Watchtower — Modeled after what?

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The Watchtower organization has for decades taught that its Governing Body was modeled after the special apostolic council held at Jerusalem as depicted in Acts Chapter 15.[1]

That early gathering featured a council arriving at a unanimous accord after meeting on equal terms as Christian men. No one member of this council had the ultimate decision-making power. As a model, how does that compare with the historical process of Watchtower’s Governing Body?

Historically Watchtower’s Governing Body rendered decisions as depicted by Fred Franz[2]:

So, the model worked like this:

A body of Christian men on equal terms meeting and discussing issues to a joint decision.

And, historically, Watchtower’s Governing Body[3] did it like this:

A matter may not even go before "the governing body" and even if it did, the President decided; end of story.

So much for the model!

Marvin Shilmer
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References

1. The Watchtower, February 1, 1958, pp. 86-87.

2. Pursuer's Proof Walsh vs. Clyde, Scottish Court of Sessions, Nov. 1954.

3. Watchtower's Governing Body

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