The following information is mostly a negative review of Dr. Chryssides' new book on Jehovah's Witnesses, by Rud Persson of Sweden:
There are three major books published on Jehovah´s Witnesses in English
in recent years, "Judgment Day Must Wait" by Poul Bregninge (2013) , the
third edition of "Apocalypse Delayed" by M.J. Penton (2015) and
"Jehovah´s Witnesses Continuity and Change" by George D. Chryssides
(2016). Of these three Penton´s work is by far the best in my view.
When I learned about Chryssides´ book I at once ordered it but did not
expect an excellent work. The reason is that I have a book called
"Sacred Schisms" from 2009 in which Chryssides authored a chapter called
"Finishing the Mystery: the Watch Tower and `the 1917 schism´" (pp.
109-127). The book was very expensive, but since I am writing
extensively on this particular subject I felt I had to check it. I am
sad to say that this chapter by Chryssides is one of the worst and least
scholarly presentations of the subject I have ever come across. It is so
full of error as to be practically worthless. Chryssides had not done
his homework properly and had not studied the rich contemporary source
material.
His fresh book does not show as many mistakes about the 1917-1918
events, but there are still so many errors that one can recommend the
book only with strong reservations . He indicates on pp. 78 and 79 that
Rutherford expressed disquiet about the way in which the Society´s
affairs were organized and that as four of the acting directors had not
been properly elected he appointed four new ones. In actual fact
Rutherford voiced agreement with the existing system already in The
Watch Tower, December 15, 1916. He did not think of making changes until
the four he later replaced indicated that the Society should be run by
the Board of Directors, in harmony with the Charter, and not by
Rutherford alone. He felt he had to act against them as he was not
prepared to step down from his position. He stated in print in the fall
of 1917 that if they had not wanted to limit his authority he would
never had called the legality of their directorships in question. The
board of directors controversy was one of the biggest crisis ever in the
Society, but in his new book Chryssides does not even mention that there
was such a controversy!
On p. 79 he claims that at the election in 1918 Macmillan was elected
vice president while Pierson was elected to the Board. In reality it was
C.H. Anderson who was elected vice president and Pierson did not even
make the board. This mistake is inexcusable as the facts are so easy to
ascertain. Chryssides did better in his description of Paul S.L.
Johnson´s activities in Britain. But there he had at his disposal Albert
Hudson´s excellent book on Bible Students in Britain. Still he made the
wrong statement that Johnson left England on "4 April 1917." Johnson
himself repeatedly stated that he left on April 1, 1917. No early source
says he left on April 4.
On pp. 84 and 86 he says that Johnson was "was one of the vociferous
objectors to the Finished Mystery" and that on July 17, 1917 "when a
copy was left at each person´s place at the breakfast table" Johnson
"started a protest and heated argument continued for some five hours."
There is not much truth in these statements. The Finished Mystery was
surely announced on July 17, 1917, but not at "the breakfast table" but
at the dinner table. The book was not left beforehand at each person´s
place. It was stored on a table in the dining room. Not until Rutherford
had announced that he had replaced four directors did he announce that
the book was there for everyone to get. Not one word about The Finsihed
Mystery was said on this occasion, the dramatic announcement about the
board being a much hotter subject. The entire five-hour commotion was
about the board matter. And while Johnson participated he did not
"start" the protests. Johnson and the directors did later speak out
about the book, but it took quite some time before they did.
Here Chryssides has swallowed the Society´s and his Watchtower friends´
false presentation's hook, line and sinker. The rich contemporary
documentation of both sides cuts the Society´s history presentations to
pieces. The persons who the Society has relied on have had their
memories weakened and changed after several decades in the organization.
Even Mcmillan had a poor memory after so many years.
It is difficult to escape the impression that Chryssides sometimes
accommodates his Witness friends. He does present criticism at times,
but this criticism seems to be imbedded in cotton so as not to hurt his
friends. His bias is sometimes obvious. He challenges Penton´s statement
that Rutherford made a "dramatic doctrinal switch" regarding the
teaching about the Jews. (p. 114) But Penton was 100 per cent correct.
The 1932 change regarding the Jews was a major one, certainly a
"dramatic doctrinal switch." Chryssides does not seem to be aware of the
pro-Jewish position stated in Rutherford´s earlier writings, such as
"Comfort for the Jews" from 1925 and the book "Life" published in 1929.
Neither of these publications is listed in Chryssides´ bibliography .
Also, Chryssides is weak on the Society´s stance on blood. He does not
outline how the Society in 2004 differentiated between forbidden and
allowable blood components. (The Watchtower, June 15, 2004) Since the
Society claims that blood leaving a body belongs to God and is not
permitted for any use whatsoever and is not allowed even to store, the
the fact that certain blood components nevertheless may be viewed as
permissible has to be viewed as hypocrisy. Not surprisingly Chryssides
does not call a spade a spade.
It would be unfair, however, not to admit that Chryssides makes many apt
observations. He treats the Olin Moyle and Carl Olof Jonsson cases
fairly well and he uses the current elder book (2010) which strictly
speaking is confidential material that he is not supposed to have access
to. He informs his readers about the chronology which was shortened by
about 100 years in 1943, and he offers a number of excellent pictures.
So I will keep my copy. The book was so shockingly expensive that it is
doomed to sell poorly.
Rud Persson
Sweden
April 23, 2016
