Who was Charles Taze Russell?

Response

Charles Taze Russell founded a religious movement that later evolved into what is now known as Jehovah’s Witnesses. His life serves as an example of how individuals without proper training and guidance can distort Scripture to align with their own preferences and then propagate these misconceptions to others. Russell’s spiritual journey was characterized by change, failed prophecies, and controversy. Following his passing, his followers divided, with the most prominent faction adopting the name Jehovah’s Witnesses, under the leadership of Joseph Rutherford.

Charles Russell, the son of a businessman, was raised in a Presbyterian household. In 1868, at approximately 16 years old, he was challenged by skeptical inquiries from a friend, prompting him to reevaluate his religious beliefs. Russell encountered Adventism, which resonated more with him. By 1870, at 18 years old, he had established a small Bible study group consisting of himself and several like-minded individuals. This group already embraced certain doctrines that sharply contrasted with traditional biblical teachings, including:

• Denial of the Trinity.

• Belief that Jesus is the same as Michael the archangel and is God’s initial creation.

• View that the Holy Spirit is a force rather than a person.

• Rejection of the concept of an everlasting hell.

• Denial of the physical resurrection of Jesus.

• Strong fascination with—almost an obsession with—the second coming of Christ.

Initially, Charles Taze Russell dismissed efforts to predict the timing of Christ’s return prophetically. However, his stance shifted quickly after discussions with Adventist writer Nelson Barbour. By 1876, he became convinced that Christ would return in 1878. In anticipation of this event, he divested himself of all business interests. The failure of this prediction led to a rift with Barbour, but Russell’s most devoted followers remained steadfast. This faction was commonly referred to as the “Bible Students.”

In 1881, Russell established the Watchtower Tract Society.

He would later claim that Christ had returned—spiritually—in 1874 and that the end of the world would occur in 1914. Students of Russell began claiming he was a prophetic, end-times fulfillment of Matthew 24:45, which speaks of a “faithful and wise servant” awaiting the return of his master. While Russell did not overtly assert this, neither did he deny it. Successors such as Joseph Rutherford later took on that title for themselves, and it eventually became part of Watchtower’s claim to unassailable spiritual authority. Russell wrote six volumes on spirituality prior to his death, collectively known as Studies in the Scriptures.

Of course, 1914 came and went without anything remotely resembling the second coming of Christ. The much-hyped year of 1914 has been the subject of increasingly convoluted explanations by Jehovah’s Witnesses ever since. Russell died in 1916. Around that time, a seventh book—claimed to be written by Russell—was published. In fact, the book was written by associates of Russell and heavily edited by Rutherford. Controversy over that volume, combined with disillusionment over 1914’s debacle, led to a schism, resulting in Rutherford leading a group later renamed Jehovah’s Witnesses.

A look at Russell’s spiritual history shows immediate reasons for concern. As a teenager, he knew little enough about Scripture to answer a skeptical friend’s challenges. Within two years, that same teenager was presumed to be able to interpret the Bible more accurately than any existing church. Not long after, Russell made a drastic change in his approach to eschatology and issued a failed prophecy. At no point did Russell demonstrate any signs of special insight or ability beyond the charisma needed to attract like-minded people. Sincere or not, Charles Taze Russell was a false prophet and a teacher of “another gospel” (see Galatians 1:8-9).

While Russell’s beliefs and efforts were whAt the formation of the Bible Students, it would be fair to say that the group now recognized as Jehovah’s Witnesses is more distinguished by the contributions of Joseph Rutherford than by those of Charles Taze Russell. Rutherford introduced many of the distinctive doctrines of Jehovah’s Witnesses, such as the rejection of holidays, voting, and birthdays. Rutherford is also credited with the Witnesses’ unique interpretations of Revelation, the use of Kingdom Halls, and their aggressive door-to-door evangelism. Only about one fourth of Russell’s followers remained with Rutherford after Russell’s passing, during which time the group adopted their new name.

Charles Taze Russell serves as a potent example of why Scripture emphasizes the necessity for proper discipleship «And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.», (1 Timothy 3:16) and includes warnings about inexperienced and ignorant mishandling of the Word (2 Peter 3:16-17), cautioning against seeking those who merely agree with you instead of pursuing the truth «For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; », (2 Timothy 4:3), and rejecting a gospel different from the one handed down by Christ and the apostles (Galatians 1:8-9). If more people had been willing to subject Russell’s claims to a rigorous examination «These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. », (Deuteronomy 18:22), many fewer people today would be under the influence of a false sect like the Jehovah’s Witnesses.