BACKGROUND FOR THE APPEARANCE OF THE PERIODICAL PUBLICATION "THE WATCHTOWER"

Abstract

B a c k g r o u n d . The article examines the prerequisites for the emergence of the Watchtower magazine, which has been regularly published for more than a century, and today disseminates the teachings of the religious organization of Jehovah's Witnesses in hundreds of languages with millions of copies. In particular, the study traces the period of spiritual growth and development of Charles Taze Russell as an independent religious figure and the founder of this now recognizable periodical.

M e t h o d s . To achieve the results of the research, the following scientific methods were applied: historical, casual, comparative and biographical.

R e s u l t s . It is determined that the beginning of the break in the harmonious cooperation of the editors of the "Herald of Morning", Nelson Barbour and Charles Russell, was disappointment in the expected ascension of the faithful to heaven in the spring of 1878. It was found that Charles Russell explained the disappointment experienced by the fact that the ascension should not be perceived as a momentary event, but as a long process. It is established that Nelson Barbour disagreed with Russell's interpretation, and the conflict between them subsequently manifested itself regarding the classical Protestant doctrine of "Substitutionary Ransom." Nelson Barbour declared the idea of Substitution to be unbiblical, and Charles Russell considered this doctrine to be perhaps the most important concept, the foundation of the Christian faith. It has been established that one of the expressions of the conflict between them was the opposing assessments of the holding of the Prophetic Conference on the topic of the premillennial view of the second coming of Christ. Subsequently, Charles Russell realized the need to create a separate periodical. This act escalated into Nelson Barbour's open accusations against his younger colleague.

C o n c l u s i o n s . All of these events tested Charles Russell's religious faith and led to his rise as an independent religious leader and the publication of The Watchtower. It is noted that in this conflict Russell showed the strength of his religious beliefs and respect for his older colleague. It was also in these events that his religious identity was crystallized. And, despite the fact that the views of Charles Russell were quite different from the beliefs of traditional Protestant churches in the United States, the Watchtower periodical emphasized the importance of the doctrine of Substitution as a central point of the Christian faith.