Jehovah’s Witnesses are a well-known group to many people. I have had several conversations with them over the years. I can’t quite remember when it all began, but it was around 2004-5. These interactions have led to many exciting and challenging discussions. I also encounter many Christians who are not quite sure how to approach such conversations, either because they don’t know where to start or what is important to discuss. This is the background for this website. I have divided the site into three sections.
Theology
The first section is “Jehovah’s Witnesses’ Theology.” Here, I attempt to provide a faithful representation of the movement’s theology. My aim has been that if a Jehovah’s Witness reads this part of the site, they should agree that it is a correct presentation of their thinking. If this is not the case – or if people knowledgeable about the movement find errors – I hope that people will react and point out the mistakes so they can be corrected.
History
The last part of the site is called “History.” Jehovah’s Witnesses are a movement whose theology has undergone radical changes over time. This is related to specific key figures in the movement, especially the first two leaders, Charles T. Russell and Joseph F. Rutherford. These changes in theology and structure within the movement led – particularly in the 1920s – to a split within the movement (not from the movement), where several groups formed their own movements. A common theme for these divisions was whether Rutherford’s leadership and theology were in line with Russell’s theology and leadership or represented a radical departure from it.
Critique
The central part of the site is called “Theological Critique.” It is, for me, the most significant part of the site. Here, I attempt to provide a response to Jehovah’s Witnesses’ theology from a Lutheran theological perspective. While I expect Jehovah’s Witnesses to agree with what I write in the first part of the site and largely agree with the history section, it is the theological part where paths diverge. The idea behind this section of the site is to empower people to give a clear testimony about who Jesus is, what He has done, and what it means for us. Enjoy your reading.