A restorationist movement that emphasizes door-to-door evangelism, the imminent Kingdom of God, and a distinctive non-trinitarian theology.
Jehovah's Witnesses trace their origins to the Bible Student movement founded by Charles Taze Russell in the 1870s in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Russell and his followers believed that mainstream Christianity had departed from biblical truth and sought to restore what they understood as the original teachings of the apostles. The movement was reorganized under Joseph Rutherford in the 1930s, who introduced the name 'Jehovah's Witnesses' based on the biblical name for God and the commission to bear witness to his purposes.
Jehovah's Witnesses hold a non-trinitarian theology that distinguishes them sharply from traditional Christianity. They believe that Jehovah (God the Father) is the supreme being, that Jesus Christ is the Son of God but a created being — not co-equal with the Father — and that the Holy Spirit is God's active force rather than a person. They also reject the immortality of the soul, believing that the dead are unconscious until a future resurrection, and they look forward to a literal earthly paradise under God's Kingdom rather than a heavenly afterlife for most believers.
In practice, Jehovah's Witnesses are known for their door-to-door ministry, their refusal of blood transfusions on religious grounds, and their abstention from voting, military service, and celebrations such as birthdays and Christmas. They meet in buildings called Kingdom Halls rather than churches. Fayetteville has five Kingdom Halls serving congregations across the city.
Jehovah's Witnesses are distinguished by their non-trinitarian theology, their use of the divine name 'Jehovah,' their door-to-door ministry, their refusal of blood transfusions, and their expectation of a literal earthly paradise. They do not celebrate birthdays, Christmas, Easter, or other holidays they consider to have pagan origins.
Meetings at Kingdom Halls include Bible-based talks, congregation participation in question-and-answer sessions, and singing from the organization's own songbook. There is no paid clergy; all teaching is done by congregation members. Meetings are held multiple times per week.
1870s, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, by Charles Taze Russell. Formally organized as Jehovah's Witnesses in 1931.
Door-to-door evangelism, The Watchtower and Awake! publications, and their distinctive stance on blood transfusions and military service.