Thoroughly revised, the third edition of Penton's classic text includes substantial new information on the sources of Russell's theology and on the church's early leaders. Others involve internal controversies, including political control of the organization and the handling of dissent within the ranks. Some of the issues he discusses are known to the general public, such as the sect's opposition to military service and blood transfusions. His book is divided into three parts, each presenting the Witnesses' story in a different context: historical, doctrinal, and sociological. As a former member of the sect, Penton offers a comprehensive overview of the Jehovah's Witnesses. James Penton's Apocalypse Delayed has been the definitive scholarly study of this religious movement. They distribute a billion pieces of literature annually, and continue to anticipate the end of the world. Ever since that time, Jehovah's Witnesses have been predicting that the world would end "shortly." Their numbers have grown to many millions in over two hundred countries. The first prophecy was not fulfilled, but the outbreak of the First World War lent some credibility to the second. Penton considers changes in doctrine, practice, and. Russell, their founder, advised his followers that members of Christ's church would be raptured in 1878, and by 1914 Christ would destroy the nations and establish his kingdom on earth. In this second edition, an afterword by the author brings us up to date on events since Apocalypse Delayed was first published in 1985. "Since 1876, Jehovah's Witnesses have believed that they are living in the last days of the present world.
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