Since 1876, Jehovah’s Witnesses have believed that they're residing within the final days of the current international. Charles T. Russell, their founder, recommended his fans that individuals of Christ’s church will be raptured in 1878, and through 1914 Christ might break the countries and determine his state on the earth. the 1st prophecy used to be now not fulfilled, however the outbreak of the 1st international warfare lent a few credibility to the second one. Ever on account that that point, Jehovah’s Witnesses were predicting that the realm could finish “shortly.” Their numbers have grown to many thousands in over 200 nations. They distribute 1000000000 items of literature every year, and proceed to count on the tip of the world.

For virtually thirty years, M. James Penton’s Apocalypse Delayed has been the definitive scholarly examine of this spiritual move. As a former member of the sect, Penton deals a finished evaluation of the Jehovah's Witnesses. His publication is split into 3 elements, each one proposing the Witnesses’ tale in a special context: ancient, doctrinal, and sociological. a number of the matters he discusses are identified to most of the people, equivalent to the sect’s competition to army carrier and blood transfusions. Others contain inner controversies, together with political regulate of the association and the dealing with of dissent in the ranks.

Thoroughly revised, the 3rd version of Penton’s vintage textual content contains monstrous new info at the assets of Russell’s theology and at the church’s early leaders, in addition to assurance of significant advancements in the sect because the moment version used to be released fifteen years ago.