Review of Dr. Chryssides' new book on Jehovah's Witnesses (page 3)

Ruby456

this is the book I browsed

http://www.amazon.com/Separate-Identity-Organizational-Readers-1870-1887/dp/1304969401

no one is saying Russell was a closet adventist least of all me

Yes, that's Schulz and de Vienne's last book. It is very good. Very accurate. You should read it. I'm old. Almost 90. I spent my life within the Watchtower and teaching history at two large universities. I know good work when I see it. Separate Identity is superior to anything ever written about the Watchtower.

But you will have to make up your own mind. The few pages on Amazon do not take you to the richness of new research found in their book.

Ruby456

I must say I did find what I read gripping. they do have a very readable style - I may buy one day - I think it is something anyone with witness connections ought to have on their shelf

Old Goat

Back in the day I knew Schulz. We worked together at large conventions and spoke at the same one at least once. He's a let the chips fall where they may kind of guy. Rachael de Vienne is a very short, extremely well educated, very funny younger woman. (Younger compared to me, anyway. I think she's about 40.) She is a meticulous researcher. She was never a Witness.

I think their books are destined to be classics in the field.

Ruby456

thanks old goat - nice talking to you. I've decided to treat myself to a copy of schulz and de Vienne's book as It is only £17.33 here.

edit: and btt if anyone else is interested in this book about Jehovahs witnesses - A separate Identity

Ruby456

does cedars know about this book - a separate Identity

Old Goat

Ruby, I don't know if he does or not. Sorry.

Vidiot

Ruby456 - "...no one is saying Russell was a closet Adventist..."

'Course not.

We don't have to, that shit speaks for itself.

Russel was a closet Zionist, too... Fred Franz was a closet Millerite...

...and Rutherford was a closet drunk (actually, now that I think about it, he was probably out of the closet :smirk: ).

ScenicViewer

@ OldGoat,

A bit off topic, but you once wrote an OP about a book project started by Schulz and de Vienne that was discontinued; It was a follow up to Separate Identity, if I remember correctly. Did that book ever get back on track, or has it been shelved permanently? Sorry, I can't remember the name of it.

Old Goat

Dear Scenic,

Yes, Dr de Vienne tells me it's about two-thirds done. I've read some of the most recently finished chapters in rough draft. So many things I did not know. One of these is about early clergy interest. There was a surprising amount of that. Another is about the earliest evangelists, people the Watchtower ignores, or sometimes people the "Society" doesn't even know about. It's certainly a different story than the Proclaimers book tells.

You can follow their research on their history blog. Link was posted earlier.

People on this board who are certain they know Russell or Rutherford's story make me laugh. They don't.

Review of Dr. Chryssides' new book on Jehovah's Witnesses

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