C. T. Russell and the Trinity Doctrine

by NanaR 15 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  NanaR

  I have a question.

  I know that Russell's hallmark was "putting the hose on Hell", so I'm assuming that the belief that humans do not have an immortal soul was also one of his early teachings.

  However, I know that Russell used the symbol of the Cross, celebrated Christmas, and that the early Bible students also fellowshipped with other Christians. My grandmother, for example, attended a Baptist Church on Sundays but went to Bible Student group studies with her father through the week.

  So I am wondering about the Witnesses rejection of the Trinity doctrine. Did Russell outspokenly reject the Trinity doctrine? Did he accept the Diety of Christ but not the Trinity, or accept or reject both?

  I'm trying to figure out if rejection of the Trinity was a Russell teaching from the beginning, or if Rutherford rejected the Trinity and/or Diety of Christ at the same time that he insisted that the Bible Students be called Jehovah's Witnesses.

  Can one of you good researchers point me in the direction of an answer to this question?

  If I still had my parents library, I could look for myself. But its 400 miles away at my JW sister's house.

  Thanks!

  Ruth
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  jwfacts

  Russell and Rutherford both taught the Deity of Christ - see http://www.jwfacts.com/index_files/worshipjesus.htm It was not until 1954 that worship of Jesus was forbidden.

  Russell rejected the Trinity, however, rejection of Hell, Immortality of the soul and the Trinity - distinguishing doctrines of the Watchtower - did not originate with Russell. These were taken from Second Adventists. Former Baptist Minister Henry Grew was influential in publicising these views from 1820’s onwards. The majority of Second Adventists were anti-Trinitarian, however, within these denominations there were Trinitarian individuals and congregations. Ellen White and many of the early Seventh Day Adventist’s did not believe the Trinity. Under the leadership of Edwin Froom, Seventh Day Adventists as an organization became Trinitarian in the 1930’s, though Edwin makes the claim that Ellen White changed the Seventh-day Adventists position to Trinitarian in 1898. There still remains Arian offshoots of the Seventh-day Adventists.

  Early influential Watch Tower contributors were Trinitarian. George Storrs believed that Jesus was God, but believed that the relationship of the Father and the Son was a mystery, and would not characterize his belief as either Arian or Trinitarian. Nelson Barbour and John Paton were Trinitarian. It appears Russell got his Arian views from George Stetson, pastor of the Allegheny Advent Christian Church.

  The Watchtower did not define its anti-Trinitarian stance in regards to the nature of God until the Watchtower in 1882 reprints p.369-377. The Nature of God was also discussed in "The Atonement Between God and Man", 5th volume of Studies in the Scriptures (1899).

  During the 1900’s the Seventh-day Adventists, Adventist Christian Church and the Worldwide Church of God have all changed their stance and started to accept the Trinity. In each case splinter groups have all broken off remaining against the Trinity.
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  Atlantis

  NanaR:Russell and Barbour both promoted the "Trinity" doctrine and condemned those who spoke against it! The Watch Tower Society also "promoted" and advertised " The Day Dawn" 1880 which was a pro "Trinitarian" book. Atlantis will be posting the 1880 "The Day Dawn" soon. When Russell split with John H. Paton in 1882, this is when Russell started to reject the "Trinity" doctrine. Three Worlds-And-The-Harvest-Of-This-World-pp.57-58-(See bottom of page 57 and top of page 58--The Holy Spirit has its own "intelligence") http://www.heraldmag.org/olb/bsl/Library/Russell/3Worlds/3worlds.pdf PAGE 123 "As Brother Russell and his associates studied the Scriptures, it did not take them long to see that the God portrayed in the Bible is not the god of Christendom." Actually, Russell fellowshipped primarily with trinitarian Adventists from 1869 through 1879. The book Three Worlds, or Plan of Redemption that he co-published in 1877 with N. H. Barbour attacked the Christadelphians for their non-trinitarian view of the Holy Spirit. (See Jehovah’s Witness Literature, pp. 26-27.) even in 1879, when Russell began publishing his own Zion’s Watch Tower magazine, he took with him as assistant editor J. H. Paton, a trinitarian. It was only in 1882, after Paton left the magazine’s staff, that Russell first printed Watch Tower articles disputing trinitarianism. http://www.cftf.com/booklets/proclaimers/index.html (Scroll down about 1/4 of the page) Proclaimers Book page by page. N.
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  jwfacts

  Thanks Atlantis, this is great information. I have been looking for this for a couple of years and even started a thread but no one knew with any certainty exactly what Russell initially believed.
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  Atlantis

  jwfacts:

  Thank you jwfacts! You know you are always welcome! We appreciate your comments posted above also. All of these little tidbits help!

  HAPPY NEW YEAR! jwfacts!

  N. & A.
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  NanaR

  JWFacts and Atlantis:

  You guys are great!!!

  Someone on another board has asked me where the JWs came up with the idea that Jesus was Michael the Archangel. I am not sure when they first started teaching that, but I surmised that it had to be after they discarded the Diety of Christ as a concept.

  Atlantis, I'll be watching for that scan ;-)

  Thanks so much!

  Ruth
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  jwfacts

  Jesus was always thought to be Michael the Archangel.

  "At that time, as well as subsequently, he was properly known as "a god"--a mighty one. As chief of the angels and next to the Father, he was known as the Archangel (highest

  angel or messenger), whose name, Michael, signifies, "Who as God," or God's representative. " Studies in the Scriptures V - The At-one-ment p.E84

  I am not sure when they claimed Archangel could only apply to Jesus, but here is an interesting quote showing that in 1940 they thought there were several archangels.

  "Archangel" is the name given to some of God’s spirit creatures, which name signifies "first in rank" of the angels. (1 Thess. 4: 16) The title or name "archangel" was also applied at times to the Logos, when he was serving Jehovah in a certain or specific capacity. Watchtower 1940 feb 1 p.46
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  Atlantis

  NanaR: Back in 1879 The Watch Tower taught that Jesus was "not" Michael. Then, in 1917 "The Finished Mystery" said that "Michael" was The Pope. Then, this view changed once again to "Michael" being Jesus Christ! Download the "Michael" file with quotes and scans of Watchtower literature. Click the download link by the red arrow at the bottom of the next page. http://www.sendspace.com/file/wy7pmf N.
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  NanaR

  Atlantis:

  Wow!! This is perfect ;-)

  JWfacts:

  Thank you ;-)

  I love you guys!!!

  Ruth
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  Atlantis

  NanaR:

  You are very welcome Nana R!

  We love ya!

  N.