Watchtower Bible School of Gilead is the formal name of the missionary school of Jehovah's Witnesses, typically referred to simply as Gilead or Gilead School.[1][2] Gilead is the flagship school at the Watchtower Educational Center at Patterson, New York, United States.[3][4][5]
History
In 1942, Nathan H. Knorr, then president of the Watchtower Society, proposed the Watchtower Bible School of Gilead as an opportunity to expand their global preaching efforts.[6] Originally intended as a temporary program,[7] the first class began on February 1, 1943. No tuition was to be charged. Five months later, graduating students began to move out to their assignments in nine Latin-American countries, including Cuba.[8] As early as 1956, graduates were serving "in about a hundred different lands".[9]
Gilead School has held classes at several of the facilities operated by the Watchtower Society:
In 1987, an ancillary 8½ week Bible School for Single Brothers was introduced for single elders and ministerial servants (their term for deacons).[25][26][27] A similar Bible School for Christian Couples was introduced in 2010 for wives to attend with their husbands.[28]
Curriculum and goals
First class of Watchtower Bible School of Gilead in 1943.
Theology lecturer George D. Chryssides writes that the initial Gilead syllabus was "described as the Advanced Course in Theocratic Ministry"; within months the program led to "similar training" in congregations as the Theocratic Ministry School.[29] Female Witnesses could enroll in Gilead school and present talks since its inception in 1943, but could not enroll in congregation schools until 1959.[30][31]
The school is held twice each year and lasts about five months.[32] Students are selected by invitation, and are usually married couples in their thirties who have been involved in missionary work in their home countries for a number of years.[33] After graduation, they are assigned mainly to Africa, South America, Asia and islands in the Pacific Ocean.
Gilead School's main textbook is the Bible. Lectures and student presentations focus on a verse-by-verse study of each book of the Bible, alternating between the Old and New Testaments, which they refer to as the Hebrew and Greek Scriptures. The curriculum is based on Jehovah's Witnesses' New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures, although other reference material, including other Bible translations, is used.[34][35] Students are also taught about changes in culture and language as well as techniques for conducting meetings and Bible classes. Some students receive additional practical training for translation and literature production.[36]
References
^"Happy Climax to 80 Years of Gathering". The Watchtower: 22. 15 April 1986.
^Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of World Religions (1999 edition), page 563
^"Missionaries Encouraged to Be Like Jeremiah", The Watchtower, [he Graduation of the 136th Class of the Watchtower Bible School of Gilead February 15, 2009, page 22]
^"Gilead Graduates Go Forth as Zealous Harvest Workers!", The Watchtower, June 15, 2004, page 25, "Gerrit Lösch, a member of the Governing Body and a graduate of the 41st class of Gilead."
^"Motivated to Serve", The Watchtower, December 15, 2000, page 27, "David Splane, a former missionary and a graduate of the 42nd class of Gilead who is now serving as a member of the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses."
^"Graduating Students of the Word of God", The Watchtower, June 1, 1997, page 30, "Lloyd Barry, also of the Governing Body, was a graduate of the 11th class of Gilead and served as a missionary in Japan for over 25 years."
^"New Members of the Governing Body", The Watchtower, November 15, 1977, page 680, "The new members of the Governing Body [include] Martin Poetzinger of the Federal Republic of Germany. ... Martin Poetzinger entered the Kingdom service in 1926 and entered pioneer service in 1930. He is a graduate of the Watchtower Bible School of Gilead."
^"Gilead Graduates Urged to Cultivate Good Communication Skills", The Watchtower, June 1, 1990, page 26, "C. W. Barber, also a member of the Governing Body and himself a graduate of Gilead's 26th class, briefly discussed."
^"Gilead Graduates Go Forth as Zealous Harvest Workers!", The Watchtower, June 15, 2004, page 25, "Theodore Jaracz, a member of the Governing Body and a graduate of the seventh class of Gilead..."
^"Introduction", Historical Dictionary of Jehovah's Witnesses by George D. Chryssides, Rowman & Littlefield, 2008, Page lvii
^“Jehovah Is My Strength”, The Watchtower, October 15, 2008, page 18, "At that time [1951], sisters were not yet enrolled in the Theocratic Ministry School in the local congregations, but at Gilead we sisters received assignments to give student talks and reports."
^"Divine Will International Assembly of Jehovah’s Witnesses", The Watchtower, February 15, 1959, page 120, "[1958 conventions announced that] from the beginning of 1959, sisters in the congregations were to be privileged to enroll in the weekly Theocratic Ministry School."
^"Jehovah's Witnesses—Proclaimers of God's Kingdom", 1993, chap. 23 p. 523
^"Be Joyful With the Kingdom Hope!", The Watchtower, June 15, 2001, page 26, "The main textbook is the Bible. And then we have Bible study aids to help us understand the Bible. Those are available to all. There is no secret information dispensed at Gilead."
