Many interested in Russell era Watch
Tower history are committed to a sectarian mythology. Some profoundly
misunderstand terms and concepts. You don’t have to be a sociologist or
historian to understand that “organizational identity” is a different concept
than expressed by Russell and other age-to-come believers who rejected identity
as a sectarian organization. Many of Russell’s speaking announcements described
him as “non-sectarian.” That came from Russell.
Russell believed as did Storrs
before him that as soon as a Christian body organized beyond the local level
they were part of Babylon the Great. But Watch Tower adherents gathered around
Russell’s writings, and local groups often elected him pastor. This was a
defacto organization. Outsiders recognized Watch Tower adherents as a unique
organization because they developed a characteristic, well-defined belief
system. Insiders recognized Russell’s voice as authoritative, and turned to him
to resolve local conflicts. He was seen as God’s special representative even
before he was identified as the Faithful and Wise Steward. So adherents had a
clearly defined organizational structure that suited their belief, while
asserting that they were simply non-denominational Christians. In time this
became a fiction maintained for doctrinal comfort.
Those who point to Rutherford as the
person who brought an organizational structure to Watch Tower adherents miss the mark.
Rutherford brought a radical change to organizational structure among Jehovah’s
Witnesses, but he did not invent organizational structure among Watch Tower
adherents. He changed management structure, if you will.
Prior to 1932-1938, all Watch Tower
congregations elected their own elders. They were united by adherence to a
common doctrine. They were, after 1918, divided by whose voice they felt was authoritative.
But each sect among adherents had a structure and a ‘voice.’ Local groups were
most often presbyterian in structure. (Lower case ‘p’.) Within Russell’s life
time the overall structure was congregational. This means that groups elected
leaders and elders and deacons. Each congregation was independent, united only
in adherence to a common doctrine. This is still an organizational structure.
In historical terms “organizational identity”
does not refer to a specific ecclesiastical structure, but identity as a group.
Watch Tower believers achieved group identity between 1881 and 1887. Adherents
saw themselves as true, enlightened Christians. Outsiders saw them as a “new
sect.” In terms historians and sociologists readily recognize, they developed
an organizational identity.
5 comments:
It is very easy for modern readers to have the word "organization" in mind as is applied to groups today (and well, let's say organizations today) and graft it onto history to demonstrate perceived similarities or differences. The last paragraph in Bruce's post puts it very well: "In historical terms “organizational identity” does not refer to a specific ecclesiastical structure, but identity as a group."
This is what volume two of the project will demonstrate.
This post reminds me of what A. H. Macmillan reported concerning Russell's last words to him. He said that after he told Russell of how impressed he was his Russell's ability to organize the Watchtower Society, that Russell said to him:
"Brother, nobody can do anything without organization. We have one now, and the work should go on better than ever before."
(Convention Report Sermons p. 504 "Synopsis of Remarks of Bro. MacMillan at the New York City Temple, Sunday Morning, Nov. 5, 1916", Berean Bible Studies v1.0 CD-ROM.)
So as you noted, the word "organization" was a flexible word, and like a two-sided coin.
Dear brothers, please send me links containing the works of John Paton , the co-founder of Zion Watch Tower journal...
E-mail. welysonrios@yahoo.com.br
Dear brothers, please send me links containing the works of John Paton , the co-founder of Zion Watch Tower journal...
E-mail. welysonrios@yahoo.com.br
I sent you an email back-channel but it got sent back to me as undeliverable. If you click on Jerome under contributors you will find my email under the name John H Paton. If you send me an email back-channel I can reply with details on where some of this material was put online a couple of years ago.
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