Jehovah's Witnesses

Jehovah's Witnesses are members of an international denomination who identify themselves as Christian and number over six million. Their headquarters are in New York, USA. It is an international organization known for its extensive preaching and publishing activities, distribution of the Watchtower and Awake! religious magazines being the most prominent.

Origins

Jehovah's Witnesses believe that some time after the death of the last apostle, the Church generally departed in a "Great Apostasy" from the original faith in major points. Influenced by Restorationism, they believe their faith is a continually improving, imperfect restoration of First Century Christianity. An example in The Watchtower states: "It was the 1900-year-old 'faithful and discreet slave,' the old Christian congregation, that was entrusted with this precious Kingdom service. . . obedient in its centuries-old commission to be witnesses in the earth . . . the matured 'slave' as represented by a remnant now stood ready for new assignments of service."{{ref|w60_0715}} They teach that this new assignment of service occurred in 1919 in fulfilment of scripture. Jehovah's Witnesses feel that true understanding of the scriptures was being reassembled by Charles Taze Russell and his associates when they formed a Bible study group in the 1870's in Allegheny, Pennsylvania, and had likewise been imperfectly represented since the Great Apostasy in a number of historical Christian groups.

Related Topics:
Apostle - Church - Great Apostasy - Restorationism - The Watchtower - Matthew - 1919 - Charles Taze Russell - 1870 - Allegheny, Pennsylvania

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From their beginnings, the "Bible Students" as they were then known, focused their evangelizing work on proclaiming that the Millennial Reign of Christ would soon begin and destroy the present "system of things" (including religious organizations and governments). This is one reason they also were referred to as "Millenial Dawnists." To this day, based on their understanding of Bible chronology, the belief that Armageddon is near and that these are the "End Times" drives the sense of urgency in their preaching work.

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Born into a Presbyterian family, Russell had nearly lost his faith until it was rekindeled by contact with some Second Adventists (one of the spiritual heirs of the Millerites). Adventist ministers Jonas Wendell, George Storrs and George Stetson were early influences. In 1876 Russell met Nelson H. Barbour and subsequently adopted Barbour's understanding of biblical chronology. Russell provided financial backing for Barbour and became co-editor of Barbour's magazine Herald of the Morning. Breaking with Barbour in 1879 over the concept of substitutionary atonement, Russell soon began publishing his own magazine Zion's Watch Tower and Herald of Christ's Presence. Known as "Pastor Russell," he formed a legal entity which developed into the Watch Tower Society in 1881, and in 1884 it was incorporated with Russell as president. Over the several years, many millions of copies of Zion's Watch Tower and Herald of Christ's Presence were distributed in several languages to proclaim Christ's presence and the dawn of his Millennium. In addition, his six-volume work, Studies in the Scriptures, established the fundamental doctrines derived from their Bible study.

Related Topics:
Presbyterian - Millerites - Jonas Wendell - George Storrs - George Stetson - 1876 - Nelson H. Barbour - 1879 - Watch Tower Society - 1881 - 1884

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In 1914 Russell founded the International Bible Students Association in Great Britain, and he died in 1916. After Russell's death in 1917, the movement was divided by schisms, which eventually led those who remained under the leadership of the Watchtower Society to adopt the new name of Jehovah's Witnesses in 1931, whereas the Associated Bible Students, who rejected the changes in organization and doctrine, kept on until this day to refer to themselves as simply "Bible Students". In 1918, a Bible Student Convention was held independently of the Watchtower Society. At the second convention, a few months later, the Pastoral Bible Institute was founded and began publishing "The Herald of Christ?s Kingdom". The magazine continues to be published today.

Related Topics:
1914 - International Bible Students Association - Great Britain - 1916 - 1917 - 1931 - Associated Bible Students - 1918 - Pastoral Bible Institute

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The period following Russell's death has seen significant doctrinal changes in the organization. Some adherents of Russell's teachings chose to disassociate themselves from the Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society, believing that after the death of Russell, the purpose of the Society completely changed. Some of these groups still survive today as the Bible Students.

Related Topics:
Doctrinal changes - Bible Students

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In 1931, while Russell's successor, Joseph Franklin Rutherford (also known as "Judge Rutherford"), was president of the Watch Tower Society, those who maintained their association with the Society adopted the name "Jehovah's Witnesses." This is based on Isaiah 43:10 which reads, in part; "'You are my witnesses,' is the utterance of Jehovah..." (New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures).

Related Topics:
1931 - Joseph Franklin Rutherford - Isaiah - New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures

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Under Rutherford, Jehovah's Witnesses experienced rapid growth. Rutherford was known to be bold?some would say inflamatory?in his rhetoric. In his preaching, he coined the phrase "Religion is a snare and a racket" as he denounced heavily the Catholic Church, other denominations, modern Judaism, and national governments. Under his leadership the Society developed a talented legal staff (which is utilized to this day), and battled successfully in the US and Canadian courts to establish their rights to preach their religion and be protected under the law.

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Under the leadership of later Presidents, Jehovah's Witnesses have developed a more sophisticated organizational and leadership structure, as well as refined their beliefs.

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