Reinstatement requires a written request considered by a reinstatement committee of the original congregation, after 'clear evidence of repentance' over 'many months, a year, or even longer, depending on the circumstances' (2019); since March 2024 elders are to offer a follow-up meeting 'after a few months', seek out those removed 'perhaps many years ago', may arrange a Bible study before reinstatement, and are told a repentant person 'can be reinstated without delay', with 'especially careful' handling for child abuse, apostasy or marriage-breaking.
Claim ID claim-shunning-reinstatement-process-and-timingConcerns 1 August 2024Explicit statement
2019 · pp.141-156 · par. 24-40 · Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania
“When it is necessary to disfellowship an unrepentant wrongdoer from the congregation, a brief announcement is made, stating: “[Name of person] is no longer one of Jehovah’s Witnesses.” This will alert faithful ones in the congregation to stop associating with that person.—1 Cor. 5:11.”
Provenance and verification note for Organized to Do Jehovah’s Will (od), Chapter 14, Maintaining the Peace and Cleanness of the Congregation
Confidence note. Raw WOL HTML fetched; wording and page markers 141-156 confirmed; publishers' page (doc 1102014949) opened for edition data. Still uses 'disfellowshipped' as at access date.
Accessed. 19 September 2026 · Source ID.src-od-2019-organized-ch14
15 March 2024 · Mark Sanderson (Governing Body) · Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania
“Under our current arrangement, we don’t say a greeting to individuals who’ve been removed from the congregation. However, the Governing Body has decided that publishers can use their Bible-trained conscience to decide whether to give a simple greeting and welcome a disfellowshipped individual who attends a congregation meeting.”
Presented by Governing Body member Mark Sanderson (20 min 02 s; media id docid-1112024005). Also announces: follow-up meeting 'after a few months'; visits to those removed long ago; two elders to meet a baptised minor and parents instead of a committee; members may invite a removed person to a meeting; 'we don’t socialize with those who are removed'; 1 Cor. 5:13 'remove' terminology; sisters may wear slacks.
Provenance and verification note for jw.org (Governing Body Update video), 2024 Governing Body Update #2
Confidence note. jw.org page opened (published 15 March 2024) and the organisation's own English subtitle file (https://cfp2.jw-cdn.org/a/ceb7d7/1/o/1112024005_E_cnt_1.vtt, from the jw.org mediator API record docid-1112024005_E_1_VIDEO) read in full; quotations are from that subtitle text.
August 2024 · pp.26-31 · par. 3-6, 10-15; footnote b; box · Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania
“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.”
Footnote b retires 'disfellowshipped' for 'removed from the congregation'; par. 4 keeps the announcement 'no longer one of Jehovah’s Witnesses'; par. 13 keeps 'stop keeping company ... not even eating'; par. 15 and the box restrict 2 John 9-11 to 'apostates and others who actively promote wrong conduct'; par. 6, 10-12 on follow-up visits and reinstatement. No revised guidance on relatives outside the household.
15 April 1988 · pp.26-31 · par. 3, 13-14, 17, 20, 23; footnote a · Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania
“The situation is different if the disfellowshipped or disassociated one is a relative living outside the immediate family circle and home. It might be possible to have almost no contact at all with the relative. Even if there were some family matters requiring contact, this certainly would be kept to a minimum”
Household relatives: 'normal family affections and dealings can continue' (par. 13). Reports the outcome of Paul v. Watchtower and concludes a shunned person 'cannot recover damages ... the person is feeling a loss brought on by his or her own actions' (par. 20). Footnote a: 2 John 11 'could well mean not to say even "hello" to such ones'.
A direct link to this claim is https://jwtruth.org/evidence/claim-shunning-reinstatement-process-and-timing/. Every source above opens the original document or the best available copy. If you believe the wording, date or context is wrong, report an error.