How To Become A Christian by by Samuel M. Shoemaker from 1953 - ODJ

How To Become A Christian by Samuel M. Shoemaker. This book was published in 1953 and has its original dust jacket.

In How To Become A Christian Dr. Shoemaker gives directions and some specifications for one of the greatest construction jobs there is: the building of a Christ-like life.

Here you can read the Foreword to the book:

“Some time ago Mr. John Chambers of Harper & Brothers asked me to do a book on "How to Become a Christian." The thought has lain in my mind and I have been gathering material for it.

An invitation from the Bishop of Dallas, Dr. Avery Mason, to conduct a mission in Fort Worth and Dallas in October and November, 1952, gave impetus to putting the material together in spoken form. This book is substantially the addresses which were given in the Texas mission.

I think that there are what might be called "organic" and "inorganic" books. Inorganic books may tell the truth, they may be scholarly, they may help to point the way. They are guides to the mind. But organic books are those which help to set in motion or to sustain actual religious experience. Books concerning the "how" of the Christian life are important chiefly in getting people started-launching them into a dynamic Christian life.

They speak to the will. They encourage and try to set in motion those experiments which result in a living faith.

Recently a young man of brilliant mind told me that for years he had tried to find God by reason alone. But he discovered there were reasons against believing, as well as reasons in favor of it. Then he found out that there was another way of approaching belief in God, and that was to put oneself in the way of finding Him through spiritual experiment. He had tried that experiment, and in rather a surprisingly short time he has become a profound and very persuasive believer. It was the contents of this book, given in a small informal group of younger marrieds in my new parish in Pittsburgh, which helped him set this experiment in motion. It is my hope that what I have written, and what my friends at Harper's are giving permanence in print, may help others to find the new life in God through Christ which he has found.

S. M. S.“

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Samuel Shoemaker was a prominent American Episcopal priest and a key figure in the Oxford Group movement, which later influenced the development of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and other Twelve Step programs. Born on December 27, 1893, in Baltimore, Maryland, Shoemaker was raised in a family with a strong Christian background.

Shoemaker studied at Princeton University and later attended Virginia Theological Seminary, where he was ordained as an Episcopal priest in 1917. He served in various parishes before becoming the rector of Calvary Church in New York City in 1925, where he remained for over twenty years.

In the early 1930s, Shoemaker became involved with the Oxford Group, an informal Christian fellowship founded by Frank Buchman. The Oxford Group emphasized spiritual principles such as honesty, purity, unselfishness, and love, and it sought to bring about personal transformation through spiritual practices such as self-examination, confession, and surrender to God's will.

Shoemaker's involvement with the Oxford Group profoundly influenced his ministry and preaching style. He became known for his dynamic sermons, which emphasized the need for individuals to experience a personal encounter with God and to live out their faith in practical ways.

One of Shoemaker's most significant contributions was his role in introducing the principles of the Oxford Group to Bill Wilson, co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). Shoemaker and other members of the Oxford Group had a significant influence on the early development of AA, particularly in shaping its spiritual foundations and emphasis on personal transformation. Bill W. wrote: “Dr. Sam Shoemaker was one of A.A.’s indispensables. Had it not been for his ministry to us in our early time, our Fellowship would not be in existence today.”

Throughout his life, Shoemaker remained dedicated to ministry and spiritual renewal. He authored numerous books and articles on Christian spirituality, including "Realizing Religion." He also played a key role in the founding of the Spiritual Mobilization movement in the 1940s, which sought to promote spiritual values in American society.

Samuel Shoemaker passed away on October 31, 1963, leaving behind a legacy of spiritual insight and compassionate ministry. He is remembered as a pioneer in the field of Christian spirituality and as a guiding figure in the early history of Alcoholics Anonymous.

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The book is in very good condition. The cover shows no wear. There are pen and hi-lighter markings throughout the book. The dust jacket has experienced some edge wear and stains.

Please view all of the photos for conditions.