Former member of the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses, Raymond Franz delivers a rare glimpse into the inner workings of the Watch Tower Society. 'synopsis' may belong to another edition of this title.Crisis of Conscience presents the story of a struggle to prevent the erosion of a God-given freedom of conscience and the ensuing dilemma of choosing between loyalty to God and loyalty to one's religion. Presented with sensitivity and compassion, the information at the same time raises very fundamental questions that are both disturbing and conscience-stirring. It allows the reader a view of the decision-making sessions of a religion's inner council, and the powerful, sometimes dramatic, impact their decisions have on people's lives. Those years led to the crisis of conscience which is the theme of this book. As a third-generation member, the author lived the first sixty years of his life among Jehovah's Witnesses, serving in various countries at every level of the organizational structure Of the final years of those sixty, nine were spent on the central executive council, the Governing Body.

Yet that Body's decisions are applicable - and enforceable - toward every Witness on earth.

The discussions of its world Governing Body are totally private. More remarkably, very few Witnesses themselves have any knowledge of the doctine-forming and policy-making processes of their own organization. Yet for most persons the religion remains a near mystery. In countries where they are active, few people have not had contact with the Witnesses as a result of their intense door-to-door activity. When their publishing agency, the Watch Tower Society, puts out a new book the normal initial printing is one million copies. Starting in the 1870's as an independent Bible study group composed of a handful of persons in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Jehovah's Witnesses today number more than four million in some 200 lands.

The same fundamental issues that mark this account, however, could arise within any of the world's religions. The scene of struggle is within the membership of a distinctive religion: Jehovah's Witnesses. The tendency of religious authority to seek to dominate rather than serve, and the struggle of those who wish to prevent the erosion of their God-given freedom of conscience - these form the heart of the very personal and candid account in 'Crisis of Conscience'.

Crisis of conscience by raymond franz