Jehovah’s Witnesses: A New Introduction

Description

What would happen if I accepted an invitation to Bible Study from Jehovah’s Witnesses? What would attending a Kingdom Hall meeting involve? And if I invited door-knocking Witnesses into my home? This book introduces Jehovah’s Witnesses without assuming prior knowledge of the Watch Tower organization. After outlining the Society’s origins and history, the book explains their key beliefs and practices by taking the reader through the process of the seeker who makes initial contact with Witnesses, and progresses to take instruction and become a baptized member. The book then explores what is involved in being a Witness – congregational life, lifestyle, rites of passage, their understanding of the Bible and prophetic expectations. It examines the various processes and consequences of leaving the organization, controversies that have arisen in the course of its history, and popular criticisms. Discussion is given to the likelihood of reforms within the organization, such as its stance on blood transfusions, the role of women and new methods of meeting and evangelizing in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Cover Half Title Series Title Copyright Contents Preface Acknowledgements List of acronyms 1 Researching Jehovah’s Witnesses 2 Historical background 3 Belonging 4 Teachings 5 Congregational life 6 Lifestyle 7 Festivals and rites of passage 8 Expectations 9 Opposition 10 Pressures to reform 11 Prospects Glossary Biblical chronology: A comparative table Bibliography Index