Unmuting the Voice of Strong‐Minded Christians: Bible Student Conscientious Objectors in World War I USA

ABSTRACT Commentaries on the World War I history of the International Bible Students Association (IBSA) in their USA homeland usually feature decisions made by the movement's leadership and their subsequent arrest and prosecution for violating the Espionage Act and interfering with conscription. In so doing, these neglect the enthusiastic support and voices of IBSA adherents. In contrast, Zoe Knox has suggested that the voices of ordinary Bible Students who suffered as a result of their anti‐war convictions also need to be uncovered. This study unmutes the voices of IBSA conscientious objectors (COs) and proposes that their experiences were profoundly significant in shaping the IBSA/Jehovah's Witness peace testimony over the following century.