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The Catholic Perspective on Jehovah’s Witnesses

Introduction

Among the many religious movements that emerged in the modern era, Jehovah’s Witnesses occupy a unique place. They are admired for their zeal and evangelistic dedication, yet widely criticized for their doctrinal departures from historic Christianity. From a Catholic perspective, they represent a distinctly modern sect that reinterprets Scripture against the witness of the apostolic Church.

This essay will outline the historical development of Jehovah’s Witnesses, compare their teachings with Catholic doctrine, and analyze the effects of their disciplinary practice of disfellowshipping, contrasting it with the Catholic approach to excommunication.

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Historical Background

Jehovah’s Witnesses trace their origins to Charles Taze Russell (1852–1916), a Pennsylvania businessman who, dissatisfied with traditional Protestantism, formed a Bible study group in the 1870s. His teachings rejected the Trinity, eternal punishment, and traditional Church authority, focusing instead on apocalyptic expectations and literalist readings of Scripture. His followers became known as “Bible Students.” After his death, leadership shifted to Joseph Rutherford (1869–1942), who centralized control and in 1931 officially adopted the name “Jehovah’s Witnesses.”¹

In contrast, the Catholic Church maintains continuous historical existence since the apostolic age. Not only does Catholicism claim theological continuity with the apostles, but this is supported by archaeological and literary evidence dating to at least the second century, if not the first.

Archaeological Evidence

The Catacombs of Rome, dating to the 2nd and 3rd centuries, contain inscriptions, frescoes, and symbols (such as the Chi-Rho, the fish [ichthys], and depictions of the Eucharist) that testify to an already organized, sacramental, and hierarchical Christian community.² Tomb inscriptions such as those of early popes (e.g., Pope Cornelius, d. 253) confirm the existence of episcopal leadership in Rome well before Constantine.³

The House Church of Dura-Europos in Syria (ca. 230 AD), one of the earliest Christian worship sites, demonstrates the sacramental and liturgical life of early Christians—consistent with Catholic continuity in baptism, Eucharist, and community leadership.⁴

Patristic Writings

Beyond archaeology, the writings of early Church Fathers provide a documentary chain of continuity. Ignatius of Antioch (c. 35–107), writing on his way to martyrdom in Rome, emphasized unity under the bishop and the centrality of the Eucharist, calling the Church “catholic” for the first time:

“Wherever Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic Church.”⁵

By the mid-2nd century, Justin Martyr (c. 100–165) described the Christian liturgy in Rome, including the Eucharistic prayer, reading of Scripture, and communal offering—remarkably similar to Catholic Mass today.⁶

By the end of the 2nd century, Irenaeus of Lyons (c. 130–202) explicitly defended the Catholic Church’s apostolic succession, tracing the bishops of Rome back to Peter and Paul:

“For it is a matter of necessity that every Church should agree with this Church [of Rome], on account of its preeminent authority.”⁷

Contrast with Jehovah’s Witnesses

This combination of archaeology and patristic testimony shows that the Catholic Church had visible, sacramental, and hierarchical existence centuries before Russell or Rutherford. Jehovah’s Witnesses, by contrast, are a 19th-century movement that rejects nearly all of these early Catholic markers—sacraments, episcopal authority, the Trinity, and even the cross as a symbol.⁸

Thus, while Jehovah’s Witnesses see themselves as restoring an original, “pure” Christianity lost after the apostles, the archaeological and documentary record testifies that the Catholic Church already embodied a continuous tradition of worship, authority, and doctrine from the earliest centuries of the faith.

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Doctrinal Differences

The Trinity

Jehovah’s Witnesses reject the doctrine of the Trinity, teaching that Jehovah alone is God, Jesus is the first created being (Michael the Archangel), and the Holy Spirit is an impersonal force.⁹ In contrast, Catholics affirm that God is one in essence but three in Persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—co-eternal and co-equal, as professed in the Nicene Creed and witnessed in Scripture (Matthew 28:19; John 1:1).¹⁰

Jesus Christ

For Jehovah’s Witnesses, Jesus is not divine but a created being.¹¹ Catholics, however, profess Christ as “true God and true man,” the second Person of the Trinity incarnate, who died and rose bodily for the salvation of humanity.¹²

Salvation

Jehovah’s Witnesses believe salvation requires loyalty to Jehovah, obedience to Watchtower teachings, and participation in the organization.¹³ Catholics affirm that salvation is by grace, received through faith and baptism, nourished by the sacraments, and lived out in works of love.¹⁴

Scripture and Authority

Jehovah’s Witnesses use the New World Translation (NWT) of the Bible, which critics argue deliberately alters passages affirming Christ’s divinity (e.g., John 1:1).¹⁵ Authority rests in the Governing Body of the Watchtower Society. Catholics, by contrast, affirm Scripture within the living Tradition of the Church, interpreted through the Magisterium.¹⁶

The Afterlife

Jehovah’s Witnesses deny the immortality of the soul, reject Hell, and teach that only 144,000 will reign in Heaven, while others may live forever on a restored Earth.¹⁷ Catholics, drawing on Scripture and tradition, affirm Heaven, Hell, and Purgatory as states of eternal destiny or purification.¹⁸

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Discipline and Disfellowshipping

One of the most controversial features of Jehovah’s Witnesses is the practice of disfellowshipping, a form of excommunication. Members expelled for doctrinal dissent or moral failings are shunned not only by the congregation but often by family and friends.¹⁹ Former Witnesses testify to the deep emotional and psychological trauma this causes, describing themselves as “socially dead” within their own families.²⁰ This fear of isolation exerts powerful pressure to conform, discouraging dissent and critical inquiry.

The Catholic Church, while also maintaining disciplinary measures, treats excommunication differently. According to canon law, excommunication is a medicinal penalty meant to bring about repentance, not permanent separation.²¹ Unlike Jehovah’s Witnesses, Catholics are not required to shun excommunicated family members; rather, they are encouraged to continue loving them and praying for their reconciliation.²² This pastoral approach aims at healing rather than fear, emphasizing God’s mercy alongside the seriousness of sin.

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Catholic Response

Catholics are called to respond to Jehovah’s Witnesses with both clarity and charity:

1. With Charity and Respect – Recognize their sincerity and courage in evangelization while gently offering the fullness of truth in Christ.

2. By Knowing the Faith – Deep knowledge of Scripture, the Church Fathers, and the Catechism equips Catholics to respond effectively.

3. Through Prayer and Witness – Pray for those within the Watchtower organization who live under fear, that they may encounter Christ’s liberating truth.

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Conclusion

Jehovah’s Witnesses represent a modern religious sect that diverges from the apostolic faith in essential teachings about God, Christ, salvation, and the afterlife. Their strict policy of disfellowshipping often results in emotional harm and family estrangement, whereas Catholic discipline seeks reconciliation and mercy.

For Catholics, dialogue with Jehovah’s Witnesses must be rooted in truth spoken with love, grounded in Scripture, Tradition, and the living witness of Christ’s Church.

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Notes

1. M. James Penton, Apocalypse Delayed: The Story of Jehovah’s Witnesses, 3rd ed. (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2015), 25–44.

2. John B. O’Connor, The Catacombs of Rome (New York: Macmillan, 1929), 14–32.

3. J.N.D. Kelly, Early Christian Doctrines, rev. ed. (San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1978), 37–45.

4. Michael Peppard, The World’s Oldest Church: Bible, Art, and Ritual at Dura-Europos, Syria (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2016), 19–27.

5. Ignatius of Antioch, Letter to the Smyrnaeans 8:2, in The Apostolic Fathers, ed. Michael W. Holmes, 3rd ed. (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2007), 183.

6. Justin Martyr, First Apology 65–67, in The Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1, ed. Alexander Roberts and James Donaldson (Buffalo: Christian Literature Company, 1885), 185–86.

7. Irenaeus of Lyons, Against Heresies 3.3.2, in The Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1, 415.

8. Penton, Apocalypse Delayed, 39–44.

9. Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, What Does the Bible Really Teach? (Brooklyn: Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, 2005), 31–32.

10. Council of Nicaea, Nicene Creed (325), in Decrees of the Ecumenical Councils, ed. Norman Tanner (Washington, DC: Georgetown University Press, 1990), 5–6.

11. Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, Reasoning from the Scriptures (Brooklyn: Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, 1985), 212–18.

12. Catechism of the Catholic Church (Vatican City: Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 1997), §§ 464–469.

13. Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, What Can the Bible Teach Us? (Warwick, NY: Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, 2017), 159–65.

14. Catechism of the Catholic Church, §§ 1987–2005.

15. Bruce M. Metzger, “The Jehovah’s Witnesses and Jesus Christ: A Biblical and Theological Appraisal,” Theology Today 10, no. 1 (April 1953): 65–85.

16. Vatican II, Dei Verbum, Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation (1965), §10.

17. Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, Let God Be True (Brooklyn: Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, 1946), 74–85.

18. Catechism of the Catholic Church, §§ 1030–1037.

19. Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, Keep Yourselves in God’s Love (Brooklyn: Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, 2008), 208–11.

20. Barbara Grizzuti Harrison, Visions of Glory: A History and a Memory of Jehovah’s Witnesses (New York: Simon & Schuster, 1978), 223–32.

21. Code of Canon Law, canons 1331–1332.

22. Pope John Paul II, Reconciliatio et Paenitentia (1984), §34.

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Bibliography

• Catechism of the Catholic Church. Vatican City: Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 1997.

• Council of Nicaea. Nicene Creed (325). In Decrees of the Ecumenical Councils, edited by Norman Tanner. Washington, DC: Georgetown University Press, 1990.

• Harrison, Barbara Grizzuti. Visions of Glory: A History and a Memory of Jehovah’s Witnesses. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1978.

• Holmes, Michael W., ed. The Apostolic Fathers. 3rd ed. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2007.

• Irenaeus of Lyons. Against Heresies. In The Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1. Buffalo: Christian Literature Company, 1885.

• Justin Martyr. First Apology. In The Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1. Buffalo: Christian Literature Company, 1885.

• Kelly, J.N.D. Early Christian Doctrines. Rev. ed. San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1978.

• Metzger, Bruce M. “The Jehovah’s Witnesses and Jesus Christ: A Biblical and Theological Appraisal.” Theology Today 10, no. 1 (April 1953): 65–85.

• O’Connor, John B. The Catacombs of Rome. New York: Macmillan, 1929.

• Peppard, Michael. The World’s Oldest Church: Bible, Art, and Ritual at Dura-Europos, Syria. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2016.

• Penton, M. James. Apocalypse Delayed: The Story of Jehovah’s Witnesses. 3rd ed. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2015.

• Pope John Paul II. Reconciliatio et Paenitentia. Vatican City, 1984.

• Vatican II. Dei Verbum. Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation, 1965.

• Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society. Keep Yourselves in God’s Love. Brooklyn: Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, 2008.

• Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society. Let God Be True. Brooklyn: Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, 1946.

• Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society. Reasoning from the Scriptures. Brooklyn: Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, 1985.

• Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society. What Can the Bible Teach Us? Warwick, NY: Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, 2017.

• Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society. What Does the Bible Really Teach? Brooklyn: Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, 2005.