Sam Shoemaker

Samuel Moor Shoemaker III
The Rev.
Born	1893 Baltimore, Maryland
Died	1963 Baltimore County, Maryland
Venerated in	Anglican Communion
Feast	31 January

Samuel Moor Shoemaker III DD, STD (December 27, 1893 – October 31, 1963) was a priest of the Episcopal Church. Considered one of the best preachers of his era, whose sermons were syndicated for distribution by tape and radio networks for decades, Shoemaker served as the rector of Calvary Episcopal Church in New York City, the United States headquarters of the Oxford Group during the 1930s, and later at Calvary Episcopal Church in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Sam Shoemaker's interdenominational focus and the Oxford Group were significant influences for the founders of Alcoholics Anonymous. Bill Wilson attended Oxford Group meetings at Calvary Church, and Sam Shoemaker also helped start an Oxford Group chapter in Akron, Ohio, where Dr. Bob Smith became involved.

Shoemaker's contributions and service to Alcoholics Anonymous had a worldwide effect. The philosophy that Shoemaker codified, in conjunction with Bill Wilson, is used in almost every country around the world to treat alcoholism. Similar programs are used to help relatives of alcoholics, as well as people suffering with other addictions such as to narcotics.

Serious disagreements with Oxford Group founder Frank Buchman led Shoemaker to separate from Buchman in 1941. Sam Shoemaker and his followers later formed "Faith At Work" as a continuation of his interdenominational conference and publication projects.

Shoemaker was born in a rented house on Read Street in Baltimore, Maryland on December 27, 1893 to Samuel Moor Shoemaker, Jr. (later chairman of the Board of Regents of the University of Maryland) and Nellie Whitridge (later president of the Women's Auxiliary of the Episcopal Diocese of Maryland), who had met at Emmanuel Church in Baltimore, where his uncle was rector.

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