Bill W's original Grapevine article introducing Tradition Two:

                   Tradition Two

                  Sooner or later, every AA comes to depend upon a Power greater 

                  than himself. He finds that the God of his understanding is 

                  not only a source of strength, but also a source of positive 

                  direction. Realizing that some fraction of that infinite 

                  resource is now available, his life takes on and entirely 

                  different complexion. He experiences a new inner security 

                  together with such a sense of destiny and purpose as he has 

                  never known before. As each day passes, our AA reviews his 

                  mistakes and vicissitudes. He learns from daily experience 

                  what his remaining character defects are and becomes ever more 

                  willing that they be removed. In this fashion he improves his 

                  conscious contact with God.

                  Every AA group follows this same cycle of development. We are 

                  coming to realize that each group, as well as each individual, 

                  is a special entity, not quite like any other. Though AA 

                  groups are basically the same, each group does have its own 

                  special atmosphere, its own peculiar state of development. We 

                  believe that every AA group has a conscience. It is the 

                  collective conscience of its own membership. Daily experience 

                  informs and instructs his conscience. The group begins to 

                  recognize its own defects of character and, one by one, these 

                  are removed or lessened. As this process continues, the group 

                  becomes better able to receive right direction fro its own 

                  affairs. Trial and error produces group experience and out of 

                  corrected experience comes custom. When a customary way of 

                  doing things is definitely proved to be best, then that custom 

                  forms into AA Tradition. The Greater Power is then working 

                  through a clear group conscience.

                  We humbly hope and believe that our growing AA Tradition will 

                  prove to be the will of God for us.

                  Many people are coming to think that Alcoholics Anonymous is, 

                  to some extent, a new form of human society. In our discussion 

                  of the First Tradition, it was emphasized that we have, in AA, 

                  no coercive human authority. Because each AA, of necessity, 

                  has a sensitive and responsive conscience, and because alcohol 

                  will discipline him severely if he back slides, we are finding 

                  we have little need for manmade rules or regulations. Despite 

                  the fact that we do veer off at times on tangents, we are 

                  becoming more able to depend absolutely on the long-term 

                  stability of the AA group itself. With respect to its own 

                  affairs, the collective conscience of the group will, given 

                  time, almost surely demonstrate its perfect dependability. The 

                  group conscience will, in the end, prove a far more infallible 

                  guide for group affairs than the decision of any individual 

                  member, however good or wise he may be. This is a striking and 

                  almost unbelievable fact about Alcoholics Anonymous. Hence we 

                  can safely dispense with those exhortations and punishments 

                  seemingly so necessary to other societies. And we need not 

                  depend overmuch on inspired leaders. Because our active 

                  leadership of service can be truly rotating, we enjoy a kind 

                  of democracy rarely possible elsewhere. In this respect, we 

                  may be, to a large degree, unique.

                  Therefore we of Alcoholics Anonymous are certain that there is 

                  but one ultimate authority, "a loving God as he may express 

                  himself in our group conscience."

                  Copyright © The A.A. Grapevine, Inc., January 1948

 

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