Im Dezember 2023 gab die leitende Körperschaft bekannt, ob ein Bruder einen Bart trägt, 'is a personal decision', die Ernennung zum Ältesten oder Dienstamtgehilfen hänge nicht davon ab, und 'neither the elders nor any other Christian should feel compelled to judge a brother who chooses to wear a beard'.

JW Broadcasting — 2023 Governing Body Update #8, “2023 Governing Body Update #8 (official English subtitles)”

15. Dezember 2023 · Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society

“The Governing Body does not have an issue with brothers wearing beards. Why not? Because the Scriptures do not condemn the wearing of beards. … Thus, whether a brother wears a beard is a personal decision. A brother's qualifications to serve as an elder or ministerial servant are based on his spirituality, not on whether he chooses to wear a beard. … In harmony with Romans 14:4, neither the elders nor any other Christian should feel compelled to judge a brother who chooses to wear a beard.”

Read as an announcement from the Governing Body. The programme also says: 'For some years, based on the conclusions of certain archaeologists, our publications most often portrayed Jesus as clean-shaven. But in 1968, The Watchtower considered more reliable evidence'.

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