RT Article
T1 Does Alcoholics Anonymous Help Grow the Spiritual but not Religious Movement?
JF Implicit religion
VO 22
IS 2
SP 184
OP 193
A1 Mercadante, Linda A. 1947-
LA English
PB Equinox
YR 2019
UL https://ixtheo.de/Record/169616270X
AB Both the 12 Step movement of Alcoholics Anonymous and the spiritual-but-not-religious (SBNR) movement insist there is an important difference between spirituality and religion. Briefly, it is claimed that spirituality is personal and heart-felt, while religion consists of human-created doctrines, institutions, and outward rituals. However, the two routes to that definition differ in significant ways. For AA the dichotomy has been functional to allow a diverse membership and reduce an undercurrent of societal judgmentalism. For SBNRs, the claim has been boundary-marking, facilitating the movement away from organized religion. Nevertheless, as AA has progressed, it has become more of a portal away from religion and toward the SBNR ethos. This essay shows some of the more significant theological themes that have facilitated this movement.
K1 12 Step
K1 Spiritual-but-not-religious: Addiction recovery: Theology
K1 Community
K1 Transcendence
DO 10.1558/imre.40699