Education

Jehovah's Witnesses regard secular education as fundamental, but they emphasize their preaching work as the top priority in their life. Therefore, they promote moral and spiritual education over secular education. Higher education is discouraged, based on their belief that it is futile to plan for secular advancement in a world that faces imminent destruction, as well as fears about succumbing to greed, corruption, and materialism. There are concerns that those who seek high education will become distracted from their preaching work by material advancement and success. Because evangelistic activities take priority over educational success, young Witnesses rarely progress to college or university, which Holden describes as a source of regret in subsequent years among those who are raised in the organization and later choose to leave. Watch Tower Society publications advise parents to recommend alternatives to university education for their children, suggesting associate degrees from community or technical colleges or short courses in subjects. They urge young Witnesses to pursue higher education only to gain skills to obtain a reasonable living while maintaining flexibility to pursue their "true" vocation, serving God. Author James Penton's major study of the Witnesses, Apocalypse Delayed, noted that of those Witnesses who do progress to university level, few are likely to take studies in such areas as the humanities and the social sciences, "disciplines that are most threatening to the Witness world-view". According to Carrie S. Ingersoll-Wood, "By eliminating access to external knowledge, the congregation as a whole surrenders autonomy and willingly subjects themselves and their children to the external regulation of the religion."
Jehovah's Witnesses provide religious training programs for their members, focusing on improving skills for their ministry. These include literacy classes, Pioneer Service School, School for Kingdom Evangelizers and Gilead School. Some of these programs are by invitation only.
Category:Education