

And so, the solution to addiction is not behavioral management. It is a heart transformation. Sin is not a disease—it’s rebellion against God. Therefore, only the gospel can free a person from its grip.

Final Thoughts: Be Discerning

And so, should Christians attend or endorse A.A.? That’s a serious question. While we must have compassion for those struggling with addiction, we must not offer them a false spiritual solution.  While A.A. has helped many stop drinking—it cannot reconcile them to God.

Instead of adapting to Alcoholics Anonymous churches should offer biblical counseling, discipleship, and gospel-centered support groups that deal with addiction as a spiritual problem with a spiritual solution—salvation and sanctification through Christ.

“If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” – John 8:36

Biblical Counseling Resources on Addiction by Mark Shaw  https://www.theaddictionconnection.org/published-resources/

The Bible and Alcoholics Anonymous by Heath Lambert and Mark Shaw https://biblicalcounseling.com/resource-library/podcast-episodes/til-038-the-bible-and-alcoholics-anonymous-feat-mark-shaw/