Why I Believe in the Oxford Group
by Jack C. Winslow
(of the Christa Seva Sangha, India)
Hodder & Stoughton, 1934, first printed July 1934,. This book is out of print. This is a difficultbook to locate.
Jack Winslow began carrying the Oxford Group message into parishes upon his return to England from India in 1934. In this volume Winslow outline eight reasons for his support of the Oxford Group. These reasons include: 1) Because it has made old things new 2) Because of its uncompromising moral challenge 3) Because it exhibits the miraculous effects of complete self-surrender 4) Because it has made divine guidance more real 5) Because it has shown me the possibilities of Christian fellowship 6) Because it has set in a new light my task as a minister of Christ 7) Because it is bringing revival within the church 8) Because it shows the true way to the solution of the world’s problems.
To support his third reason, Winslow writes:
Once again let me instance my own experience. I have for years known in theory, and taught to others, all that I have written above; but in practice I was still fighting my own battle with temptation instead of letting Christ do it. True, I used to ask for God’s help in prayer, but I still bore the brunt of the fight myself. It was I in the center of the picture – I was fighting and God helping me, instead of I acknowledging defeat and letting Christ fight the battle for me.
For defeat there was, and always must be if I rely on myself for victory. By the force of my own will, and with the help of prayer, I could keep from falling for a time; but always, sooner or later, temptation would return with a force to strong for me, and get me down again. Now I have learnt, in face of temptation, “to let go”; viz. to give up my own futile efforts and simply surrender myself with the temptation into the hands of Christ, and He wins the victory for me.
The principle Winslow mentions hasbeen echoed for many years in the rooms ofAAas “Let Go and Let God”.
Winslowauthored another book that supported the teachings and principles of the Oxford Group called When I Awake. Winslow’s books were widely read by members of the Oxford Group and were included on recommended reading lists.
The Oxford Group is where Bill W. first found sobriety prior to meeting Dr. Bob in 1935 and the eventual founding of AA. Both Dr. Bob and Bill, as well as many early AA members attended Oxford Group meetings in the early days of AA.