PTC Twelve Steps to Religionless Spirituality Book Report

Read “Twelve steps to religionless spirituality: The power of spirituality with or without God” by Ward. B. Ewing. Then answer the following questions. Your answers should be in complete sentences and in paragraph form, and numbered. You do not have to use APA formatting except for citations.

1. What do you think the author means by “religionless spirituality”? Do you think this is possible?

2. What is the connection between the “twelve steps to religionless spirituality” and “The Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous”?

3. Describe a favorite passage, phrase, or paragraph from the book. Why did it resonate with you?

4. Ewing provided many stories as illustrations for what he was trying to convey. What was a favorite illustration? Why?

5. According to Ewing, why is AA successful? What organizational structures contribute to its longevity and success?

6. Ewing states, “we must always be humble, even tentative, when discussing spiritual experience” (p.49). What does he mean by this? Do you agree or disagree? Why?

7. Ewing states, “Development of a healthy spirituality depends on seeking and accepting truth about oneself” (p. 62). What does this mean? How do we accomplish this?

8. On page 74, the following question is asked: “How are (AA) meetings able to do what personal efforts, strong will, psychologists, and righteious/religious persons are unable to do?” What is your answer?

9. “No one ever experiences the same thing twice” (p. 90). What does this mean? How does the phrase relate to spirituality?

10. According to Ewing, how do we communicate hope?

11. In Ewing’s book, what is the main advice given to family and friends of alcoholics?

12. On page 145, Ewing states that “AA is a spiritual program; it is not religious. But there is a danger to this tolerance if religion sneaks in.” What does he mean? Do you agree or disagree?

13. Summarize the most important thing you learned from reading this book.