A Study of Denominations 1 Corinthians 14:33 (KJV 1900) - 33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints. The Jehovah’s Witnesses - Introduction • The Jehovah's Witnesses is a religious group which had its formal beginnings in the early twentieth century. – Several present-day denominations exist as the fruit of the "Adventist Movement" inaugurated by William Miller. – “It gave rise to numerous denominations all of which are premillennial and place great emphasis on the imminent return of Christ and the study of biblical prophecy together with “reading the signs of the times” to discern the the timing of the Parousia” – They are the Advent Christian Church, Church of God, Churches of God in Jesus Christ, Evangelical Adventists, Life and Advent Union, the Seventh-Day Adventist Church & Jehovah’s Witnesses • Through the years, this religious group has been characterized by a missionary zeal • The Jehovah's Witnesses teach several major false doctrines; hence, in their missionary work, they confuse people who have little or no Bible knowledge. The Jehovah’s Witnesses - Introduction Fast Facts—Worldwide • 240—Lands where Jehovah’s Witnesses worship • 8,579,909—Jehovah’s Witnesses • 10,079,709—Free home Bible courses conducted • 20,329,317—Attendance at the annual Memorial of Christ’s death • 119,954—Congregations Buenos Aires, Argentina—2019 “Love Never Fails”! International Convention • Dates: December 13-15, 2019 • Location: Estadio Único de La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina • Program Languages: Argentinean Sign Language, English, Spanish • Peak Attendance: 47,555 • Total Number Baptized: 563 The Jehovah’s Witnesses - History CHARLES TAZE RUSSELL. (1852 – 1916) • The history of the Jehovah's Witnesses begins with Charles Taze Russell, who was born near Pittsburg, Pennsylvania in 1852. • His parents were Scotch-Irish and he was raised a Presbyterian but at age 15 joined Charles Taze Russel a Congregational Church. • As a teenager, he came to question his religious upbringing, in particular the doctrine of eternal punishment. • At the age of eighteen (1870), he came under the influence of Adventism, which had come out of the Millerite movement. Here he was further influenced by teachings that promoted the non-existence of eternal torment, and other doctrines about the second coming of Christ and Biblical chronology. • He began a study group in Pittsburg which eventually elected him "Pastor” in 1876. • He began crystallizing his new views in writings, the most important of which was his founding in 1879 of the new publication, Zion s Watch Tower and Herald of Christ s Presence (this eventually became The Watchtower publication in 1931). The Jehovah’s Witnesses - History CHARLCHARLES TAZE RUSSELL. (1852 – 1916) • The Zion s Watch Tower Tract Society was formed in 1881 and incorporated in 1884 with Russell as president. • As Russell's theology developed over the years, he wrote a series of books called the Charles Taze Russel Millennial Dawn series, the first of which was The Plan of the Ages (1886). Six other volumes appeared (1889,1891,1897,1899, 1904, and 1917). • Russell wrote six of the seven volumes himself in which he denied eternal punishment, the Trinity, the soul of man, and advanced the notion of a millennial earth (these volumes would later be titled Studies in the Scriptures). • In the The Finished Mystery, he is acclaimed the "special angel" or "messenger of the Church of Laodicea," one whom the Lord made "ruler over all His Household," to whom "the Lord gave the 'key," "a member of the great High Priest" and "Christ’s representative in the world, the sole steward of the 'meat in due season."' His "warnings to Christendom" he affirmed as "coming direct from God.... He said that he could never have written his books himself. It all came from God, through the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit." (Introduction; pages 483 and 387.) The Jehovah’s Witnesses - History CHARLES TAZE RUSSELL. (1852 – 1916) • Russell claimed that his writings were more enlightening than the Scriptures themselves: "people cannot see the divine plan in studying the Bible by itself" and without Russell's books one "goes into darkness." The plagues of Rev. 22:18, he Charles Taze Russel says, "will be . that he will have to read Seven Volumes of Scripture Studies, and get the matter straightened out in his mind.” (Watchtower, Sept. 15, 1910; The Finished Mystery (Vol. VII); Scripture Studies, page 338) • It is somewhat of an embarrassment to modern Jehovah's Witnesses that the "Pastor" encouraged the study of these books as being of greater value than reading of the Bible alone (Watchtower, Sept. 15, 1910). • In 1908-1909, Russell moved his headquarters and printing business to Brooklyn, New York, where is found the present day Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York. • The years from 1893 until Russell's death in 1916 saw some growth in the movement, but also controversy, trials, and scandals in Russell's own life and work. The Jehovah’s Witnesses - History CHARLES TAZE RUSSELL. (1852 – 1916) • He was involved in numerous legal battles, publicly exposed as a perjurer, charged by his wife and others with immoral conduct, implicated in fraudulent business schemes. (High Court of Ontario: Russell vs. Ross, March 1913; the files of the Hamilton, Ontario Police Charles Taze Russel Court, Dec. 9, 1912 and Feb. 7, 1913; Brooklyn Daily Eagle, issues of Jan. 1, 22-25, 27-29, 1913; et al.) • All of these situations were viewed by his devoted followers as simply signs of the persecution which was to be expected from the wicked enemy, "organized religion.” • The secrets of his success included his personal magnetism, usage of Scripture in a way that those ignorant of the Bible could not readily see his error. • He offered a message that appealed to those who did not want to believe in an eternal hell and propagated his message far and wide through the printed page. The Jehovah’s Witnesses - History Joesph F. “Judge” Rutherford (1869 – 1942) • The second most important historical figure in Jehovah's Witness history is Joseph Franklin ("Judge") Rutherford. • He was a lawyer and for a time was a magistrate circuit substitute in absence of the regular Joseph F. Rutherford judge of the Eighth Judicial Circuit Court of Booneville, Missouri. • Rutherford was elected president of the Society in 1917. It was during his time that the name "Jehovah's Witnesses" was adopted at Columbus, Ohio in 1931, to differentiate between the Watchtower and those who had left the movement over the years to form other groups. • A strong effort was being made at this time to vindicate Jehovah’s "name" which is reflected in the choice of the title "Jehovah's Witnesses" (which is based on the words of Isaiah 43:10). • Rutherford wrote a number of books during his tenure, including Millions Now Living Will Never Die (1920), in which he claimed that millions of people that were alive at that time would never die. • Other doctrinal changes and developments took place during these years (refusal to salute the flag, to bear arms in war, participate in political affairs of government, etc.). Rutherford died in 1942 and was followed by Nathan H. Knorr who was president until 1977. The Jehovah’s Witnesses - History 1940s To THE PRESENT DAY • In the mid twentieth century, the two main publications of the Jehovah's Witnesses were The Watchtower and Awake! • From 1950-1960, a new translation of the Old and New Testaments, the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures, was produced and it reflected the particular doctrinal views of the Witnesses (e.g. Jn. 1:1; Col. 1: 16-17). – John 1:1 (KJV 1900) In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. – John 1:1 (NWT) In the beginning was the Word, a and the Word was with God, and the Word was a god. • This time period also saw some significant changes: 1. Numerous anonymous books published with only the authorized "stamp" of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society. 2. Modern Kingdom Halls built for worship and organizing of large conventions. 3. The training of members with a developed door-to-door ministry. 4. Silence in handling members who leave and write critical reviews. The Jehovah’s Witnesses – Watchtower Society THE SOCIETY • There are two societies that form the operation for the Jehovah's Witnesses. 1. The Watch Tower Tract and Bible Society of Pennsylvania is the parent organization that serves as the international society. 2. The Watch Tower Tract and Bible Society of New York is the United States Branch organization. THE ORGANIZATION • "From the top down the Society is composed of the chief officers, the Board of Directors, then to the Branch Servant, District Servant, Circuit Servant, Congregational Servants, Special and General Pioneers, and then the lowly Kingdom Publisher" (Maurice Barnett, Jehovah s Witnesses Volume 1, p. 5). • Under Russell and Rutherford, each congregation was independent with its own leaders. However, by 1938 the Society was making all positions appointments of the Society. • "It is now quite evident that, despite the claim of this movement to depend on the Bible alone, the real source of authority for Jehovah’s Witnesses is the interpretation of the Bible handed down by the 'anointed class' at Watchtower headquarters. To use their own language, the Witnesses insist that the Watchtower Society is ‘the instrument or channel being used by Jehovah to teach his people on earth. '" (Anthony A. Hoekema, Jehovah s Witnesses, p. 35). The Jehovah’s Witnesses – False Prophecies • In addition to teaching a number of false doctrines, the Jehovah's Witnesses are a religious group which has made numerous predictions which have not come to pass.