Bible Students

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Charles Russell in 1911

The name Bible Students is used by many segments of what has been termed the Bible Student movement, all of whom follow the doctrinal views of Charles Taze Russell.

Following Russell's death in 1916, the movement was divided by a primary schism in 1917, which was also divided by some of its own. These factors directly influenced the leadership of the Watchtower Society to adopt the new name of Jehovah's Witnesses in 1931. Because Bible Students do not use or rely upon a central religious organization, some of these congregations have adopted the generic title Associated Bible Students. Other groups also use names such as the "Free Bible Students", or "New Covenant Bible Students". For some groups of Bible Students, there are different slants on Pastor Russell's doctrinal viewpoints.

In Germany, those affiliated with the Watchtower Society called themselves "Earnest Bible Students" ("Ernste Bibelforscher"), while those who rejected the changes called themselves "Free Bible Students" ("Freie Bibelforscher" - nowadays associated with other independent Bible Students). The 1931 change in name did not catch on very quickly in Germany, and for that reason those persecuted under the Nazi regime from 1933 onwards were referred to as "Bible Students" or "Earnest Bible Students".

In the modern day, the term "Bible Students" generally refers to those who either directly, or historically, have separated themselves from the Watchtower Society. It should be noted that although Jehovah's Witnesses do not use the term for themselves, they still control the International Bible Students Association founded by Pastor Russell.

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