The Jehovah’s Witnesses (JW) are a self-identified Christian organization. Charles Taze Russell founded the group in the late 1800s. His beliefs were centered on the Bible. Primarily, he used “The New World Translation” version and its canon of scripture to create this organization. The group boasts about 8.7 million members internationally spread out over nearly 118,000 congregations. The headquarters of the movement are in the United States in Warwick, New York. Likewise, Jehovah’s Witnesses are led by the Governing Body.  

Undeniably they call themselves Christian. Many religious groups debate if Jehovah’s Witnesses fit the definition of “Christian”. Arguably, many of their beliefs depart from most other Christian communities. They accept the King James Version of the Bible to be an authoritative and authentic expression of God’s revelation. They consider the words of the Bible to be central to a Jehovah’s Witness’ life. Hence, they uniquely interpret the Bible resulting in the controversial belief that Jesus is not God. Rather he is the Son of God. Understood in this way, Jesus is the preeminent creature of God but still a mere creature.

Most other Christians say that the defining characteristic of a Christian is to believe that Jesus is God. They still consider themselves to be Christians since God gave Christ to us. Christ will be the king of the new kingdom on earth. According to the JW, Christ is the founder of Christianity to whom we owe allegiance and obedience. 

Doctrine of Jehovah’s Witnesses

Indeed, from their unique lens of interpretations, JW have come to a likewise unique body of doctrine. It is quite different from most Christian denominations or communities.

These include:

• God is the almighty creator whose proper name is “Jehovah” and whom JW worship.
• Jesus Christ is not God but the Son of God the “first-born of creation”.
• The Holy Spirit is an impersonal force or active power emanating from Jehovah. This theological distinction underscores their belief that the Holy Spirit lacks personhood and is not a separate divine entity.
• The Bible is the central and highest authority as God’s message to humanity as the expression of God’s will.
  • The Bible for JW consists of 66 texts (39 of the Old Testament and 27 of the New Testament) as found in the King James Version.
• The kingdom of God is imminent and will replace all of the governments of the world with the heavenly kingdom of God. It had already begun its conquest in 1914.
• Heaven will consist of God, Jesus, the holy angels, and the 144,000 of the resurrected holy people from Earth (as read from the Book of Revelation). 
• The rest of God’s just and righteous people will have everlasting life. After the earth is renewed by God’s kingdom with a final battle, eternal life will exist in an everlasting paradise after the end of the world.
• For those who do not follow God’s ways, they simply cease to be in the final death after a general resurrection and judgment.
• Worship consists specifically of praying to God, “marinating” in the bible (reading, study, and meditation upon), community gathering, singing, preaching, and outreach to the less fortunate. 
• “Kingdom Halls” are the buildings used for gathering and worship. The word “church” is expressly reserved to the people. 
• JW are organized by the Governing Body which oversees the use of assets and movements of the entire organization. They direct local communities called congregations through elders. They do not hold to any form of ordination or clergy structures.
• The Bible includes precepts and guidelines for every aspect of life for societies, communities, and individuals. The main characteristics are love, good works, and political neutrality. 

The Origins of the Jehovah’s Witnesses

Jehovah’s Witnesses understand Jesus to be the founder of Christianity. Charles Taze Russell is the founder of the JW organization. They consider this to be the authentic expression of Christianity. Russell (February 16, 1852 – October 31, 1916) was born in Philadelphia, PA. He moved to Pittsburgh with his family where they were a part of the Presbyterian Church. Russell found the mainline Christian belief that hell is an eternal punishment to be theologically repugnant. He began to investigate other faiths. In his late teenage years a charismatic leader, an Adventist preacher, Jonas Wendell, influenced Charles’ investigation. Effectively, this preacher convinced him that the answer for the correct belief about the afterlife lay inerrant in the Bible as it is God’s authentic message to humankind. 

The Timeline from Russell to Present Day

In 1870 Russell established a Bible Students group that would become the International Bible Students Association. With his efforts of publishing The Watchtower, a journal through which the fruits of the group’s analysis of the bible could be made public, Russell began drawing people to his way of thinking. This interpretation of the Bible and Christianity grew this foundational Adventist movement. Russell founded the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society in 1879. Throughout the first few decades of the twentieth century, Russell’s seemingly failed prediction of the second coming of the kingdom in 1914 caused several schisms. Each one explains the event differently. The Jehovah’s Witnesses Watchtower Society is the branch that upheld the 1914 date which continues through to today.

Following Russell’s death in 1916, the leadership transformed.  Joseph Franklin Rutherford became the president of the Watch Tower Society. This was the beginning of a significant evolution. Joseph Rutherford is responsible for what is now recognized as the Jehovah’s Witnesses. Under the leadership of Joseph F. Rutherford, the movement underwent doctrinal changes and organizational reforms that continue to shape the group to this day. Rutherford’s influence was instrumental in defining the distinctive beliefs and practices that distinguish Jehovah’s Witnesses from mainstream Christianity.

The Name, “Jehovah’s Witnesses”

Generally, the JW call themselves such as a result of their attempt at reading the Bible in its original Hebrew (Old Testament) and Greek (New Testament). Part of Russell’s analysis of the Bible was to read it in its original languages. In the Old Testament book of Exodus (chapter 3), God reveals to Moses that His proper name is “I Am who am” in the story of Jehovah at the burning bush. This name in Hebrew is represented by the letters yod he(y) vav he(y). Russell surmised that the name of God was Jehovah. Throughout scripture, it is a theme, particularly that the disciples of Christ are to be witnesses. They are to be people who proclaim and profess what they know to be true. 

The Source of Unity for Jehovah’s Witnesses

Jehovah’s Witnesses are united in a common body of doctrine from a unique interpretation of the Word of God. First, by sticking specifically to the words of the Bible, they believe they side-stepped the issues of other Christian Creeds. They presume to understand that other groups have lost sight of authentic Christianity. According to this belief, Jehovah’s Witnesses maintain that others are buried under invented dogma such as the idea of the Trinity. 

The Bible is clear. Christians should gather and work together to worship God and love their neighbor. The word “church” is strictly reserved for people as members of God’s kingdom. JW gather in local congregations under elders organized under the leadership of the Governing Body in New York to hear biblical teaching. Other Christian denominations call this Sunday worship or bible studies. Additionally, on the JW.org website, the members of the Governing Body are Kenneth Cook, Jr., Gage Fleegle, Samuel Herd, Geoffrey Jackson, Stephen Lett, Gerrit Lösch, Mark Sanderson, David Splane, and Jeffrey Winder… in Warwick, New York, U.S.A.

The role of the Governing Body is to manage the assets and operations of the JW as a whole. This specific religious movement secures funding from anonymous donors. They do not ask congregations to tithe as is more common in other Christian denominations. There are no clergy or ordained ministerial hierarchies. There are those found to be more mature in their Christianity. They are some of the chosen to be elders in the communities accordingly.

Common JW Practices and Observances

As mentioned, Jehovah’s Witnesses have many beliefs and practices that distinguish them from other self-identified Christian communities. They have observances and practices that fall into the same categories as Christian communities. Likewise, this is due to their source in many of the common texts of scripture. 

JW congregations gather in meeting places called Kingdom Halls for religious services. They meet once a week on weekends where worship consists of an opening and closing prayer and song. After the opening, they proceed to read from the Bible. An elder explains the reading, and members have an opportunity to ask questions and receive answers. These worship meetings are open to the general public and welcome anyone to attend.

3 Step Process

To become a witness there are three steps: Learn from the bible, put biblical knowledge into practice, and become baptized. Baptism is not a sacrament in which the converted receive grace for their immortal soul. Baptism is more of a symbolic ritual. Furthermore, it models that baptized members have been converted before baptism. Correspondingly, his act is in line with the teachings of God found in the Bible. It symbolizes death to the old life and coming alive with a new life. In this new life, the believer follows God’s will. This ritual marks the beginning of an intimate relationship with God.

The only public meetings or celebrations allowed apart from weekly worship are baptisms, weddings, funerals, and the annual memorial of the death of Christ. Each occasion is accompanied by a 30-minute biblical talk preceding or following a simple ritual. So, unlike most Christians, JW do not celebrate Easter, Christmas, or any other typically Christian holy days.

The scripture frequently referenced for not celebrating many other occasions is from Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians (6:17). He is discussing the disparity of worldviews between the followers of Christ and the observers of Belial. Altogether, Jehovah’s Witnesses interpret this as a stand-in for anything non-Christian or non-biblical originally. Paul writes, echoing Isaiah 52:11, “Touch nothing unclean.” This includes any celebration not expressly permitted by the bible such as birthday celebrations, national holidays, and overly large/ public family celebrations. Wedding anniversaries are up to the couple’s consciences. 

Door-to-Door Preaching, Politics, and Healthcare

One practice that they are well-known for is their small group door-to-door preaching and evangelization. Surely, taking seriously the “Great Commission” at the end of the Gospel of Matthew. JW see Jesus’ command to “Go…make disciples of all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit teaching them all that I have commanded,” as the mission statement of Christianity. Chiefly, their mission as JW is to bring the message of Christ to everyone. Furthermore, they are more than willing to make home visits or stand in public places with literature to give away. 

Undoubtedly, other distinctive beliefs of Jehovah’s Witnesses must abstain from blood transfusions, politics, and military service for religious reasons. The traditional biblical belief of the JW is that the life of a living thing is found in its blood. Several teachings of the Jehovah state that blood transfusions are a theologically unclean practice. It is repugnant to the will of God. It is to be avoided. There is to be no ingesting of any blood foreign to one’s body. There are to be no organ transplants as they contain blood and human flesh. Finally, many instances in scripture denounce the mingling of blood. The conclusion is abstinence.

Political activity is believed to oppose the kingdom God is making present on earth. Consequently, it is prohibited.  Regarding world wars, JW see warfare as opposed to the message of the Bible. Jesus told Peter to sheath his sword and taught, “Those who live by the sword shall die by the sword.” JW interpret this as a comprehensive prohibition of war. 

Critiques and Controversies

Criticisms from Mainstream Christian Denominations

Occasionally, Jehovah’s Witnesses’ beliefs and practices have often been a subject of criticism and contention within the broader faithful Christian community. One of the primary points of contention lies in their rejection of essential Christian doctrines. Most notably, the Trinity and the divinity of Jesus Christ. Mainstream Christian denominations, who adhere to these central theological principles, find the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ rejection of them as a significant theological departure. Markedly, this doctrinal discord results in theological debates and tensions. Presently each side defends its interpretation of Scripture. These criticisms highlight the theological differences that exist between Jehovah’s Witnesses and mainstream Christian faith traditions.

Obviously, another criticism of JW is the inconsistency in how they interpret scripture. Their interpretation is seen as a denial of theology in the Bible and its interpretation. They do not seem to have clear principles on when to interpret scripture. They often fail to address the question of other interpretations or layers of interpretation.

Overall, the major criticism of the Jehovah Witness’ is their Adventist-influenced understanding of Eschatology. This is the theology of the “end times.” They often interpret much of the apocalyptic literature quite literally (e.g. the 144,000 mentioned in the book of Revelation). There is a pairing with arbitrary biblical numerology, frequently trying to predict the precise moment of the “Last Day” and of Armageddon. There is frequent reference to current times as being the last time. Other Christians tend to see them as sensationalist-alarmist. Hence, other Christians see JW ignoring parts of scripture when Jesus explicitly says no one knows when the day will come. 

Legal Battles and Controversies Involving Jehovah’s Witnesses

Previously, Jehovah’s Witnesses have encountered legal disputes and controversies that garnered public attention. One prominent area of contention has been challenges to their door-to-door evangelism and literature distribution. Furthermore, in various countries, legal battles started stating issues with permits, public disturbance complaints, and restrictions on evangelistic activities. These legal conflicts have raised questions about the boundaries of religious freedom. Particularly it brings into question the right to express faith in public spaces such as street corners.

Another significant controversy that has faced Jehovah’s Witnesses concerns allegations of child abuse within their congregations. Like other religious organizations, they have faced criticism and legal action related to handling these allegations. Moreover, critics argue that their policies on reporting allegations and the practice of handling matters internally have, at times, prioritized the reputation of the organization over the well-being of victims. These controversies underscore the need for transparency and accountability in religious institutions. Consequently, this has led to calls for reforms in their policies and procedures.

Shunning and Disfellowshipping Practices

Jehovah’s Witnesses’ practice of shunning or disfellowshipping friends and family members has generated considerable controversy and ethical debates. When members deviate from the group’s teachings or commit serious violations of the doctrines, they may face disfellowshipping. Likewise, this is a form of excommunication. This means that they are ostracized by their families and friends within the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ community. Meanwhile, critics argue that such practices can lead to emotional distress, isolation, and familial estrangement. It raises concerns about the impact on mental and emotional well-being.

Conversely, Jehovah’s Witnesses defend shunning as a means of maintaining doctrinal purity and spiritual discipline within their community. They believe it serves as a form of correction and a means to encourage repentance and return to the faith. However, this practice remains a source of controversy. Some argue that it raises ethical and humanitarian questions. Individual freedom, autonomy, and the potential for undue influence within religious organizations is non-existent.

Where to Learn More

Additionally, later in the twentieth century, the JW created a website and an international network of Witnesses who are readily available. They welcome inquiries to learn more about their organization. Their official website is jw.org. Also, their periodical publications include The Watchtower and Awake!. These two publications frequently feature explanatory writings of their understanding of scripture in response to common questions. Their particular translation of scripture is the New World Translation. 

Sources from outside the JW include the Encyclopedia Britannica and any history of religion in America that deals specifically with the Enlightenment and Awakening in America during the 1800s and early 1900s. American Christian writers and theologians of different kinds will often have arguments about understanding Christianity. It is with an implicit polemic against the distinctive JW interpretation or their theology of the Bible. 

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