Ask the Editors: Jehovah's Witnesses

Updated July 24, 2020 | Infoplease Staff

The Question:

Who was the man who founded the Jehovah's Witnesses religion?

The Answer:

Charles Taze Russell and his associates founded the International Bible Students Association in Pittsburgh, Penn. in 1872. From this group the Jehovah's Witnesses' movement was born. The group didn't adopt its current name until 1931. It is derived from Isaiah 43:12 "Ye are my witnesses, saith Jehovah, and I am God" (American Standard Version).

The group uses the Watch Tower Bible, and Tract Society serves as its corporate body. The society's magazine, The Watchtower, was first published in 1879 and is printed in more than 100 languages. Membership is almost 4 million, and the international headquarters of the Witnesses is in Brooklyn, NY.

-The Editors

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