Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses - Relationship With "faithful and Discreet Slave"

Relationship With "faithful and Discreet Slave"

Until late 2012, the Governing Body described itself as the representative and "spokesman" for God's "faithful and discreet slave class" (the approximately 11,800 remaining anointed Jehovah's Witnesses) who are collectively said to be God's "prophet" and "channel for new spiritual light". At the 2012 Annual Meeting of the Watch Tower Society, the "faithful and discreet slave" was defined as referring to the Governing Body only and the terms are now synonymous. The Governing Body is said to provide "spiritual food" for Jehovah's Witnesses worldwide.

The Governing Body does not consult with other anointed Witnesses when formulating policy and doctrines or approving material for publications and conventions, and interprets the authority exercised by the older men of Jerusalem in cases such as the first-century circumcision issue as validation for its authority. In 2009, The Watchtower indicated that the dissemination of "new spiritual light" is the responsibility of only "a limited number" of the "slave class", asking: "Are all these anointed ones throughout the earth part of a global network that is somehow involved in revealing new spiritual truths? No." In 2010 the society explained that "deep truths" were discerned by "responsible representatives" of the "faithful and discreet slave class" at the religion's headquarters; those views are then considered by the entire Governing Body before it makes doctrinal decisions. In August 2011, the Governing Body cast doubt on other members' claims of being anointed, stating that "A number of factors—including past religious beliefs or even mental or emotional imbalance—might cause some to assume mistakenly that they have the heavenly calling." The Governing Body also stated that "we have no way of knowing the exact number of anointed ones on earth; nor do we need to know", and that it "does not maintain a global network of anointed ones."

The vast majority of Witnesses who profess to be anointed have no authority to contribute to the development or change of doctrines. Anointed Witnesses are instructed to remain modest and avoid "wildly speculating about things that are still unclear," instead waiting for God to reveal his purposes in The Watchtower.