Gilead school
Encyclopedia
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. Gilead is the flagship school at the Watchtower Educational Center at Patterson, New York
, USA.
, and saw an opportunity to expand their global preaching efforts. In 1942, at the height of the war, Nathan H. Knorr, then president of the Watchtower Society, proposed the establishment of Watchtower Bible School of Gilead. 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. As early as 1956, graduates were serving "in about a hundred different lands".
Originally founded as a temporary program, Gilead School has held classes at several of the facilities operated by the Watchtower Society:
Gilead has trained over 120 classes since 1943. In 2008, Gilead School surpassed 8000 alumni. Some Gilead graduates have remained in foreign missionary assignments for decades, others eventually served as traveling overseers, translators, or branch staff; some may be appointed as "special pioneers" if they serve in their home country. Encyclopædia Britannica
notes that Gilead was intended to train "missionaries and leaders"; two current members of the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses are Gilead graduates, as were four deceased members.
The graduation of each semi-annual Gilead class is a significant event, which may be attended by much of the United States branch staff as well as invited guests from dozens of countries; audiences typically surpass 6000.
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. Female Witnesses could enroll in Gilead school and present talks since its inception in 1943, but could not enroll in congregation schools until 1959.
The school is held twice each year and lasts about five months. 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. 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 of 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 the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures published by the Watchtower Society, although other reference material, including other Bible translations are used. Students are prepared for missionary work in foreign lands. They learn how to cope with 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.
Rather than the provision of material needs such as hospitals, refugee centers, and orphanages, their missionary work focuses on preaching, with emphasis on their belief that the only permanent solution to mankind's problems is God's Kingdom
.
s). The curriculum includes detailed Bible study, public speaking skills, teaching, preaching and organizational arrangements.
The course is held in various languages and in many countries, and the course duration is shorter than that of Gilead. Since its establishment until 2004, 999 classes of the Ministerial Training School were held, training 22,000 students.
Graduates of the school are generally assigned to their home congregations for a time, but are often offered the opportunity to serve in a more needy congregation or area, as and when the need arises. Usually this is in their home country but can sometimes be abroad. They are sometimes used in the capacity of circuit overseers, assigned to help groups of congregations.
Jehovah's Witnesses
Jehovah's Witnesses is a millenarian restorationist Christian denomination with nontrinitarian beliefs distinct from mainstream Christianity. The religion reports worldwide membership of over 7 million adherents involved in evangelism, convention attendance of over 12 million, and annual...
, typically referred to simply as Gilead or Gilead School. Gilead is the flagship school at the Watchtower Educational Center at Patterson, New York
Patterson, New York
Patterson is a town in Putnam County, New York, United States. The town is in the northeast part of the county. Interstate 84 passes through the southwest part of the town. The population was 11,306 at the 2000 census. The town is named after early farmer Matthew Paterson...
, USA.
History
Based on their interpretation of Revelation 17:8, Witnesses anticipated a period of peace after World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, and saw an opportunity to expand their global preaching efforts. In 1942, at the height of the war, Nathan H. Knorr, then president of the Watchtower Society, proposed the establishment of Watchtower Bible School of Gilead. 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. As early as 1956, graduates were serving "in about a hundred different lands".
Originally founded as a temporary program, Gilead School has held classes at several of the facilities operated by the Watchtower Society:
- Kingdom Farm in South Lansing, New YorkLansing (town), New YorkLansing is a town in Tompkins County, New York, United States. The population was 10,521 at the 2000 census. The town is named after John Lansing. Settlers from Lansing were early residents of the then-township of Lansing, Michigan and named it after their hometown; it would later become a city...
from 1943 to 1960 - Watch Tower Society headquarters in Brooklyn, New York from 1961 to 1988
- Watchtower Farms in Wallkill, New YorkWallkill, Ulster County, New YorkWallkill is a hamlet , generally identified as coterminous with ZIP code 12589, telephone exchange 895 in the 845 area code and most of the Wallkill Central School District located mostly in the eastern half of the Town of Shawangunk, Ulster County, New York but partly spilling over into adjacent...
from 1988 to 1995; and - Watchtower Educational Center in Patterson, New YorkPatterson, New YorkPatterson is a town in Putnam County, New York, United States. The town is in the northeast part of the county. Interstate 84 passes through the southwest part of the town. The population was 11,306 at the 2000 census. The town is named after early farmer Matthew Paterson...
since 1995.
Gilead has trained over 120 classes since 1943. In 2008, Gilead School surpassed 8000 alumni. Some Gilead graduates have remained in foreign missionary assignments for decades, others eventually served as traveling overseers, translators, or branch staff; some may be appointed as "special pioneers" if they serve in their home country. Encyclopædia Britannica
Encyclopædia Britannica
The Encyclopædia Britannica , published by Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., is a general knowledge English-language encyclopaedia that is available in print, as a DVD, and on the Internet. It is written and continuously updated by about 100 full-time editors and more than 4,000 expert...
notes that Gilead was intended to train "missionaries and leaders"; two current members of the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses are Gilead graduates, as were four deceased members.
The graduation of each semi-annual Gilead class is a significant event, which may be attended by much of the United States branch staff as well as invited guests from dozens of countries; audiences typically surpass 6000.
Curriculum and goals
Theology lecturer George D. ChryssidesGeorge D. Chryssides
Dr George D. Chryssides was a senior lecturer and Head of Religious Studies at the School of Humanities, Languages and Social Sciences of the University of Wolverhampton now working for Birmingham University....
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. Female Witnesses could enroll in Gilead school and present talks since its inception in 1943, but could not enroll in congregation schools until 1959.
The school is held twice each year and lasts about five months. 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. After graduation, they are assigned mainly to Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
, South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
, Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
and islands in the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
.
Gilead School's main textbook is the Bible. Lectures and student presentations focus on a verse-by-verse study of each of 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 the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures published by the Watchtower Society, although other reference material, including other Bible translations are used. Students are prepared for missionary work in foreign lands. They learn how to cope with 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.
Rather than the provision of material needs such as hospitals, refugee centers, and orphanages, their missionary work focuses on preaching, with emphasis on their belief that the only permanent solution to mankind's problems is God's Kingdom
Kingdom of God
The Kingdom of God or Kingdom of Heaven is a foundational concept in the Abrahamic religions: Judaism, Christianity and Islam.The term "Kingdom of God" is found in all four canonical gospels and in the Pauline epistles...
.
Languages other than English
The entire curriculum at Watchtower Bible School of Gilead is presented in English. Beginning in 1980, occasional extensions to Gilead were established in Germany (called "Gilead Extension School") and in Mexico (called "Gilead Cultural School of Mexico") to provide training to student missionaries speaking German and Spanish. Occasional extensions to Gilead have also been taught in India.Bible School for Single Brothers
The Bible School for Single Brothers, originally known as the Ministerial Training School and established in 1987, is considered an extension of the Gilead School. It comprises an 8½ week Bible-based educational program for single elders and ministerial servants (their term for deaconDeacon
Deacon is a ministry in the Christian Church that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions...
s). The curriculum includes detailed Bible study, public speaking skills, teaching, preaching and organizational arrangements.
The course is held in various languages and in many countries, and the course duration is shorter than that of Gilead. Since its establishment until 2004, 999 classes of the Ministerial Training School were held, training 22,000 students.
Graduates of the school are generally assigned to their home congregations for a time, but are often offered the opportunity to serve in a more needy congregation or area, as and when the need arises. Usually this is in their home country but can sometimes be abroad. They are sometimes used in the capacity of circuit overseers, assigned to help groups of congregations.