Legal instruments of Jehovah's Witnesses
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Part of a series on Jehovah's Witnesses |
|
| About Jehovah's Witnesses | |
|---|---|
| Demographics | |
| History | |
| Organizational Structure | |
| Governing Body Faithful and Discreet Slave Legal Instruments |
|
| Government Interactions | |
| Beliefs | |
| Doctrines · Practices | |
| Eschatology Blood · Disfellowshipping |
|
| Persecution | |
| Controversy | |
| Related People | |
| Formative Influences | |
| William Miller · N.H. Barbour Jonas Wendell |
|
| Presidents & Members | |
| List of Jehovah's Witnesses C.T. Russell · M.G. Henschel J.F. Rutherford · F.W. Franz D.A. Adams · N.H. Knorr |
|
| Ex-Members & Critics | |
| R. Franz · E.C. Gruss | |
A number of corporations are in use by Jehovah's Witnesses. They deal with legal issues and represent the interests of the religious organization. The sale of the magazines, and all Jehovah's Witnesses' literature, continued around the world until the early 1990s. The Watchtower is now distributed in exchange of donations. These donations have made the Watchtower Bible & Tract Society of NY, Inc. one of the top 40 most profitable companies in New York, reporting an anual revenue of about $951 million USD [1] free of taxation. Their yearly report is different from a Wall Street company as the company's employees are volunteers who live and work in the Brooklyn complex.
Contents |
[edit] Main corporations
- Note: Watch Tower in Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania is two words, while Watchtower in Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York is one word.
[edit] Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania
Founded in 1881, the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania remains the main legal entity used by Jehovah’s Witnesses and holds copyrights to most literature published by Jehovah's Witnesses. It is also known as:
- Zion's Watch Tower Tract Society
- Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society
- Watchtower Society
[edit] Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc.
Founded in 1909 when the headquarters of Jehovah's Witnesses moved to Brooklyn, the New York incorporation is a not-for-profit that publishes most of the literature distributed by Jehovah's Witnesses, including The Watchtower in 153 languages. It also acts as a legal representative and agent for Jehovah's Witnesses. It is also known as:
- People's Pulpit Association (1909-1939)
- Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, Inc. (1939- 1956)
- Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc (WTB&TS) (since 1956).
[edit] International Bible Students Association
Founded in 1914 in London, England, the International Bible Students Association was the first legal corporation representing Jehovah's Witnesses in Europe.
[edit] Other corporations
According to the "Our Kingdom Ministry" (brochure distributed by Watchtower only to active Jehovah's Witnesses) of January 2002, page 7, the Governing Body has approved the formation of the following:
[edit] Christian Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses
- Incorporated 2000
- President William L. Van De Wall
- Vice Presidents Charles I. Woody, Leon Weaver, Jr.
- Secretary/Treasurer William H. Nonkes
- Directors Harold K. Jackson, Merton V. Campbell, Stanley F. Weigel
- Purpose: to specialize in matters dealing with the appointment of elders and ministerial servants, and other "spiritual" congregational matters.
[edit] Religious Order of Jehovah's Witnesses
- Incorporated 2000
- President Patrick J. LaFranca
- Vice Presidents Peter D. Molchan, Ralph E. Walls
- Secretary/Treasurer Joseph D. Mercante
- Directors Marvin G. Smalley, Kenneth J. Pulcifer, Eugene D. Rosam, Jr.
- Purpose: giving particular attention to those in special full-time service: Bethel volunteers, missionaries, traveling overseers, special pioneers; and assembly halls.
[edit] Kingdom Support Services, Inc.
- Incorporated 2000
- President Harold L. Corkern
- Vice Presidents Alan D. Janzen, Robert L. Butler
- Secretary/Treasurer Alexander W. Reinmueller
- Directors James F. Mantz, Jr., Thomas Kalimeris, Alan G. Browning
- Purpose: to deal with construction of Kingdom Halls and Assembly Halls, other engineering needs, and vehicles
-
- Note: These are in addition to the Pennsylvania and New York corporations.
Aside from all of these, many other legal entities are used throughout the world to further the interests of Jehovah's Witnesses. For example, Wachtturm-Gesellschaft, Selters/Taunus to produce literature using the German branch office (which supplies a large portion of the world) or Jehovas vittnen - Bibelsällskapet Vakttornet to promote the activities of Jehovah's Witnesses in Sweden.
[edit] See also
- Organizational Structure of Jehovah's Witnesses
- Practices of Jehovah's Witnesses
- List of Watchtower publications
