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A number ofcorporations are used byJehovah's Witnesses. They publish literature and perform other operational and administrative functions, representing the interests of the religious organization. "The Society" has been used as a collective term for these corporations.
The oldest and most prominent of their corporation names, "Watch Tower Society", has also been used synonymously with the religious organization of Jehovah's Witnesses, even in their own literature.[1] Particularly since 2000, Jehovah's Witnesses have maintained a distinction between their corporations and their religious organization.[2][3] The primary corporations are operated by Governing Body "helpers" who implement its decisions.[4]
Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania is a non-stock,not-for-profit organization[5] headquartered inWarwick, New York, United States. It is the main legal entity used worldwide byJehovah's Witnesses, often referred to as "The Society". It holds the copyrights of most literature published by Jehovah's Witnesses. The society was founded in 1881 withWilliam Henry Conley, aPittsburgh businessman, as the first president andCharles Taze Russell as secretary-treasurer.[6] The society wasincorporated asZion's Watch Tower Tract Society inPennsylvania on December 15, 1884, with Russell as president.[7] The corporation was officially renamedWatch Tower Bible and Tract Society in 1896; similar names had been in unofficial use since at least 1892.[8]
Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc. is a corporation used by Jehovah's Witnesses which is responsible for administrative matters, such as real estate, especially within the United States. This corporation is typically cited as the publisher of Jehovah's Witnesses publications, though other publishers are sometimes cited. The corporation's stated purposes are: "Charitable, benevolent, scientific, historical, literary and religious purposes; the moral and mental improvement of men and women, the dissemination of Bible truths in various languages by means of the publication of tracts, pamphlets, papers and other religious documents, and for religious missionary work."[11] In 2001,Newsday listed the Watch Tower Society as one ofNew York's forty richest corporations, with revenues exceeding $950 million.[12]
Originally known as thePeoples Pulpit Association, the organization was incorporated in 1909 when the Society's principal offices moved to Brooklyn, New York. In 1939, it was renamedWatchtower Bible and Tract Society, Inc., and in 1956, the name was changed toWatchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc.[13] Until 2000, a member of theGoverning Body of Jehovah's Witnesses was president of both theWatch Tower (Pennsylvania) andWatchtower (New York) corporations, as well as Britain's International Bible Students Association corporation; in 2001, it was decided that the corporations' directors need not be members of the Governing Body.[2]
Christian Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses, Inc. was established to organize and administer thecongregational affairs ofJehovah's Witnesses in the United States.[14][15] It filed for incorporation on August 21, 2000, inNew York State as a "domesticnon-profit corporation" inPutnam County, New York.[16] An incorporation record was also filed with theState of Florida on March 3, 2006, as a "foreign non-profit corporation" with an agency inCollier County, Florida.[17]
As announced to congregations in January 2001, the Christian Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses is a corporation used by their United States branch committee, which oversees the preaching work of Jehovah's Witnesses in the United States,Bermuda, and theTurks and Caicos Islands.[18] All branch committee members are appointed by and report to theGoverning Body of Jehovah's Witnesses.[19][20]
As with other agencies of Jehovah’s Witnesses, the Christian Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses may correspond directly with any circuit overseer, localbody of elders, or individual, or it may assign someone else to communicate on its behalf. Any of these persons or groups may function as anagency acting at the explicit direction of the Governing Body.[21][22]
Reorganization in 2000 resulted in the creation of several additional corporate entities to serve the needs of the United States branch of Jehovah's Witnesses. Since then, most written communication with congregations and individuals in the United States involves the Christian Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses, Inc.; other corporations include:
TheInternational Bible Students Association (IBSA) is a corporatenot-for-profit organization used byJehovah's Witnesses in theUnited Kingdom for the production and distribution of religious literature. Its stated purpose is "to promote the Christian religion by supporting congregations of Jehovah's Witnesses and others in connection with their spiritual and material welfare in Britain and abroad within the charitable purposes of the Association."[23]
The IBSA was founded in 1914 as a corporation of theBible Students byCharles Taze Russell inLondon, England, and was the first legal corporation representing Russell's ministry inEurope. The Watch Tower Society stated in 1917 that the IBSA, along with its Pennsylvania and New York based corporations "were organized for identical purposes and they harmoniously work together."[24] Other similarly named corporations operate in various countries to promote the interests of Jehovah's Witnesses.[25]
Many associated corporations have been formed around the world to further the interests of Jehovah's Witnesses,[26] for example:
In some countries, Jehovah's Witnesses use the corporation nameChristian Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses or a similar name translated into the local language. In 2005, the branch office inCanada began using this name as a separate Canadian entity for most correspondence, while retainingWatch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Canada for other matters. InMexico, the corporation,Congregación Cristiana de los Testigos de Jehová, is used. Literature of Jehovah's Witnesses has also referred to the denomination generally as the "Christian congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses".[30][31]
That momentous date [that is, 1914] had been pointed forward to since 1876 by those who became associated with the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society. ... In all the warring nations [during World War I], the dedicated Christians who were associated with the Watch Tower Society came under tremendous pressure to abandon their resolve to keep free from bloodguilt.
These helpers, from among the "other sheep," provide valuable support to the Governing Body. ... They attend the weekly meeting of the committee to which they are assigned, providing background information and offering suggestions. The Governing Body members make the final decisions, but the helpers implement the committee's direction and carry out whatever assignments they are given. The helpers accompany Governing Body members to special and international conventions. They may also be assigned to visit branch offices as headquarters representatives.
The International Bible Students Association is used in Britain. Other legal entities are used to promote Kingdom interests in other lands.
