Bible Student movement

The Bible Student movement is a religious movement that sprang from the teachings and ministry of Pastor Charles Taze Russell, whose followers generally call themselves "Bible Students"). Following a schism after Russell’s death, several offshoot groups formed, some of which have today moved away from the doctrines of Pastor Russell. The most prominent group of the movement today is the Jehovah's Witnesses, although there are still thousands of Bible Students worldwide. Bible Student movement - Early History. Including:

• Bible Student movement - Early History
• Bible Student movement - The Jehovah's Witnesses
• Bible Student movement - The New Covenant Bible Students
• Bible Student movement - The Associated Bible Students
• Bible Student movement - The Layman's Home Missionary Movement
• Bible Student movement - Other groups

Read more here: » Bible Student movement: Encyclopedia - Bible Student movement

Many of the Bible Student congregations which hold to the writings and views of Pastor Russell refer to themselves under the generic title "Associated Bible Students". All congregations are autonomous, and despite use of this title, may not necessarily have contact with others. Those using this name are the largest segment of the massive exodus from the Watchtower Society in the decade following Russell's death in 1916. This occurred after Joseph Franklin Rutherford was elected the new pre ...

See also:

Bible Student movement, Bible Student movement - Early History, Bible Student movement - The Jehovah's Witnesses, Bible Student movement - The New Covenant Bible Students, Bible Student movement - The Associated Bible Students, Bible Student movement - The Layman's Home Missionary Movement, Bible Student movement - Other groups

Read more here: » Bible Student movement: Encyclopedia II - Bible Student movement - The Associated Bible Students

The Associated Bible Students is the branch of the Bible Student movement that follows the most closely the teachings and views of Charles Taze Russell, also known as "Pastor Russell". The Bible Students practice regular reading and study of the Bible and hold Bible Study classes utilizing the six volumes of "Studies in the Scriptures", written by Pastor Russell. Associated Bible Students - History. In the late ninteenth century, the Bible Students formed congregations, referred to as "Ecclesia's", from the ...

Including:

• Associated Bible Students - History
• Associated Bible Students - Beliefs

Read more here: » Associated Bible Students: Encyclopedia - Associated Bible Students

Allegheny was a city in western Pennsylvania, located on the north shore of the junction of the Allegheny and Ohio Rivers, across from Pittsburgh. It has since been absorbed by the neighboring larger city as the neighborhood of Northside. The area of Allegheny City included the present Pittsburgh neighborhoods of North Shore, East Allegheny, Perrysville, Manchester, Brighton Heights, Marshall, Perry North, Perry South, Mt. Troy, Troy Hill, Summer Hill, Observatory Hill, and Riverview. Allegheny, Pennsylvania was laid out in 178 ...

Read more here: » Allegheny Pennsylvania: Encyclopedia - Allegheny Pennsylvania

Charles Taze Russell, (February 16, 1852 - October 31, 1916), known as Pastor Russell, was an American evangelist from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania who founded what is known as the Bible Student movement. He is known for founding the religious journal "Zion's Watch Tower and Herald of Christ's Presence" in 1879, as well as one of the first Bible Societies in America, Zion's Watch Tower Tract Society, in 1881. A schism in 1917 resulted in the formation of the present-day movements known as Bible Students and Jehovah's Witness ...

Including:

• Charles Taze Russell - Early life
• Charles Taze Russell - Ministry
• Charles Taze Russell - Beginnings
• Charles Taze Russell - Split with Barbour
• Charles Taze Russell - Russell's marriage
• Charles Taze Russell - Major publications
• Charles Taze Russell - Death aftermath and legacy
• Charles Taze Russell - Theology and teachings
• Charles Taze Russell - Criticisms and controversies

Read more here: » Charles Taze Russell: Encyclopedia - Charles Taze Russell

The name Bible Students is used by many segments of what has been termed the Bible Student movement, all of whom follow the doctrinal views of Charles Taze Russell. Following Russell's death in 1916, the movement was divided by a primary schism, which was also divided by its own. These factors contributed to the adoption by the leadership of the Watchtower Society to adopt the new name of Jehovah's Witnesses in 1931. Because Bible Students do not use or rely upon a central religious organization, many independent congregations ...

Read more here: » Bible Students: Encyclopedia - Bible Students

The Millerite tradition is a diverse family of denominations and Bible study movements that have arisen since the middle of the 19th century, traceable to the Adventist movement sparked by the teachings of William Miller. Millerites - Origins. Miller was a profitable farmer, a Baptist layman and amateur student of the Bible, living in northern New York, in the region of that state which has come to be known as the Burned-over district. Beginning with a strictly literal reading of the ages of people mentione ...

Including:

• Millerites - Origins
• Millerites - Anti-traditional tendencies
• Millerites - Apocalyptic tendencies
• Millerites - Distinguished from the other groups and movements

Read more here: » Millerites: Encyclopedia - Millerites

After Charles Taze Russell's death in 1916, Joseph Franklin Rutherford was elected second president of the Watchtower Society and immediately started an intensive work of restructuring the movement which, by 1928, led to nearly three-quarters of the membership departing association with the Society. One of Rutherford's most controversial moves was the expulsion of four members (R. H. Hirsh, I. F. Haskins, A. I. Ritchie, and J. D. Wright) of the seven-member Board of Directors appointed by Pastor Russell, with his own appointees in July 1917. ...

See also:

Jehovah's Witnesses splinter groups, Jehovah's Witnesses splinter groups - First splits : 1909, Jehovah's Witnesses splinter groups - Second crisis : Pastor Russell's death, Jehovah's Witnesses splinter groups - Later departures, Jehovah's Witnesses splinter groups - Other Groups

Read more here: » Jehovah's Witnesses splinter groups: Encyclopedia II - Jehovah's Witnesses splinter groups - Second crisis : Pastor Russell's death

In the late ninteenth century, the Bible Students formed congregations, referred to as "Ecclesia's", from the Greek word meaning "ones who are called out". These congregations first formed in the North Eastern section of the United States, most prominently in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and throughout New England. In 1914, the International Bible Students Association was incorporated in London, and local congregations were advised to stop using that name to advertise themselves, reserving it for the national or international level. The name "Associa ...

See also:

Associated Bible Students, Associated Bible Students - History, Associated Bible Students - Beliefs

Read more here: » Associated Bible Students: Encyclopedia II - Associated Bible Students - History

Charles Taze Russell - Beginnings. From 1870 through 1875 the Russell family, and others, participated in an analytical study of both the Bible and the origins of Christian doctrine, creed, and tradition. "Millerite" Adventist ministers George Storrs, and George Stetson, were also closely involved. Russell's group believed they had found significant errors in common Christian belief. As a result of such study, the Russell family believed they had gained a clearer understanding of ...

See also:

Charles Taze Russell, Charles Taze Russell - Early life, Charles Taze Russell - Ministry, Charles Taze Russell - Beginnings, Charles Taze Russell - Split with Barbour, Charles Taze Russell - Russell's marriage, Charles Taze Russell - Major publications, Charles Taze Russell - Death aftermath and legacy, Charles Taze Russell - Theology and teachings, Charles Taze Russell - Criticisms and controversies

Read more here: » Charles Taze Russell: Encyclopedia II - Charles Taze Russell - Ministry

The "Adventist" or "Latter-day" churches arose during the same period as the Latter Day Saint movement (Mormonism), and share some comparable features of doctrine and history, but there is no conclusive evidence that the Millerites and Latter Day Saints directly influenced one another. The two movements do have in common some connection with the Restoration Movement. Many Millerites and Latter Day Saints including prominent Millerite and Latter Day Saint leaders, were Campbellites or belonged to other Restoration Movement sects before conver ...

See also:

Millerites, Millerites - Origins, Millerites - Anti-traditional tendencies, Millerites - Apocalyptic tendencies, Millerites - Distinguished from the other groups and movements

Read more here: » Millerites: Encyclopedia II - Millerites - Distinguished from the other groups and movements

In 1928, Norman Woodworth left the Watchtower society to create the radio program Frank and Earnest with the help of the Brooklyn congregation of Bible Students. This eventually led to the founding of the “Dawn Bible Students Association” for the purpose of printing and distributing the Studies in the Scriptures series that the Watchtower Society had officially ceased publication of in 1927. In 1928, the Italian Bible Students Association in Hartford, Connecticut also withdrew its support from the Watchtower Society and changed its name to the Millennial Bible St ...

See also:

Jehovah's Witnesses splinter groups, Jehovah's Witnesses splinter groups - First splits : 1909, Jehovah's Witnesses splinter groups - Second crisis : Pastor Russell's death, Jehovah's Witnesses splinter groups - Later departures, Jehovah's Witnesses splinter groups - Other Groups

Read more here: » Jehovah's Witnesses splinter groups: Encyclopedia II - Jehovah's Witnesses splinter groups - Later departures

During his return from a ministerial tour of the western and southwestern United States, the already ill Pastor Russell died from the result of multiple ailments on the night of October 31, 1916 in a train car as it approached Pampa, Texas. His death was a major front-page headline in many newspapers across the globe. He was buried in Rosemont United Cemetery, Pittsburgh. The gravesite is marked by both a headstone, and an eight-foot tall pyramid memorial gifted f ...

See also:

Charles Taze Russell, Charles Taze Russell - Early life, Charles Taze Russell - Ministry, Charles Taze Russell - Beginnings, Charles Taze Russell - Split with Barbour, Charles Taze Russell - Russell's marriage, Charles Taze Russell - Major publications, Charles Taze Russell - Death aftermath and legacy, Charles Taze Russell - Theology and teachings, Charles Taze Russell - Criticisms and controversies

Read more here: » Charles Taze Russell: Encyclopedia II - Charles Taze Russell - Death aftermath and legacy

Jesus did not appear as expected. Following this Great Disappointment, although many adherents returned to their traditions, a number of followers continued to believe in the accuracy of Miller's date, or recalculated to arrive at a new date. Sometimes with the help of visions and visitations by angels, or reformers whose message was identified with Bible prophecy, post-Disappointment Millerites arrived at various reinterpretations of the meaning of the Disappointment, often constructing alternative history, theology, politics and science, s ...

See also:

Millerites, Millerites - Origins, Millerites - Anti-traditional tendencies, Millerites - Apocalyptic tendencies, Millerites - Distinguished from the other groups and movements

Read more here: » Millerites: Encyclopedia II - Millerites - Anti-traditional tendencies

Miller was a profitable farmer, a Baptist layman and amateur student of the Bible, living in northern New York, in the region of that state which has come to be known as the Burned-over district. Beginning with a strictly literal reading of the ages of people mentioned in the first chapters of Genesis and the dating of other events mentioned in the Bible, Miller believed that precise calculations were possible, full of prophetic importance. Setting these calculations alongside the prophetic numbering systems that appear in the books of Danie ...

See also:

Millerites, Millerites - Origins, Millerites - Anti-traditional tendencies, Millerites - Apocalyptic tendencies, Millerites - Distinguished from the other groups and movements

Read more here: » Millerites: Encyclopedia II - Millerites - Origins

In 1907, Pastor Russell more pointedly expressed that Christians were not developed under the New Covenant, but that the New Covenant was future, and made between God and the nation of Israel for the purpose of teaching the world his plan. This, and controversy over other doctrines, led some to leave in 1909, leading to the formation of New Covenant Bible Students. M.L. McPhail, Pilgrim member of the Chicago Bible Students, also disassociated himself from Russell's movement at that time and led the New Covenant Bible Students in the ...

See also:

Jehovah's Witnesses splinter groups, Jehovah's Witnesses splinter groups - First splits : 1909, Jehovah's Witnesses splinter groups - Second crisis : Pastor Russell's death, Jehovah's Witnesses splinter groups - Later departures, Jehovah's Witnesses splinter groups - Other Groups

Read more here: » Jehovah's Witnesses splinter groups: Encyclopedia II - Jehovah's Witnesses splinter groups - First splits : 1909

The return of Christ is believed to signal the inauguration of the Millennium, rather than the conclusion of the Church age and the end of the world. The Second Great Awakening was generally productive of very optimistic ideas of progress and eschatology, expecting the kingdom of God to be realized through an historical process. In contrast to this optimism, Millerites anticipated that the coming of Christ would be cataclysmic, replacing the old order of things. Even among those Millerite groups which continue to believe that the Parousia ac ...

See also:

Millerites, Millerites - Origins, Millerites - Anti-traditional tendencies, Millerites - Apocalyptic tendencies, Millerites - Distinguished from the other groups and movements

Read more here: » Millerites: Encyclopedia II - Millerites - Apocalyptic tendencies

Charles Taze Russell was born to Joseph Lytel Russell and Ann Eliza Birney on Monday, February 16, 1852 in Allegheny, Pennsylvania, USA. Charles, the second of five children, was one of only two to survive into adulthood. The other Russell children included Thomas, (1850–September 4, 1855), Margaret ("Mae", married name Margaret Land) who died in the late 1940s, Lucinda (1857–July 21, 1858), and Joseph Lytel, Jr. (1859–April 25, 1860). Their mother died on January 25, 1861 at the age of 29. The patriarch ...

See also:

Charles Taze Russell, Charles Taze Russell - Early life, Charles Taze Russell - Ministry, Charles Taze Russell - Beginnings, Charles Taze Russell - Split with Barbour, Charles Taze Russell - Russell's marriage, Charles Taze Russell - Major publications, Charles Taze Russell - Death aftermath and legacy, Charles Taze Russell - Theology and teachings, Charles Taze Russell - Criticisms and controversies

Read more here: » Charles Taze Russell: Encyclopedia II - Charles Taze Russell - Early life

Although believing in the divinity of Jesus Christ, Bible Students reject the doctrine of the Trinity as a pagan myth forced into Christian belief under the power of the Roman Catholic Church. The soul is not some mysterious entity which leaves the body at death, but is merely the breath, or spark, of life. They hold that the purpose of the second advent is to bless all mankind, and renew the earth into the paradise conditions that existed in the Garden of Eden. Believing that Baptism requires an intelligent and mature ...

See also:

Associated Bible Students, Associated Bible Students - History, Associated Bible Students - Beliefs

Read more here: » Associated Bible Students: Encyclopedia II - Associated Bible Students - Beliefs

In 1917, Alexander F.L. Freytag, Branch manager of the Swiss Watch Tower Society since 1898, founded the Angel of Jehovah Bible and Tract Society (also known as the Philanthropic Assembly of the Friends of Man and The Church of the Kingdom of God, Philanthropic Assembly). When he started publishing his views he was ousted from the Watchtower Society by Rutherford in 1919. He published two journals, the monthly The Monitor of the Re ...

See also:

Bible Student movement, Bible Student movement - Early History, Bible Student movement - The Jehovah's Witnesses, Bible Student movement - The New Covenant Bible Students, Bible Student movement - The Associated Bible Students, Bible Student movement - The Layman's Home Missionary Movement, Bible Student movement - Other groups

Read more here: » Bible Student movement: Encyclopedia II - Bible Student movement - Other groups