Worldview Analysis Paper
Liberty University
Jehovah’s Witnesses
A paper submitted to Dr. Adonis Vidu
In partial fulfillment of the Requirements for the course APOL 500-B13
Liberty Baptist Theological seminary
By
Cory Maurer
Lynchburg, Virginia
Sunday, October 2, 2011
CONTENTS INTRODUCTION 1 SUMMARY 1 FLAWS 2 EVANGELISM 4 CONCLUSION 4 BIBLIOGRAPHY 6
Introduction The purpose of this paper is to analyze the Jehovah’s Witness religion/cult. The background and core beliefs of this religion will be discussed as well as the flaws that can be found in it. There will be much attention given to how proponents of this cult view Jesus and the implications that those views bring. There will also be time given to explaining how one should approach a person that is a Jehovah’s Witness in order to evangelize them.
Summary
The Jehovah’s Witnesses is a modern-day cult that adheres to Gnostic beliefs and legalistic practices. It is considered a cult because it tries to correct another religion. In this case the religion that it is trying to correct is Christianity. The cult was formed by Charles Russell in the late nineteenth century as a spit-off from the Adventist movement. There Russell and his early successors were involved in a few unfulfilled prophecies of Armageddon which almost caused the movement’s following to completely fall away. Under the leadership of Frederick Franz in the 1970s, the movement began to move away from these prophecies and come back together. The Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that Jehovah, which is God the Father, is God Almighty and they deny that Jesus was a deity. This belief forces them to deny the doctrine of the Trinity because of its teaching that all three members are equal. Through their stated beliefs and publications, they consistently hold that Jesus never claimed to be God and that he even taught that Jehovah was the only true God. In addition to this belief about Jesus, they also
Jehovah’s Witnesses
A paper submitted to Dr. Adonis Vidu
In partial fulfillment of the Requirements for the course APOL 500-B13
Liberty Baptist Theological seminary
By
Cory Maurer
Lynchburg, Virginia
Sunday, October 2, 2011
CONTENTS INTRODUCTION 1 SUMMARY 1 FLAWS 2 EVANGELISM 4 CONCLUSION 4 BIBLIOGRAPHY 6
Introduction The purpose of this paper is to analyze the Jehovah’s Witness religion/cult. The background and core beliefs of this religion will be discussed as well as the flaws that can be found in it. There will be much attention given to how proponents of this cult view Jesus and the implications that those views bring. There will also be time given to explaining how one should approach a person that is a Jehovah’s Witness in order to evangelize them.
Summary
The Jehovah’s Witnesses is a modern-day cult that adheres to Gnostic beliefs and legalistic practices. It is considered a cult because it tries to correct another religion. In this case the religion that it is trying to correct is Christianity. The cult was formed by Charles Russell in the late nineteenth century as a spit-off from the Adventist movement. There Russell and his early successors were involved in a few unfulfilled prophecies of Armageddon which almost caused the movement’s following to completely fall away. Under the leadership of Frederick Franz in the 1970s, the movement began to move away from these prophecies and come back together. The Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that Jehovah, which is God the Father, is God Almighty and they deny that Jesus was a deity. This belief forces them to deny the doctrine of the Trinity because of its teaching that all three members are equal. Through their stated beliefs and publications, they consistently hold that Jesus never claimed to be God and that he even taught that Jehovah was the only true God. In addition to this belief about Jesus, they also
Bibliography: Boyd, Gregory A., and Paul R. Eddy. Across the Spectrum: Understanding Issues in Evangelical Theology. 2nd ed. Grand Rapids, MI.: Baker Academic, 2009. Habermas, Gary R., and Michael R. Licona. The Case For the Resurrection of Jesus. Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications, 2004. Hindson, Ed, Ergun Caner, and general editors. The Popular Encyclopedia of Apologetics. Eugene, Or.: Harvest House Publishers, 2008. “What About Trinity 'Proof Texts '?” Watchtower. http://www.watchtower.org/e/ti/article_08.htm (accessed October 1, 2011). “What About Trinity 'Proof Texts '?” Watchtower. http://www.watchtower.org/e/lmn/article_10.htm (accessed October 1, 2011). “What About Trinity 'Proof Texts '?” Watchtower. http://www.watchtower.org/e/my/article_102.htm (accessed October 1, 2011). [ 1 ]. Ed Hindson, Ergun Caner and general editors, The Popular Encyclopedia of Apologetics (Eugene, Or.: Harvest House Publishers, 2008), Pg. 291-292 [ 2 ] [ 3 ]. Gregory A. Boyd and Paul R. Eddy, Across the Spectrum: Understanding Issues in Evangelical Theology, 2nd ed. (Grand Rapids, MI.: Baker Academic, 2009), Pg. 112 [ 4 ] [ 5 ]. “What About Trinity 'Proof Texts '?” Watchtower, http://www.watchtower.org/e/my/article_102.htm (accessed October 1, 2011). [ 6 ]. Gary R. Habermas and Michael R. Licona, The Case For the Resurrection of Jesus (Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications, 2004), Pg.164 [ 7 ] [ 8 ]. Ed Hindson, Ergun Caner and general editors, The Popular Encyclopedia of Apologetics (Eugene, Or.: Harvest House Publishers, 2008), Pg. 294