top of page

Jehovah's Witnesses

Jehovah's Witnesses, a nontrinitarian millenarian Christian denomination, reported approximately 8.5 million members actively involved in evangelism in 2022, with 19.7 million attendees at the annual Memorial of Christ's death. The faith is administered by a group of elders in Warwick, New York, known as the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses, responsible for establishing doctrines based on their interpretations of the Bible. The group believes that the imminent destruction of the current world system at Armageddon will be followed by the establishment of God's kingdom on Earth, which is seen as the ultimate solution to humanity's problems. Emerging from the late 1870s Bible Student movement, it was founded by Charles Taze Russell, who co-founded Zion's Watch Tower Tract Society in 1881 to organize and publish the movement's literature. Following a leadership dispute after Russell's death, Joseph Franklin Rutherford took control of the Watch Tower Society, making significant organizational and doctrinal changes. This included adopting the name "Jehovah's Witnesses" in 1931 to distinguish the group and signify a break from Russell's traditions.


Jehovah's Witnesses are known for their door-to-door preaching, distribution of publications like The Watchtower and Awake!, and their conscientious objection to military service and refusal of blood transfusions. They place great importance on using the name of God, reject Trinitarianism, belief in the inherent immortality of the soul, and the concept of hellfire. They do not observe many holidays or customs they consider to have pagan origins. Disfellowshipping, a form of expulsion and shunning, is a disciplinary practice, used for what they perceive as serious offenses. Disassociated individuals and those who formally leave are also shunned. Jehovah's Witnesses may be reinstated if they are deemed repentant. Their stance on conscientious objection to military service and refusal to salute state symbols has led to conflicts with some governments, and they have faced persecution and legal restrictions in certain countries. The organization has faced criticism regarding biblical translation, doctrines, and alleged coercion of its members, as well as unfulfilled predictions about significant biblical events. Additionally, their handling of child sexual abuse cases has been the subject of formal inquiries.

Jehovah's Witnesses

Founding Location

Pittsburgh, PA

1870

Founder

Charles Taze Russell

Official Website

**Videos may contain sensitive subject matter. 

bottom of page