Jehovah's Witnesses : Portrait of a Contemporary Religious Movement

This is the first major study of the enigmatic religious society. By examining the Jehovah's Witnesses' dramatic recent expansion, Andrew Holden reveals the dependency of their quasi-totalitarian movement on the physical and cultural resources have brought about the privatization of religion, the erosion of community, and the separation of 'fact' from faith. Jehovah's Witnesses: Portrait of a Contemporary Religious Movement is the first major ethnographic study of this enigmatic religious society. Through rigorously investigated case histories based upon the real-life experiences of converts, believers and defectors, it describes how the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society seek to achieve conformity in devotees, and to construct meaningful religious identities in a world whose excesses it vehemently reviles.Examining the Jehovah's Witnesses' dramatic expansion over the last 130 years, Andrew Holden reveals the dependency of this quasi-totalitarian movement on the very physical and cultural resources which have brought about the privatisation of religion, the erosion of community and the separation of 'fact' from supernatural faith. Asking vital questions about the ambivalent relationship of spiritual meaning to modern secular materialism, Jehova's Witnesses reconsiders the Witnesses' ascetic faith at once as an inverted form of pseudo-corporate 'branding', and as an anti-modern quest for certainty in a hostile world of relativism and risk. By examining the Jehovah's Witnesses' dramatic recent expansion, Andrew Holden reveals the dependency of this quasi-totalitarian movement on the very physical and cultural resources which have brought about the privatization of religion, the erosion of community and the separation of "fact" from supernatural faith. Asking vital questions about the ambivalent relationship of spiritual meaning to modern secular materialism, "Jehova's Witnesses" reconsiders the Witnesses' ascetic faith at once as an inverted form of pseudo-corporate "branding," and as an anti-modern quest for certainty in a hostile world of relativism and risk An Ethnographic Study That Reveals The Dependency Of This Quasi-totalitarian Movement On The Very Physical And Cultural Resources Which Have Brought About The Privatisation Of Religion, The Erosion Of Community And The Separation Of 'fact' From Supernatural Faith. [back Cover]. 1. End Is Nigh -- 2. Jehovah's Witnesses In The Modern World -- 3. Finding A Home -- 4. Rational Means To Rational Ends -- 5. Returning To Eden -- 6. Inside, Outside -- 7. Honour Thy Father And Thy Mother -- 8. Fear Of Freedom -- 9. Conclusion. Andrew Holden. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [189]-201) And Index. Book Cover......Page 1 Title......Page 4 Contents......Page 5 Preface......Page 10 Acknowledgements......Page 13 The end is nigh......Page 16 The Jehovah's Witnesses in the modern world......Page 32 Finding a home......Page 57 Rational means to rational ends......Page 73 Returning to Eden......Page 97 Inside, outside......Page 118 Honour thy father and thy mother......Page 140 The fear of freedom......Page 165 Conclusion......Page 186 Notes......Page 191 Glossary......Page 200 Bibliography......Page 204 Index......Page 217 This major study reveals the dependency of this movement on the physical and cultural resources which have caused the privatisation of religion, the erosion of community, the separation of 'fact' from supernatural faith and their expansion There could be no period more appropriate than the beginning of a new millennium in which to consider the activities of those who hold beliefs about the end of the world.