Tradition 3 · March 14

As a Group

Daily Traditions · March 14

How a group breaks it

The Long Form never asks a member to give up his church, his party or his job; it asks the group, as a group, to belong to nothing. The words are exact (Big Book, p. 563): "provided that, as a group, they have no other affiliation." The Big Book shows both halves on one page. The members (p. xx): "By personal religious affiliation, we include Catholics, Protestants, Jews, Hindus, and a sprinkling of Moslems and Buddhists." The fellowship, a few lines earlier: "Alcoholics Anonymous is not a religious organization. Neither does A.A. take any particular medical point of view". Every member brings his own ties through the door. The group takes on none of them. Now picture a group breaking it on its own. The church that hosts the meeting asks whether it would like to be listed as one of the church's ministries. A coalition invites the group to sign on as a member organization. A program offers to print the meeting on its alumni page. Each time the members vote yes, because the people asking are kind and the cause sounds good. And each time the group, as a group, becomes part of something else. Test it tonight: is your group listed anywhere as belonging to, partnering with or serving under anyone, and did your group ever vote on it?

Sit with

Members carry every affiliation there is; the group carries none. Has my group signed itself on to anything?

Grounded in: Long form, Tradition 3 (Big Book, p. 563); Big Book, p. xx (Foreword to Second Edition).

Tradition 3

"The only requirement for A.A. membership is a desire to stop drinking."

Read the Long Form (pp. 563–566). The short form on pp. 561–562 is the one everybody quotes — but the Long Form is where the Traditions actually say what they mean. Tradition 3's "no other affiliation" clause, for instance, exists only in the Long Form. That single clause is why no treatment centre can own an A.A. group. Most of what circulates online skips it.

And a distinction worth keeping straight: the Traditions are governance, not theology. They bind A.A. groups and the Fellowship — not individuals, and not outside businesses. They were adopted in 1950 to keep A.A. from being owned or co-opted. They are not a rulebook for your personal life.

What the Traditions actually say → The Long Form, p. 563 → Search the Big Book → Every day this month →

Ask Recovery Einstein about Tradition 3 → Get the app →

← March 13Diagnose Yourself Tradition 3All of March March 15 →Court of Last Appeal

Daily Traditions is an independent educational resource from Recovery Starts — not official A.A. literature, not affiliated with Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, and not medical advice. The Twelve Traditions are the property of A.A. Page references are to Alcoholics Anonymous (the Big Book), 4th Edition: short form 561–562, long form 563–566. If you're in crisis, call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline).