Description: "What would happen if I accepted an invitation to Bible Study from Jehovah's Witnesses? What would attending a Kingdom Hall meeting involve? And if I invited door-knocking Witnesses into my home? This book introduces Jehovah's Witnesses without assuming prior knowledge of the Watch Tower organisation. After outlining the Society's origins and history, the book explains their key beliefs and practices by taking the reader through the process of the seeker who makes initial contact with Witnesses, and progresses to take instruction and become a baptised member. The book then explores what is involved in being a Witness--congregational life, lifestyle, rites of passage, their understanding of the Bible, and prophetic expectations. It examines the various processes and consequences of leaving the organisation, controversies which have arisen in the course of its history, and popular criticisms. Discussion is given to the likelihood of reforms within the organisation, such as its stance on blood transfusions, the role of women, and new methods of meeting and evangelising in response to the COVID-19 pandemic"--
Brief description: George D. Chryssides is a Visiting Research Fellow at York St John University, UK, and was formerly Head of Religious Studies at the University of Wolverhampton, UK.
Review Quotes:
"Chryssides's book doesn't avoid contentious Jehovah Witness issues, such as internal dissent or persecution, but because the author might be thought of as a friendly observer, his overview will appeal to a wide audience that seeks understanding rather than controversy." --Library Journal
"Dr. Chryssides is the world's foremost expert on Jehovah's Witnesses. His book offers a careful and much-needed introduction to the beliefs and practices of this often misunderstood religious community." --Emily B. Baran, Interim Chair and Associate Professor, Middle Tennessee State University, USA "Everything you wanted to know about the Jehovah's Witnesses but did not know whom to ask. An essential introduction, of great use to scholars and easily readable for the general public." --Massimo Introvigne, Managing Director, Center for Studies on New Religions (CESNUR), Italy