I recently met in the street a JW who I like to talk to and he told me that the teaching on the treatment of those who have been disfellowshipped has changed. They are now not so ostracised as they once were; at least that is my current understanding.
So my questions are:
Thanks
[For readers to better understand some terms I will be using, I have supplied the definitions and sources for these. I have also changed the order of the questions originally asked to provide a better flow of information.]
Definitions:
In short, the change deals with how cases of wrongdoing are handled within the congregation.
If a baptized member of the congregation committed a serious sin and was unrepentant of their actions, a judicial committee of elders could come to the decision that the individual needed to be disfellowshipped. Afterward, the elders would explain what the person needs to do to be reinstated as a congregation member. After this, the elders would periodically (usually once a year) check on the individual to see if there was a change in their attitude. No other efforts would be made to assist them.
At a subsequent meeting, a brief announcement would be made to the congregation stating that the named individual was no longer a member of Jehovah's Witnesses. Congregation members are admonished to not socialize or speak with this person. This is based on 1 Corinthians 5:11 and 2 John 9-11.
On March 15, 2024, the video titled "2024 Governing Body Update #2" was presented by Mark Sanderson which discusses "some new information regarding the way we'll handle cases of wrongdoing in the Christian congregation." Starting at timestamp 4:00, Sanderson begins discussing a clearer understanding of three scriptures.
24 For a slave of the Lord does not need to fight, but needs to be gentle toward all, qualified to teach, showing restraint when wronged, 25 instructing with mildness those not favorably disposed. Perhaps God may give them repentance leading to an accurate knowledge of truth, [bold mine]
Sanderson focuses on the phrase "those not favorably disposed" and references the study note for verse 25 which says "Paul uses a Greek word that in this context refers to people who resist Christian teachings or who place themselves in opposition to them." The modern-day application "could include brothers and sisters in the congregation who disregard Scriptural counsel and become involved in serious wrongdoing." Another study note for verse 25 states "When a Christian elder mildly corrects or instructs 'those not favorably disposed,' the good result may be repentance, or 'a change of mind.'" Previously, the elders would meet with the individual only once. "However, the Governing Body has decided that the committee may decide to meet with the person more than once. Why? At Revelation 2:21, regarding "that woman Jezebel," Jesus said: "I gave her time to repent."" So while the wrongdoer is removed from the congregation, the elders are to encourage the person to repent.
while God judges those outside? "Remove the wicked person from among yourselves." [bold mine]
While the Bible is clear on what is to be done with the wrongdoer, they "won't be left hopeless. The committee will not simply explain what steps he can take to be welcomed back into the congregation. What else will they do? The elders will explain that they'd like to meet with the individual again after a few months to see if he's had a change of heart. If the individual is willing to meet, the elders will make a warm appeal for him to repent and return." Previously, it was up to the individual to initiate any return to the congregation. Now, in imitation of Jehovah's mercy, the elders will try to help as many as possible to let wrongdoers know they can return.
Sanderson reminds us of the counsel at 1 Corinthians 5:11 that "we don't socialize with those who are removed from the congregation. However, that does not mean that a Christian could not invite a disfellowshipped person to attend a congregation meeting. That disfellowshipped person could be a relative, a former Bible student, or someone we were close to in the past."
9 Everyone who pushes ahead and does not remain in the teaching of the Christ does not have God. The one who does remain in this teaching is the one who has both the Father and the Son. 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your homes or say a greeting to him. 11 For the one who says a greeting to him is a sharer in his wicked works. [bold mine]
Sanderson brings out, "In examining the context of those verses, the Governing Body has concluded that the apostle John was really describing apostates and others who actively promoted wrong conduct. For good reason, John strongly directed Christians not even to greet such a person because of his contaminating influence. Therefore, if a disfellowshipped individual is a known apostate or someone who actively promotes wrongdoing, the elders would not visit him. Neither would individual Christians greet such a person or invite him to attend a congregation meeting."
In addition to this video, the August 2024 Watchtower—Study Edition contains a series of articles that will be studied from October 7–November 10, 2024. The last article "Help for Those Who Are Removed From the Congregation" covers the same information as the video but with more detail and scriptural support.
From time to time, the Governing Body will review topics for a better understanding of Jehovah's ways. One of the recent topics was Jehovah's mercy and how it is seen in previous accounts in the Bible. As mentioned at the beginning of the video, Sanderson mentions that the Governing Body in "prayerful study, meditation, and discussions, we've focused our attention on how Jehovah has dealt with people who engaged in serious sin."
[All scripture quotations from the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (Study Edition)]
Further to the excellent answer provided by Agarza explaining the changes that now take effect regarding the treatment of disfellowshipped Witnesses, this article published August 2024, and to be studied in Kingdom Halls in October this year, specifically deals with your main question. Here is a summary of some of the main points.
Paragraphs 10 and 11 discuss how the elders may reinstate Witnesses who were disfellowshipped in the past but who no longer practice the sin for which they were removed from the congregation and who wish to return.
When a sinner manifests repentance and abandons his wrong course, he can be reinstated without delay.—2 Cor. 2:6-8.
Caution must be exercised if a person was guilty of child abuse or apostasy or if he schemed to end a marriage. Apostasy is when a baptised Witnesses openly disagrees with the teachings of the organisation and who speaks out against them. Fidelity within a marriage and morality are also viewed (rightly) as essential. True repentance and evidence that a wrong course has been abandoned must be manifest before the elders could reinstate such persons.
Perhaps the most significant change is to be found in paragraph 14:
14 Does what we have considered mean that we would completely ignore a person who has been removed from the congregation? Not necessarily. Certainly, we would not socialize with him. But Christians can use their Bible-trained conscience in deciding whether to invite a person who was removed from the congregation—perhaps a relative or someone they were close to previously—to attend a congregation meeting. What if he attends? In the past, we would not greet such a person. Here again, each Christian needs to use his Bible-trained conscience in this matter. Some may feel comfortable with greeting or welcoming the person to the meeting. However, we would not have an extended conversation or socialize with the individual.
Christians can use their Bible-trained conscience when deciding whether to invite a person who has been removed from the congregation to a meeting or to welcome the individual to the meeting with a simple greeting.
Previously, any member who was disfellowshipped for immorality, apostasy or being found guilty of child abuse, would be totally shunned, not only by the congregation but by their own family. This change shows a real softening of attitudes from the leaders.
The exception to this relaxation of the rules does not apply to apostates and those who actively promote wrong conduct:
Therefore, if a person is actively promoting apostate teachings or other wrongdoing, the elders would not arrange to visit him. Of course, there is hope that he will come to his senses. Until that happens, though, we would neither greet such a person nor invite him to attend a congregation meeting.
We will no longer refer to such ones as being disfellowshipped. In harmony with Paul’s words recorded at 1 Corinthians 5:13, we will now refer to them as being removed from the congregation.
According to the Bible, an unforgivable sin is not a particular type of sin but a sin that is committed with a hardened attitude that is permanently opposed to God. Whether a person has committed such a sin is not for us to judge.
Apart from the Watchtower Study Article 35 (above) I found an older official source from Insight on the Scriptures This answers your question about the previous teachings:
Some of the offenses that could merit disfellowshipping from the Christian congregation are fornication, adultery, homosexuality, greed, extortion, thievery, lying, drunkenness, reviling, spiritism, murder, idolatry, apostasy, and the causing of divisions in the congregation. (1Co 5:9-13; 6:9, 10; Tit 3:10, 11; Re 21:8) Mercifully, one promoting a sect is warned a first and a second time before such disfellowshipping action is taken against him. In the Christian congregation, the principle enunciated in the Law applies, namely, that two or three witnesses must establish evidence against the accused one. (1Ti 5:19) Those who have been convicted of a practice of sin are reproved Scripturally before the “onlookers,” for example, those who testified concerning the sinful conduct, so that they too may all have a healthy fear of such sin.—1Ti 5:20; see REPROOF.
The Christian congregation is also admonished by Scripture to stop socializing with those who are disorderly and not walking correctly but who are not deemed deserving of complete expulsion. Paul wrote the Thessalonian congregation concerning such: “Stop associating with him, that he may become ashamed. And yet do not be considering him as an enemy, but continue admonishing him as a brother.”—2Th 3:6, 11, 13-15.
However, regarding any who were Christians but later repudiated the Christian congregation or were expelled from it, the apostle Paul commanded: “Quit mixing in company with” such a one; and the apostle John wrote: “Never receive him into your homes or say a greeting to him.”—1Co 5:11; 2Jo 9, 10.
Those who have been expelled may be received back into the congregation if they manifest sincere repentance. (2Co 2:5-8) This also is a protection to the congregation, preventing it from being overreached by Satan in swinging from condoning wrongdoing to the other extreme, becoming harsh and unforgiving.—2Co 2:10, 11.
Your final question on what may have precipitated the changes, may be answered in this article
There is also the fact that global % growth has diminished over the past decade (from 2.4% in 2011 to 1.3% in 2023) and that in some countries, growth has been negative. In 2020 there was a global decrease of 0.6% and a decrease of 3% in the U.K. alone. I do not wish to speculate or be uncharitable, but I have access to statistics from previous Annual Year Books to verify this.
A less harsh approach to disfellowshipping and shunning is only to be welcomed.
I don't know if this is an official statistic from the 2024 Service Year Report but there has been a 43% increase in "those who returned to Jehovah" which suggests that this less harsh approach is having positive results.
For the latest statistics from the 2024 worldwide service year report, please see the comments (below) from Kristopher.
