I. Group Profile

1. Name: Worldwide Church of God

2. Founder: Herbert W. Armstrong

3. Date of Birth/Death: Born 1892, Died January 1986

4. Birth Place: Des Moines, Iowa

5. Year Founded: 1934

6. Sacred or Revered Texts: The Bible , Old and New Testaments

7. Cult or Sect: Negative sentiments are typically implied when the concepts "cult" and "sect" are employed in popular discourse. Since the Religious Movements Homepage seeks to promote religious tolerance and appreciation of the positive benefits of pluralism and religious diversity in human cultures, we encourage the use of alternative concepts that do not carry implicit negative stereotypes. For a more detailed discussion of both scholarly and popular usage of the concepts "cult" and "sect," please visit our Conceptualizing "Cult" and "Sect" page, where you will find additional links to related issues.

8. Size of Group: approximately 700 congregations; 750,000 members worldwide. 1

II. History

The very beginnings: Armstrong and the rise of a church

Born in Iowa to Quaker parents, Armstrong moved to Oregon with his wife Loma in 1924. While he was pursuing a career in the advertising business, Loma encountered a Seventh Day Adventist Bible student who encouraged her to subscribe to the belief that Saturday was the proper day for Christians to keep Sabbath, and not the traditional Sunday.

Certain that his wife's new belief was scripturally incorrect, Armstrong set out to disprove the claim by studying the Bible and finding evidence against such a proposition. Through his rigorous study, however, Armstrong came to several conclusions,one of which was that his wife had been Biblically correct inher belief about the Saturday Sabbath 2 .

Through his Bible study, Armstrong instead became convinced of the validity of Saturday worship and subsequently underwent a conversion period where he gained faith in Jesus Christ and in God. He was baptized by a Baptist minister in 1927, but felt convinced that he had not yet found "the one true church." Soon after, though, he became associated with the Church of God, the oldest branch of the Church of God (Seventh Day) , an Adventist group that believed in the Saturday Sabbath. He was ordained as a preacher and spoke to several of the small congregations regularly.He began leading the Oregon Conference of the Churchof God that had recently formed, from which the makings of his independent ministry would first arise when the Church of God fractioned in 1933 3 .

Disagreements about the observance of feast days and about interpretations of the Old Testament prompted the split in the Church of God. Armstrong supported and eventually moved to Salem, Oregon with the group in favor of celebrating Old Testament feast days. Seventy members of this minority faction formed the Church of God (Seventh Day) in the area. Shortly after, however, the church began to de-emphasizethe importance of the Old Testament, which led Armstrong to leave and begin his own ministry 4 .

Radio and revelation: ascension of the church

Armstrong's new religious movement beganwith the innovation of his radio broadcast, "The RadioChurch of God" in Eugene, Oregon. The year after, he issued the first copy of The Plain Truth , which was circulated to about 160. Armstrong advocated that traditional Christain churches were false and taught incorrect doctrine, but that he had the truth to share with the world 5 .

In 1947 Armstrong moved the ministry, which had grown along the Pacific Coast, to Southern California. Membership continued to climb as the radio show was expanded and Ambassador College, a small school to train leaders for the church, was opened in Pasadena. In 1968 the name of the church was changed from "The Radio Church of God" to the "Worldwide Church of God" 6 .

Times of turmoil: conflicts and loss

Years of increasing membership, revenue and success would halt suddenly in the 1970's, however. Problems first beganin 1972 when predictions of worldwide turmoil forecast by the church failed to occur, leaving some members with doubtas to the the legitimacy of the faith 7 . An even larger disaster would materialize two years later with the charge that Armstrong's son and instrumental leader in the church, Garner Ted, had engaged in sexual improprieties. A number of ministers resigned and began independent churches. In 1978 Garner Ted, whose problems had been antagonized by conflictswith Stanley Rader, the man who managed most church business, left with a few thousand members to form the Church of God International 8 (see: Controversies ).

Rebirth: new leadership and doctrine change

Armstrong died several years later in 1986, leaving the church in the hands of his appointed successor, Joseph W. Tkach, Sr.Before his death, however, Tkach claims Armstrong confessed a concern that some of the doctrines he taught the ministry may not have been correct ones, and he urged Tkach to examine theBible for the answers 9 . Tkach's claim of Armstrong's deathbed admission was the basis for his re- examination of church doctrine.A number of church members had doubts, though, as to whether Armstrongtruly did make such a confession to Tkach, and these doubts have prompted many members to leave the church since Tkach's instatement as Pastor General.

Soon after Tkach assumed leadership of the church, he began a review of the Statement of Beliefs in order to explore church doctrine. Upon concluding that many teachings of Armstrong could not be proven from Scripture, Tkach to make minor doctrinal changes in 1988. These changes allowed members to see doctors, take medicines, observe birthdays and wear cosmetics. There were many members who were distressed with the changes, however, and a group of 3,000 left to form the Philadelphia Church of God to preserve Armstrong's doctrines 10 .

As these changes came to pass, the ministry was torn at its seams,with thousands leaving the church and income steadily declining. Membership dropped from a reported 98,532 worldwide to 75,000 in 1997. Numerous schisms occurred within the church; these breaks are outlined in an appendix to Joseph Tkach Jr.'s most recent book, Transformed by Truth 11 .In early 1995 hundreds of ministers and 12,000 members left to form the United Church of God. Joseph Tkach Sr. died the same year, leaving his son Joseph as his designated successor 12 .

Currently

With its new ideology, the WCG is more accepted by the Christian community, and by evangelical churches, although the ministry is about half the size it used to be. In 1997 the church was acceptedas a member of the National Association of Evangelicals 13 . Joseph Tkach Jr. , the son of Armstrong's successor, leads the church as Pastor General and Chief Administrative Officer.

III. Beliefs of the Group

Beliefs and Doctrine under Armstrong

While studying the Bible, Armstrong claimed three revelations that formed the basis of his conversion and down the road,the cornerstones of his WCG ministry. These revelations were that:(1) God is Creator , (2) the Bible is true , and (3) the Bible does not change the Sabbath to Sunday .

These conclusions prompted Armstrong to view traditional Christian teachings as false and untrue. Armstrong placed an emphasis on scripture, especially on the Old Testament, which he felt had been wrongly dismissed by most Christian faiths 14 .

Divine Origins of the "True" Church
According to Armstrong, Christ and his original apostles preached the true word of God on Earth for two 19-year time cycles.In AD 69, however, a military siege against Jerusalem forced the believers of this Gospel to flee and in their place, the "ministers of Satan" stood, who would preach a false gospel for the next 18 and a half centuries. Armstrong refers to the 12thchapter of Revelation in which two churches are described: a powerful universal church whose doctrines and beliefs are part of the world, and a true church referredto as the "Little Flock." This first church, Armstrong taught, is the sum of the Catholic church and its Protestant"daughters," while the true church is the Worldwide Church of God 15 . Armstrong has prophesied that Christ has set asideagain two 19-year cycles for the preaching of histrue Word.

British-Israelism
Armstrong placed the idea of British-Israelism, that present-day Anglo-Saxons are the true descendents of the ancient Israelites, at the center of his religious teachings. However, this theory originated not with the WCG, but in the late eighteenth century with Richard Brothers, a Canadian visionary, and has since been incorporated into several religions, including the Church of God (Seventh Day) 16 . Armstrong'sassociation with this group as a minister before he began his own ministry explains the incorporation of British-Israelism into the Worldwide Church of God. Under this belief, Jews are associated with the house of Judah,and are therefore not entitled to the lands and riches promised in Scripture to the Israelites. Instead, England is believed to be the throne of David, and its people, the Anglo-Saxons,are afforded this right 17 .

Prophesies
Armstrong prophesied that Great Britain and the United States would be struck suddenly by tragedies, including droughts and famine that would claim a third of their populations. This would trigger a third World War in which the U.S. and Britain would face defeat by a Holy Roman Empire, causing the death or enslavement of an additional two-thirds of their populations. Communist hordes were then predicted to triumph over the Holy Roman Empire, and after their victory, Jesus Christ was toreturn to reign over the earth. At this time, faithful WCG members would be admitted to God status (see Divinity of Man ). These occurrences were originally predicted to begin in the 1930's,but after the decade came and went without the prophecies being fulfilled, Armstrong again evaluated the Scriptures and re-set the year at 1972. He later denied having set either of the dates, however 18 .

Denial of the Trinity
Armstrong shunned the view of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit asa force of three persons in one, favoring an anti-trinitarian "family" of Gods into which humans may be born. The Holy Spirit, rather than a third person of God, is representative of the divineand spiritual love of God. According to Armstrong, the trinity erred in limitingGod to three beings, because individuals, through rigorous study and faith, could become Gods, as well 19 (see Divinity of Man ).

Divinity of Man
Individuals are born as sons of God, but through study of, and life application of God's word, the faithful can grow closer and closerspiritually to God. The resurrection allows followers to be changed from mortal to immortal beings and to actually become God. There is a similar belief in Mormonismthat followers may be admitted to a God family as a member 20 .

Resurrection and New Birth
The faithful are begotten of God, but they will not actually be born of God until the Second Coming of Christ (see Prophecies ). At this time, the life and nature and immortal spiritof God will enter into their bodies and render them a member of God's family 21 .

Jesus Christ
Unlike traditional Christian teachings, Armstrong asserted that Jesus was a human like any other, with human natures, desires, and lusts. The only difference between Jesus and other human beings is that he was conceived of the Holy Spirit and that he always acted in accordance with God's wishes, despite a human nature that might tempt him otherwise. Therefore, Jesus sets the perfect example of a person for us. Dying as a person, he was the only human to have ever been saved. According to Armstrong, he was resurrected as a Spirit, an idea that also contrasts accordance with most Christian religions, which teach that Jesus was raised from the dead in his physical, not spiritual, form 22 .

Salvation by Grace
The dying of Christ is believed to clear people of past sins, but his death does not automaticallysave individuals today. Instead, people are saved by Christ's life and by his example. To be among the saved given the gift of immortality, followers must develop spiritually and obey the commandments of God 23 . Armstrong was very critical of the emphasis placed by Protestant Christianity on salvation by faith alone. Rather, he preached, "the whole of ceremonial law must be kept to the very letter," a viewpoint that explains Armstrong's strict adherence to the Old testament legal code 24

Nature of Man and of the World
Man is believed to have been created by God with a mind that has desires opposing to his laws. Armstrong's view of the world is of one that is "mentally, morally and spiritually sick, filled with heartache, frustration, etc..." Science, technology, and education are evils that do nothing to help alleviate this state the world is in 25 .

Old Testament Practices
With a strict interpretation of the covenant laws in the Old Testament, Armstrong forbid church members to engage inthe celebration traditional Christian holidays like Easter, the consumption of certain meats, and any type of politics or military service. Keeping the Saturday Sabbath was essential to the faith;Armstrong viewed this as the "test commandment" that set true Christians aside 26 . In addition, major Jewish holidays were observed and threetithes were taken. The First Tithe, comprising a tenth of one's earnings, was used in financing church administration, publishing, and education. The Second Tithe was collected to help maintain family and personal spiritual growth. The Third Tithe, collected twice every seven years, went to a specific charity 27 .

Modern Medicines and Health
The use of drugs, vaccines, and other modern medicines were strictly prohibited by Armstrong. Physical illnessis viewed as a sin, and since only God can remove sins, only the healing power of God should affect physical disease. Armstrong advocated a strict diet/exercise/sleep regimen that was supposed to keep people free of illness 28 .

Marriage and Divorce
A married couple can never obtain a scriptural divorce if their marriage was a valid one. Any valid marriages ended in divorce are viewed as adulterous. Strict dating rules prohibiting physicality of any sort also existed under Armstrong's leadership 29 .

Current Beliefs under Tkach

With the appointment of Joseph Tkach, Sr. as the Pastor General to succeed Armstrong after his death, the WCG unknowingly prepared itself for the onset of many changes in established church doctrine. TheWCG today adheres to a largely traditional Evangelical Christian view on most spiritual and doctrine matters. A comprehensive statement of beliefs advanced by the Worldwide Church of God is located here .

Tkach's review of the church's Statement of Beliefs in 1987 prompted a series of doctrinal alterations, including the acceptance of the Trinity and of the Holy Spirit's divinity, and the admission that humans are not born again as Gods, as Armstrong preached. Medicinal and cosmetic use, and the observance of holidays long-pronounced by Armstrong as pagan, such as birthdays, Christmas,and Easter, were proclaimed permissible 30 .The biggest change came in December of 1994, when Tkach announced that members were no longer required to keepthe covenant laws of the Old Testament, including the weekly andannual Sabbaths, the tithes, and the avoidance of pork, shrimpand other meats. This dismissal of a cornerstone of Armstrong'sdoctrine represented a migration nearer to the position of traditional Christian denominations and further away from the teachings of Armstrong 31 .

Current WCG beliefs are similar to most Evangelical church teachings. Jesus Christ is believed to be the head of the church,born of the Virgin Mary as the Son of God sent to save the world from sin 32 . Through his death and resurrection, He is believed to have reopened the gates of heaven closed by the sin of Adam and Eve inthe Garden of Eden. The church preaches that faith in the Lord Jesus Christ assures an everlasting life, as all will be judged before God upon death. Those with disbelief are said to be condemned forever to the depths of hell, where the Devil, a fallen cherub, wages an ongoing war against God and the forces of good 33 . The church believes, however, that the there is a provision in this Judgement Day for the unevangelized, in which many will have the opportunity to respond with faith to Jesus Christ and be saved 34 .

The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit comprise the onedivine being of God in three distinct persons. The Holy Spirit, which dwells in everyone, leads Christians to a life of devotion, faith and obedience to God. Sin is an essential and inevitable part of every human's life, but the key to redemption is repentance,a true awareness of one's sinfulness 35 .

The Bible (Old and New testament) comprise the scriptures of the WCG. According to prophesy, Jesus Christ will one day return to the earth to reign over all the peoples in God's Kingdom, and the Devil and his power will be terminated. According to the Book of Revelation, Jesus will deliver the Kingdom to God sometime after the Millennium 36 .

III. Controversies and Issues of Past and Present

Garner Ted Armstrong: Son, Scandal, Split (1971-78)

Herbert Armstrong's son, Garner Ted, became a preacher in his father's church after spending four years in the Navy and then deciding that the Worldwide Church of God was calling to him. Charismatic and charming, he began to make guest appearances on his father's radio program in 1955 and by 1959 he headed all the broadcasting of "The World Tomorrow." By his early thirties, his titles included executive vice-president of the church, the executive editor of both The Plain Truth and Tomorrow's World , and president of Ambassador College 37 .

In the fall of 1971, however, ministers of the church discovered evidence of adulterous behavior by Garner Ted. Soon afterward, Armstrong announced that his son would be taking a leave of absence from the church. He returned on the air a few months later, but was again disfellowshipped, as misconduct on his part continued. In total, Ted was forced to leave the church four times, butin each instance, he proclaimed repentance and was accepted back by his father.

Despite his problems, he was named as Armstrong's successor, with his father rationalizing that "Ted is divinely called," and therefore "above the scripture" 38 . In 1978, however, Ted was disfellowshipped for the fourth and final time, after he was accused of trying to seize the church out of his now-ill father's hands. After his discharge, Ted quickly formed the International Church of God, with headquarters in Tyler, Texas 39 . For more information on Garner Ted Armstrong and the International Church of God, click here .

Stanley Rader and legal troubles (1975-79)

Stanley Rader was introduced to the Worldwide Church of God through Ambassador College, for which he had performed accounting work since 1958. As Armstrong began to seek his legal advice, Rader became the church leader's counsel and close associate, as well, later traveling all over the world for much of the year with him.

Rader persuaded Armstrong to establish a foundation that would sponsor educational, cultural, and humanitarian projects in order to gain clout and respectability for his church mission among the leaders of the world. The Ambassador International Cultural Foundation (AICF) was established to accomplish just this purpose. Among other things, it hosted benefit concerts with celebrity guests and well-known musicians. Armstrong served as the founder and chairman of AICF, and Garner Ted the president, but executive vice presidents Rader and colleague Robert Kuhn were said by many to have truly controlled the workings of the foundation 40 .

The foundation's showy concerts drained church finances and by 1978, the AICF was heavily in debt to the church 41 . In addition,a little-known 1968 amendment to the church's Articles of Incorporation had legalized the transfer of all church assets into a non-profit foundation matching the AICF's description should the church cease to exist 42 .

In mid-1978, six Worldwide Church of God members met with the California Attorney General with documents they claimed demonstrated that the financial affairs of the church and the foundation were being seriously abused and that the church consistently violated its own laws in denying church members any influence in supposedly democratic processes.

A battle between state and church that lasted nearly a year was sparked on January 2 when a California Superiorjudge issued an order naming Judge Steven Weisman temporary receiver of the three Armstrong organizations: the church, the AICFand Ambassador College. He was directed to "seize control without prior notice," but he resigned soon after, and a second receiver was named 43 . A series of hearings followed examining the receivership and related issues, which rocked the church withcontroversy for nearly a year. During this time, Rader withdrew from his leadership positions in the church and college, but continuedhis work with the AICF and as personal advisor to Armstrong 44 .

New leadership and doctrine under Joseph Tkach (1986-present)

Before he died in 1986, Armstrong appointed Joseph Tkach, who had supervised the church's ministers, his successor. Initially, Tkach gave no indication of the substantial changes that he would inflict on the church, but he has subsequentlyplayed a dramatic role in reshaping the WCG since he was instated as leader of the church. In re- examining the fundamentalbeliefs and doctrines of the church, Tkach came to believe that many of Armstrong's teachings could not be validated in scripture 45 .

Early letters and semi-monthly bulletins sent to ministers of the WCG by Tkach revealed his growing feelings about the incorrectness of much Armstrong doctrine. The first formal changes came in the Spring of 1988, with minor doctrinal alterations that made it permissible to go to a doctor, take medicines, and use cosmetics. Tkach justified his modifications with his claim thathe had been encouraged by Armstrong, before his death, to re-examine the beliefs of the church."...As the end of his lifedrew near, Mr. Armstrong made it clear to me that he now questioned his understanding on the use of the medical profession... it was left to me to correct the misunderstanding" 46 .

Several of Armstrong's writings were removed from their status as official church doctrine, including Armstrong's last and most important work, Mystery of the Ages . Other repealed beliefs at this timeincluded the idea that God is a "family" that church members are born into at their resurrection. In 1991 Tkach defined eternal life as being in the present possession of believers, overturning Armstrong's teaching that only at resurrection is eternal life secured 47 .

Such dramatic doctrinal alterations prompted much discord among members,with many refusing to accept that the beliefs taught by Armstrong since the birthof the WCG were false. In 1989, two ministers in the church, Gerald Flurry and John Amos, challenged these changes and were disfellowshipped. They went on to found the Philadelphia Church of God, which continues the beliefs and teachings of the WCG under Armstrong prior to 1986 48 . For a comprehensive overview of the Philadelphia Church of God, click here .

Since then, the church has continued its progress toward traditional Evangelical Christianity that began with Tkach's first doctrinal changes. One of the most signficant reforms came in the summer of 1993, with the church's acceptance of the Trinity, the belief of God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit existing as one divine being. Faith in the Trinity is a fundamental part of traditional Christian belief, but Armstrong had always denied its existence.

In December 1994, Tkach gave a sermon in Atlanta that summarized the church'smovement away from the teachings of Armstrong and toward more orthodox Christianbeliefs. In the speech, which was taped and mandated to be shown to all WCGchurches by January 1995, Tkach stated, "We cannot assume that any part of the Old Covenant is binding on us today simply on the basis of it being the old package of laws" 49 . This proclaimed disregard of old covenant laws signalled an invalidation of the tithes and dietary restrictions thathad been observed by the WCG under Armstrong, and the permitting of "pagan" celebrations, such as birthdays, Christmas, and Easter 50 .

Additional unconventional practices and beliefs of the WCG have since been dropped by Tkach's successor, Joseph Tkach, Jr., who assumed leadership in the church after his father's death in 1995. These changes have been met with much controversy, drastically reducing the church's income and membership.

In June 1995, hundreds of ministers and 12,000 members left to form the United Church of God 51 . Headed by David Hulmes, who resigned from the WCG after 23 years as an evangelistand director of the Ambassador Performing Arts Foundation, the UCG is currently the largest "Armstrongite" church in existence, with approximately 20,000 members 52 . The Global Church of God , established in 1993, is the second largest of such churches, at 7,000 members. Founded by Dr. Roderick C. Meredith, who was fired from the Global Church of God's Board of Directors in November of 1998 over an authority conflict, the GCG telecasts the popular "The World Ahead" 53 .

The departure of hundreds of church members and ministers was not the only problem faced by the WCG. A bitter court battle emerged between the churchand one of its newly- formed sects, the Philadelphia Church of God over publication of Armstrong's Mystery of the Ages . Written at age 93, just beforehis death, Armstrong explained in what he considered to be the most important writtenmaterial since the Bible itself, the seven great spiritual mysteries of life 54 .The book was copyrighted under the WCG name, but had been pulled from publicationand distribution by Tkach as part of the numerable doctrinal changes he had initiated in the church.

In January 1997 Gerald Flurry, leader of the PhiladelphiaChurch of God, announced in The Philadeplphia Trumpet , a church publication, that Mystery of the Ages was available for distributionupon request. The WCG immediately protested, and demanded that the offer madeby the PCOG be rescinded. When Flurry did not respond, the WCG filed a copyright infringement suit in a California court 55 .

The WCG argued that because the copyright to Mystery of the Ages was in the church's name, no other individualor organization had the right to copy or distribute the publication, and the church requested from the court both a preliminary and a permanent injunction against further reprinting of the book. The PCOG viewed such injunctions, if they were to occur, as a violation of their free exercise of religion, as the workwas central to the beliefs of the church 56 .

The lawsuit was dropped in the Los Angeles court after its judge refused to grantthe WCG's request for a temporary restraining order that would have preventedthe PCOG from printing the book while the trial ensued. The case was taken up again in a federal court in Oklahoma on March 3, and the final judgement gavethe PCOG permission to reprint the work 57 . A transcipt of the first court hearingin L.A. is available at http://web.ukonline.co.uk/rt.ta ylor/reprinted.htm , and a copy of Mystery of the Ages in its entirety is accessible by clicking here .

Today, the WCG is more accepted by the Evangelical Christian community, as evidenced by their acceptancefor membership in the conservative National Association of Evangelicals in 1997 58 . With its movement towards Evangelical Protestantism,the church continues to decline in size. Under the new leadership of Tkach Jr., the church is seeking to re-establish itself and rectify what it has deemedthe mistakes of its past. However, its re- establishment comes at a high price: internal strife and the sacrifice of thousands of church members and ministers.

Even of those remaining in the WCG, many find it difficult to leave behind the teachings of Armstrong. A 1995 report in counter-cult publication "The Watchman Expositor"commenting on the WCG adoption of the Trinity stated, "Although the change has beenin effect for over a year, many field ministers have failed to explain the newposition to their church members..." 59 Although Old Testament practices are no longer required of church members, observation of Holy Days and Saturday worship are still common. A split in the church has occurred, with some members keeping many of Armstrong's Old Testament doctrines, and others, known as " New Covenant "believers, who want these practices completely abandoned 60 . Meanwhile, though the future of the WCG appears uncertain, there are those, including Tkach Jr., whose stake in assuring a steady and strong faith for the years to come isdeep-rooted.

IV. Links to WCG Web Sites

WCG home page
The official Worldwide Church of God homepage, this site containscomprehensive sections of information on various aspects of the church,including history, beliefs, ministries, and missions of the WCG, in addition toBible instruction and a biography on the church's current leader, JosephTkach Jr. There are numerous pieces of WCG literature, along with articles aboutthe church, and there are links to The Worldwide News , the church newspaper,and The Plain Truth . Additionally, there is a listing of WCG congregations throughout the world, and information on the WCG's Ambassador Center at Azusa Pacific University, the education center for the church.
http://www.wcg.org/welcome.htm

Library Items about the Worldwide Church of God
A wealth of information on the Worldwide Church of God is posted on this site in one of the few both non-WCG and non-countercult sponsored webpages. The site is organized into a chronological historyof the WCG, with information and a myriad of links to magazine and newspaper articles, official documents,letters, etc. in each section. History and current information on beliefs and occurrences in the church is more than adequately supplemented with first hand accounts, such as sermons, statements, notices,and legal documents.
http://miso.wwa.com/~curadist/ReferenceLibrary/Christianity/WCG/

WCG webpage by Mark Tabladillo Ministries
This unofficial WCG page maintained by Mark Tabladillo Ministries in Atlanta, Georgia covers the current controversy of changing doctrine in the WCG and discusses whether the church is still a cult. There is also discussion about many WCG practices and church issues, including disfellowshipping, spiritual healing, church government, and tithing. Links to over a dozen sites are provided, along with access to volumes of the Good News Grapevine, which has information about news in the church from the ministry and staff.
http://www.quango.net/Tabladillo/wcgweb.html

Official creed of WCG
The current Statement of Beliefs of the WCG is posted on this site, which covers the church's view on God, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, Satan, sin, repentance, and various other religious issues. Information on current practices of the church is also given, including feasts, tithing, the Sabbath, etc. There is about a paragraph dedicated to each subject, along with Biblical references, and the site provides a good opportunity to verify beliefs of the church that may be somewhat mistated in other forums.
http://www.bible.ca/cr-PainTruth.htm

The Plain Truth Magazine
The Plain Truth magazine was a stalwart publication of Herbert W. Armstrong's, available free for the asking. It is no longer free, but a significant proportion of each issue of the magazine is available at this site. To those familiar with the old Worldwide Church of God, even a quick examination of the contents of this page will reveal the dramatic reversal of Armstong's teachings in favor of more conventional evangelical Christian teachings.
http://www.ptm.org/

Memorial to Herbert W. Armstrong
This site is dedicated to Armstrong, the founder and former leader of the WCG. There is relatively extensive information provided, including a condensed biography on Armstrong, a photo gallery, and archives with access to history of the church, and Armstrong's last sermon and his last work, Mystery of the Ages . There are several sections that cover Armstrong's teachings, as well, which provide in direct quotations his view on such subjects as God, the Gospel, and education.
http://home.golden.net/~mtech/memorial/hwa/hwa.html

Religious Tolerance.org
This page details the origins and beliefs of Anglo/British-Israelism, an ideathat was central in Armstrong's teaching and in the church before Tkach advanced the number of changes he did on the WCG. A history of the belief,and its connection to Armstrong and the WCG is given. There is also a brief history of the church given, and an overviewthat compares in good detail the doctrines of the current church underJoseph Tkach Jr. with those taught by Armstrong. A great deal of links are provided, as well.
http://www.religioustolerance.org/anglo_is.htm

A Collection of Sermons and Articles
This webpage is maintained by a current WCG member in Australia and contains a series of articles and papers, mostly from a religious standpoint,about various issues and teachings of the church, including views on the Holy Spirit, British-Israelism, resurrection, and the Kingdom of God. There is also an overview of the changes in the WCG that have occurred withinthe past decade that proves very helpful.
http://www.ozemail.com.au/~wcg3ph/articles.htm

Watchman Fellowship Inc.
The Watchman Fellowship is a counter-cult organization that provides extensive information on numerable religions and new religious movements. This organization's profile on the WCG, which is one of the most comprehensive pages on the web, includes a subject index of articles on doctrines and history of the church. The teachings of Armstrong are examined in detail, as are the changes the church has undergone with its newAdditional research materials providelinks to order audiotapes on Armstrongism.
http://www.www.watchman.org/wcoga.htm

The Painful Truth About the Worldwide Church of God
This site, which harshly criticizes the practices and beliefs of Armstrong and the old WCG, is maintained by Ed Mentell Sr., a former member and deacon in the WCG who left after 25 years of membership. The page contains a wide variety of articles written by numerous authors, which coverrather specific criticisms of the church under Armstrong's leadership,from its stance on the use of medicines and medical treatment, to abuses of power and leadership within the church. Many of the articles are written by formerWCG members and discuss personal experiences with the church.The site provides a good opportunity to view anti-WCG/Armstrong material and specific problems many had with the former church.
http://members.tripod.com/~ejm/pain.htm

Additional Webpages

"The Bible versus Errors of Armstrongism"
http://www.menorah.org/armstrog.html

"A Brief History of the Worldwide Church of God"
http://www.wcg.org/lit/AboutUs/history.htm

"CESNUR: Schism in the Global Church of God, Birth of The Living Church of God"
http://www.cesnur.org/testi/Living.htm

"Mystery of the Ages"
http://home.golden.net/~mtech/memorial/hwa/archive/mystery.html

"Mystery of the Ages Reprinted"
http://web.ukonline.co.uk/rt.taylor/reprinted.htm

"Statement of Beliefs of the Worldwide Church of God"
http://www.wcg.org/lit/AboutUs/beliefs.htm

"Watchman Expositor: WCG"
http://watchman.org/wcgart.htm

"Worldwide Church of God.html"
http://www.rapidnet.com:80/~jbeard/bdm/Cults/armstrong.html