| Iglesia ni Cristo | |
|---|---|
 Seal | |
| Abbreviation | INC |
| Classification | Restorationism FilipinoProtestantism[1][a] |
| Theology | Nontrinitarianism Unitarianism One true church |
| Governance | Central administration |
| Executive Minister | Eduardo V. Manalo |
| Region | 166 countries and territories[2] 65 nations(based on official INC Directory[3][b]) |
| Language | Filipino, English |
| Headquarters | Central Avenue, New Era,Quezon City, Philippines |
| Founder | Felix Manalo[4] |
| Origin | July 27, 1914; 111 years ago (1914-07-27) (date registered to thePhilippine government asIglesia ni Kristo)[c] December 25, 1913; 111 years ago (1913-12-25) (date ofbaptism of first INC members) Punta,Santa Ana,Manila, Philippine Islands |
| Absorbed | Iglesia Ni Cristo 1901[d] (Ugong,Pasig congregation only, 1918)[8] Iglesia Universal de Cristo (Cebu City congregation only, 1937)[8] |
| Separations | Iglesia Verdadera de Cristo Jesus (1922, later renamed as The Most Holy Church of God in Christ Jesus)[8][9][10] Iglesia ng Dios kay Cristo Jesus (1928, later renamed as Iglesia ng Dios kay Cristo Jesus, Haligi at Suhay ng Katotohanan)[8] |
| Congregations | 178 ecclesiastical districts[2] 3,222 sites (mostly houses of worship)[11] 4,083 houses of worship built (2009-2024)[12] |
| Members | 2.8 million(2020; Philippines only[e]) 3 million worldwide (estimated)[13] |
| Ministers | 5,252 (ordained as of 2025)[14] |
| Aid organization |
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| Hospitals | New Era General Hospital |
| Primary schools | Yakap Orphanage |
| Tertiary institutions |
|
| Other name | Church of Christ |
| Official website | iglesianicristo |
| Part ofa series on |
| Christianity |
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TheIglesia ni Cristo[15] (INC;locally[ʔɪɡˌlɛs.jɐn̪ɪˈkɾis.t̪o];transl. Church of Christ) is an independentnontrinitarianChristianchurch founded in 1913 and registered byFélix Manalo in 1914 as asolereligious corporation of theInsular Government of the Philippines.[5][7][16]
Seen as a rigid,authoritarian,exclusivist, and highlycentralized church[17][18][19][20][21], the INC describes itself to be theone true church and therestoration of theoriginal church founded byJesus, whereby all other Christian churches areapostatic.[22][23] According to INCdoctrine, the official registration of the church with the Philippine government was on July 27, 1914, by Felix Y. Manalo—who is upheld by members to be thelast messenger of God[f]—was an act ofdivine providence and the fulfillment ofbiblical prophecy concerning the re-establishment of the original church of Jesus in theFar East[24][25] concurrent with the coming of theseventh seal marking theend of days.[17][26]
By the time of Manalo's death in 1963, INC had become a nationwide church with 1,250 localchapels and 35cathedrals.[27] As his successor, Manalo's son,Eraño Manalo, led a campaign to grow andinternationalize the church until his death on August 31, 2009.[28] His son,Eduardo V. Manalo, succeeded him asExecutive Minister.[29] The2020 Philippine census reported that 2.8 million were adherents of the INC, making it the fifth (5th) largest denomination in the Philippines behind theRoman Catholic Church,Islam,Evangelicalism, andProtestantism.[30][g]
During theAmerican colonial era of the Philippines, there were a variety of ruralanti-colonial movements, often with religious undertones,[32] andAmerican Protestantmissionaries introduced several alternatives to theCatholic Church, the predominant church during theSpanish colonial period.[33]
Felix Y. Manalo, born on May 10, 1886 as Felix Ysagun to Mariano Ysagun y Villanueva and Bonifacia Manalo y Cruz[35], inTaguig, Philippines, wasbaptized into theCatholic Church. Manalo's baptismal record, however, cannot be found as records of his parish went back to only as early as June 1886.[36] Manalo became dissatisfied withCatholic theology in his teenage years. At the age of seven, Manalo was said to have attended classes under a certain "Maestro Cario" in Manila. However, his studies were interrupted by thePhilippine Revolution in 1896, prompting him not to pursue further formal education, and turn to farming andhatmaking instead.[36] According to theNational Historical Commission of the Philippines, the establishment of thePhilippine Independent Church (also called theAglipayan Church), one of the enduring results of the Revolution, was his major turning point. Still, Manalo remained uninterested since its doctrines were mainly Catholic, although at the time he found himself aligned withcolorumism, asyncretism of Christian andanimist beliefs popular among Filipinos.[37] In 1904, he joined theMethodist Episcopal Church,[38] entered the MethodistFlorence Nicholson Seminary, and became alay preacher for the Methodist Mission.[39][h] He also explored variousChristian denominations, including thePresbyterian Church (where he studied in theEllinwood Bible School),Iglesia ni Cristo 1901 (Christian Mission), and finally theSeventh-day Adventist Church in 1911, where he served as alay preacher.[i] After being antagonized by fellowAdventists for hiscolorum past, Manalo leftAdventism in 1913, and associated himself withatheist andagnostic peers.[8][16][37][42]
In November 1913, Manalo secluded himself with religious literature and unused notebooks in a friend's house inPasay, instructing everyone in the home not to disturb him. He emerged from seclusion three days later with his new-found doctrines.[16][42][22] Manalo, together with his wife, went to Punta,Santa Ana, Manila, in November 1913 and started preaching. He also returned to his hometownTaguig toevangelize, where he was ridiculed andstoned at his evangelistic meetings with locals. He later baptized a few converts, including some of his persecutors, along thePasig River on December 25, 1913. They formed the first members of the church. He eventually attracted more followers. Among those he invited to become ministers of his new church would be BishopNicolas Zamora ofIEMELIF, who was then leading an 11,000-memberMethodist church (Zamora refused the offer).[j] Prompted by concerns that his evangelism and propagation efforts for the new church might be illegal[8], Manalo later registered his new church as the Iglesia ni Kristo[5] (INK;English:Church of Christ;Spanish: Iglesia de Cristo) on July 27, 1914, at theBureau of Commerce as acorporation sole, with himself as the first executive minister.[42][38][37] Expansion followed as INC started building congregations in the provinces in 1916, with Pasig (then inRizal Province) having two locales established.[43] On December 25, 1918, coinciding with the fifth (5th) anniversary celebration of the church, Manalo wasordained as a minister by the following bishops and pastors: Alejandro Reyes (IEMELIF), Victoriano Mariano (IEMELIF), Gil Domingo (Iglesia de los Cristianos Filipinos), Guillermo Zarco (Presbyterian Church), Emiliano Quijano (Iglesia ni Cristo 1901)[k], Nicolas Fajardo (Evangelical Church), Roque Bautista (Evangelical Church). The first three ministers of the INC wereordained thereafter, in May 1919, namely Justino Casanova (pangulo ng lupon), Federico Inocencio (kagawad ng lupon), and Teodoro Santiago (kalihim ng lupon).[22] Before leaving for the United States in August 1919, he visited the INC congregations and left the newly-ordained ministers in charge of the church until his return to the Philippines in 1921. Manalo went twice to the United States to study religion in Protestant-managed schools, first in 1919, and later in 1938.[9][42][l] Early church members were said to be mostly uneducated, illiterate, and coming from the lower socioeconomic classes, the ministers included.[36]
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In response to the separation of congregations led by expelled INC ministers Teofilo Ora, Januario Ponce, and Basilio Santiago, Manalo's title as theSugo (transl. Messenger) was introduced to church doctrine in 1922, after interpreting that Manalo is the "angel from the East" mentioned inRevelation 7:2. Manalo's authority over the church was so pervasive that outsiders termed the church as theIglesia ni Manalo (transl. Church of Manalo) and its adherents "Manalistas".[37] By 1924, INC had about 3,000 to 5,000 adherents in 43 or 45 "congregations" in Manila and six nearbyprovinces.[37] According to Teodoro Santiago, the third INC Minister to be ordained in the church, Manalo began to openly reject the deity of Christ around the year 1932, but still maintained that Jesus is Lord (Panginoong Hesukristo).[8] By 1936, INC had 85,000 members. This figure grew to 200,000 by 1954.[43] ACebu congregation was built in 1937—the first to be established outside ofLuzon, and the first in theVisayas. By 1938, Manalo threatened the INC brethren that he would leave the church and start anew, prompting a circular issued by Teodoro Santiago to submit their respective explanations (salaysay) to keep the church united.[45] DuringWorld War II, Manalo was offered by theJapanese to lead the all-FilipinoEvangelical Church of the Philippines (福音教会). His refusal led to Japanese suspicion and surveillance, to the point that Manalo acceded to the Japanese demand to have Prudencio Vasquez, division minister of Nueva Ecija and later of Bicol, as theExecutive Minister of the Iglesia ni Cristo. This was formalized through a circular issued on June 29, 1942.[46] Manalo resumed to be the Executive Minister after the war. The firstmission toMindanao was commissioned in 1946. On March 15, 1948, the church was formally reconstituted through amendments to its Articles of Incorporation as the Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC), with a twofold name (Iglesia Ni Cristo and Church of Christ) used in English-speaking countries.[37] Meanwhile, its first concrete chapel was built inSampaloc, Manila also in 1948.[37][47] Adherents fleeing for the provinces away from Manila, where theJapanese forces were concentrated duringWorld War II, were used for evangelization.[37] By 1950, Manalo himself claimed that the INC had 2 million members.[36][48] The 1960Census in the Philippines, however, showed adherents totaling to 270,104. By 1955, the overall educational attainment of INC members had also improved, with an estimated 35 percent of its total membership being considered literate. This is, however, lower than the national literacy rate of 75 percent in the same year.[36] As Manalo's health began to fail in the 1950s, his sonEraño began taking leadership of the church. Manalo died on April 12, 1963.[43][47]
On July 27, 1968,Eraño Manalo officiated the inaugural worship service of the church inEwa Beach,Honolulu,Hawaii—the first mission of the church outside the Philippines. The following month, INC established theSan Francisco congregation.[49][50] INC reached Europe through theUnited Kingdom in 1971 andCanada in 1973. INC established its first congregation inSouth Africa in 1978.[51] INC established congregations inRome,Italy, on July 27, 1994;Jerusalem, Israel, on March 31, 1996; andAthens, Greece, on May 10, 1997.[52] In 1998, INC has established 543 congregations and missions in 74 countries outside the Philippines.[37]
During the 1970s, INC boasted to have around 2,500 congregations.[8] INC started operating aradio station in 1969; itsfirst television program aired in 1983.[43] The Ministerial Institute of Development, renamed as "Iglesia ni Cristo (Church Of Christ) School for Ministers", was founded in 1974 inQuiapo, Manila, and moved inQuezon City in 1978. In 1971, the INC Central Office building was built in Quezon City. In 1984, the 7,000-seatCentral Temple was added to the complex. The Tabernacle, a multipurpose tent-like building that can accommodate up to 4,000 people, was finished in 1989. The complex also includes theNew Era University, atertiary education institution run and managed by the INC.[37] Eraño G. Manalo died on August 31, 2009.[28] His son,Eduardo V. Manalo, succeeded him as executive minister upon his death.[29]
On July 21, 2014, formerpresidentBenigno Aquino III and INC executive minister Eduardo V. Manalo led the inauguration ofCiudad de Victoria,[53] a 140-hectare tourism zone inBocaue andSanta Maria, Bulacan, where thePhilippine Arena is also located. The Philippine Arena, a 55,000-seat multi-purpose structure owned by the INC, currently holds theGuinness World Record for the largest mixed-used indoor theater.[54]
The Philippine government declared 2014 the "Iglesia ni Cristo Centennial Year" through Proclamation 815.[55] On July 27 of the same year, the government announced a special non-working holiday to commemorate the 100th founding anniversary of Iglesia ni Cristo.[56]
The INC celebrated its centennial anniversary at Ciudad de Victoria, with the Philippine Arena as the main venue, and in about 1,180 worship buildings worldwide through live video feed. The week-long celebration consisted of pyro-musical displays, a worship service led by Manalo, an oratorio, a musical presentation, a theatrical play, a quiz show, and an evangelical mission.[57] The worship service for the INC centennial secured two Guinness World Records: the largest gospel choir with 4,745 members, and the largest mixed-use indoor theater for the Philippine Arena, which had 51,929 attendees.[58] On July 26, 2015, INC capped its centennial year through activities such as International Unity Games, a worship service led by Manalo, and a Closing Centennial Celebration held in Washington D.C., United States, and the Philippine Arena.[59]
On October 4, 2015, INC, throughVIVA Films, conducted the world premiere ofFelix Manalo, a film depicting the origin of the INC and the life of its first executive minister, which was held at the Philippine Arena.[60]
According to the resolution passed by theSenate of the Philippines to commemorate INC's 104th anniversary in 2018, the INC had established more than 7,000 congregations in 151 countries and territories worldwide.[61]
On 6 May 2018, INC organized a charity walk inManila, Philippines, with a recorded participation of 283,171 people, setting a new world record for the largest charity walk/run event. This surpassed their previous record of 175,509 participants set in 2014.[62]
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Iglesia ni Cristo believes that it is the true church established byJesus Christ in the first century, and that its registration in the Philippines is the fulfillment of biblical prophecies that Christ's church would re-emerge in theFar East.[24] Because of a number of similarities, INC's doctrines have been described asrestorationist in outlook and theme.[63]
The Iglesia ni Cristo believes that theBible is the only book inspired by God, and thus it is the sole basis of all their beliefs and practices. Only ministers have the authority (may karapatan) to interpret and teach Scripture.[65]
The Iglesia ni Cristo believes thatGod the Father is thecreator deity and the only true God. INC rejects the traditional Christian belief in theTrinity as heresy,[17][37] adopting a version ofunitarianism. They believe that this position is attested by Jesus Christ and theApostles.[22][65][66]
Christ and the Apostles are united in teaching how many and who is the real God. Similar to other true Christians, according to Apostle Paul, there is only one God, the Father—not the Son and more so not the Holy Spirit. The Apostles also did not teach that there is one God who has three personas who are also Gods.… It [Trinity] is not found in the Holy Scriptures or the Bible, and if [Catholic] priests ever use the Bible to prove this teaching of theirs, all are based only on suppositions and presumptions.
— trans. fromPasugo (November 1968)[66]
The church believes that Jesus Christ is theSon of God[65] and themediator between God the Father and humanity,[37] and was created by God the Father. Godsanctified him to bewithout sin, and bestowed upon him the titles "Lord" and "Son of God". The church sees Jesus as God's highest creation, believe that he is a Man and denies thedeity of Jesus.[39] Adherents profess Jesus'substitutionary role in theredemption of humankind. He is believed to have been "foreordained before the foundation of the world" and sent by God "to deal with sin". Members "are saved byChrist's blood" who died because of his "self-sacrificing love".[17][67]
INC believes that theHoly Spirit is the power of God and also not a deity, being sent by God the Father and Jesus Christ to guide God's people.[68]
The Iglesia ni Cristo believes that it is theone true church founded byJesus Christ[65] and was restored by Felix Manalo in the last days. They believe that the first century churchapostasized in that century,[69] or in the 4th century due tofalse teachings.[22][23] INC says that this apostate church is theCatholic Church. The INC also believes no true church would experience schisms, splits, or separations.[70] Meanwhile, its reestablishment is seen as the signal for theend of days.[17][39][37]
They believe that the Iglesia ni Cristo is the fulfillment of the Bible verse, Isaiah 43:5, where "east" refers to the Philippines where the Church of Christ would be founded.[22][26][39][37][69] INC teaches that its members constitute the "elect of God" and there is nosalvation outside the Iglesia ni Cristo. Following this, marriages and relationships between members and non-members are prohibited by the church.[37][71][72]Faith alone is insufficient for salvation. To be saved comes with church membership.[17][23][71] However, those who have not been reached by the Gospel prior to the foundation of the INC in 1914 will be judged and saved according to the law that iswritten in their hearts.[73] The Iglesia ni Cristo also says that the official name of the true church is "Church of Christ or Iglesia ni Cristo (in Tagalog)". The two passages often cited by INC to support this are Romans 16:16 "Greet one another with a holy kiss. The churches of Christ greet you",[74]and theGeorge Lamsa translation ofActs 20:28: "Take heed therefore ... to feed the church of Christ which he has purchased with his blood."[75]
According to the INC, although admittedly Manalo's name cannot be found in theBible (neither in theOld Testament nor theNew Testament)[76], the church believes that Manalo is the "angel from the East" mentioned inRevelation 7:1–3 who started preaching about the restored church during theEnd Times. This is the start of the period, according to INC, being referred to in the Bible as the ends of the earth (cf Is 41:9-10; 43:5-6), the time when the end of the world is near, even at the very doors (cf. Mt. 24:3, 33), which began with the outbreak of a war of global proportions (cf. Mt. 24:6-7)[23][77] Manalo is from the Philippines, which they say is in the "center" of theFar East.[78] The ‘four winds’ in Revelation 7:1-3, they say refers to World War I and the four angels are the four leaders known asThe Big Four (Woodrow Wilson,David Lloyd George,Georges Clemenceau, andVittorio Orlando)[m] who they say worked on the prevention of the winds of war.[79][80] Still, INC theology considersJesus Christ as its founder, the first of God's four messengers of thechurch era, with Manalo's task being to reestablish the church in the Far East (Malayong Silangan).[81]
Manalo is also portrayed as the fulfillment of several passages inIsaiah and otherbooks of the Bible, including the one Isaiah 46:11 called the "bird of prey" (ibong mandaragit).[22][37]
As the one who sent by God to restore INC, Manalo became the first executive minister and spiritual leader of the church.[26] As such, he taught that what is written in the Bible was the ultimate authority in all aspects of the church, and effectively as a messenger of God, Manalo is "the foremostBiblical authority for all humanity and the divinely designated leader of a reestablished Church of Christ in the modern world."[37]
INC members believe the doctrine that there are four messengers of God in thechurch era, namelyJesus Christ,Paul the Apostle,Martin Luther, andFelix Manalo, with Manalo being the "Last Messenger."[17][82] Also according to the INC, Germanreformist and theologianMartin Luther was the second angel mentioned in Revelation 14:8[83], which reads as follows.
Therefore, as Luther was also ordained to be God's messenger by challenging theCatholic Church and becoming a key figure of theProtestant Reformation, he was considered by the church as a predecessor to Manalo, who was also accorded the recognition of being an angel.[85]
The church believes that baptism is done byimmersion baptism orBeliever's baptism by adults in water, and that it is necessary that people be baptized in the Iglesia ni Cristo to become disciples ofJesus Christ.[65] WhileJesus was baptized according to the Gospels,Felix Manalo, as the church founder, was himself not baptized in the fold of the INC. Church doctrine justified this by comparing Manalo's standing with that ofJohn the Baptist. The church rejectsinfant baptism. Newborn children of members are instead dedicated to God through a congregational prayer, led by an ordained minister of the INC.[71]
On September 7, 2019, the INC set theGuinness World Record for most people baptized in a single event through its "Grand Baptism" at thePhilippine Arena with 18,272 newly baptized members. Of this number, 94 were non-Filipinos.[86][87]
Members who are not living in accordance with thedoctrines taught in the INC are reported (ulat) and admonished, usually by requiring the violating member to explain (salaysay). Those who continue in violation of INC doctrines after being admonished areexpelled from the INC (tiwalag), thuslosing salvation. As such, the church does not believe in theperseverance of the saints. Certain violations, such as eating blood,[n] having too long of an absence from church services without a solid reason, drinkingalcohol, or having arelationship (including marriage) with a non-member, may result in mandatory expulsion.[17][72][88][89]
INC believes that a person is composed of a body ("vehicle"),soul ("individual"), and spirit ("life" or fuel). Members believe that when a person dies,their body and soul both die and go into the grave where both will remain until theSecond Coming of Christ, whereas the spirit will go back to God. The church does not believe there will be amillennial reign of Christ. Upon Christ's return, all dead servants of God, from the time of the patriarchs up to the last days, would beresurrected to join living faithful and loyal INC members. They will be rewarded by living in the Holy City orNew Jerusalem, together withGod the Father, and Jesus Christ. At the right time chosen by God, a second resurrection would occur, and non-INC members will experiencesecond death which is theLake of Fire(Dagát-dagatang Apóy).[17]
The church believes that God set aday where he will judge all people. They believe that this day is also the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.[65]
INC does not believe members should join organizations orlabor unions which run counter to their doctrines and teachings.[71][90]: 336 The policy comes from an interpretation of theSecond Epistle to the Corinthians where members of the church should not join any organization with non-members.[71][91] The legality of aclosed shop firing INC members based on their religious convictions reached theSupreme Court in 1974. The court ruled in favour of the INC member, holding that the provision of the law exempting those with religious objections to union membership from closed shop agreements is constitutional.[92]
The church conducts regular worship services (samba) twice during the week, usually scheduled on Thursdays and Sundays (there are also Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday schedules depending on the locale).[71] According to INC Minister Igmidio Zabala, midweek services were introduced in the church by 1922.[93] These services are conducted in the local languages (providing sign language interpreters and translators in some congregations). It consists of singing of hymns, prayers, studies of the bible, collection of voluntary offerings (abuloy), and benediction.[94][95] Both God the Father and Jesus Christ are worshiped, despite church doctrine denying the divinity of Christ.[96] The ministers of every congregation in a given worship service use the samesermon outline prepared by the executive minister.Deacons (diyakono) andDeaconesses (diyakonesa) guide worshipers to their seats and collect voluntary offerings.[23] The singing of hymns is led by the locale's choir. The firsthymnbook, termedAng Himnario ng Iglesia ni Cristo, which consists of over 300 songs, was published in 1937. To date, the church has over 500 hymns. Children's worship services (Tagalog:Pagsamba ng Kabataan, orPNK) are held every weekend. They use similar lessons as the standard worship services taught using theSocratic method (question and answer).[22]Church attendance is strictly monitored through attendance forms andQR codes provided by the INC. Church members are mandated to attend their respective locales or congregations where they are enrolled or registered. If any member will be moving for whatever reason, a transfer to the new locale or congregation must be filed with the church administration. Transfers are valid for 30 days.[71] The church teaches that willfully forsaking the worship service is a grievous sin, usually prompting congregational action such as visits (dalaw),[97] thus members are expected to attend the congregational worship services twice a week without fail.[90]: 334–345
The church encourages its members to take up aministry (tungkulin), and make prayer a part of everyday life. Thus, prayer before various activities, such as taking meals and going to sleep, are commonly practiced.[98] Prayers recited inrote repetition are not observed.[99]
Since February 1939, the church has been publishingPasugo[17] (officially translated asGod's Message) in both Tagalog and English.[69] Filipino has been the only language used since its inception in 1939 until 1953. Currently, about two-thirds of its pages are devoted to the English-speaking population.[100] Felix Manalo wrote its first editorial where he stated the publication's purpose, including the propagation of the faith.[22] Issues contain articles which detail INC doctrines and refute doctrines which it considers as heresy, such as theTrinity.[23][39] It also features information on church history, educational programs and missionary achievements, including lists and photographs of newly dedicated chapels. In 2001, it had a monthly circulation of 235,000 copies.[37] For the year 2009, there were more than four million copies ofPasugo distributed worldwide.[101] According toSimilarweb, the official website ofPasugo has 7,381 monthly visits as of 2025.[102]
In thePhilippines, through theChristian Era Broadcasting Service International Incorporated (CEBSI Incorporated), INC broadcasts programs that discuss Bibleteachings over the radio and television. These programs are aired by about 60 other radio stations all over the Philippines (i.e.INC Radio- DZEM 954kHz) and several more in the US and Australia.INCTV 48, which is carried on all cable providers in the Philippines and some channels in the US Direct TV ch 2068, telecast the INC's religious programs. These programs can also be seen in the Internet via one of the organisation's news website.[103]
Although the INC claims that membership numbers does not necessarily make a religion true, and appeal to popularity should not be counted as a binding justification for acceptance[104], the church nonetheless holds regular religious gatherings called evangelical missions (stylized asEVangelical Mission, with the letters EVM capitalized) which aim to attract more followers.[o] On February 28, 2012, INC held its largest Philippine-wide evangelical missions simultaneously on 19 sites across the country.[105] In Manila site alone, more than 600,000 people attended the event.[106] On April 13, 2013, INC launchedLingap-Pamamahayag under its projectKabayan Ko, Kapatid Ko (English: My Countrymen, My Brethren), which incorporates outreach missions to its evangelical missions.[107] On September 26, 2015, INC held its first worldwide evangelical mission at the Philippine Arena as the main venue and in 2,125 sites throughout the world through video conferencing. It was officiated by INC executive minister, Eduardo Manalo.[108]
 | This articleappears to beslanted towards recent events. Please try to keep recent events in historical perspective andadd more content related to non-recent events.(July 2020) |
On November 19, 1981, INC launched theLingap sa Mamamayan ('Aid To Humanity') Program. The program aims to provide relief goods, health care, and other services to the needy, especially those who are afflicted by calamities and disasters. It also provides seminars for disaster preparedness, first aid, and family planning. Other humanitarian activities such as blood donation and community clean up drives were also conducted in different parts of the world where the Iglesia ni Cristo is established.[109]
Felix Y. Manalo (FYM) Foundation, the INC's arm in executing theLingap sa Mamamayan and other related programs, was formally registered in the Philippines on February 4, 2011, and in the United States on May 17, 2012. The institution is also recognized in Japan, South Korea, Spain, and Russia.[110]
INC also established the Unlad International, Inc in 2012.[111]
On July 7, 2012, the INC Lingap sa Mamamayan was conducted in the slums of Parola inTondo, Manila and was awarded threeGuinness world records for breaking records in the most people involved in a dental health check; the most blood pressure readings taken in 8 hours; and the mostblood glucose level tests in 8 hours.[112] On April 29, 2016, four more Guinness world records were broken by the INC. These records are the largest collection of clothes for recycle/donation, the most shoes donated to charity in 24 hours, the most medical ultrasound examinations in eight hours, and the most medical risk assessment in eight hours which was also held in Tondo, Manila.[113][114]
On February 15, 2014, INC received another two Guinness world records when they conducted a worldwide charity walk simultaneously on 135 different sites scattered in 29 countries. INC holds the records for the largest charity walk on a single venue when 175,509 members of the church finished the 1.6 km walk in Manila; and for the largest charity walk in 24 hours (multiple venues) when a total of 519,521 participants finished the charity walk in different parts of the world. The proceeds were used for the housing and livelihood projects of superTyphoon Haiyan survivors.[115] INC also broke the same records on May 6, 2018, for its Worldwide Walk to Fight Poverty with 283,171 people in single venue, and 773,136 people in multiple venues for its African missions and outreach.[116]
On February 22, 2014, INC conducted another Lingap sa Mamamayan at its first resettlement project in Barrio Maligaya in Palayan City, Nueva Ecija. Coinciding with the barrio's 49th anniversary, INC bagged another world record after setting the record for the most hunger relief packs distributed within eight hours. A total of 302,311 hunger relief packages were given.[117]
On March 14, 2014, after conducting a worship service in Tacloban, Leyte, INC executive minister Eduardo V. Manalo, led the groundbreaking ceremony of the EVM Self-Sustainable Community Rehabilitation Project in Sitio New Era, a 3000-hectare property of the church in Brgy. Langit, Alang-alang, Leyte. The project, which costs more than one billion pesos, includes at least 1,000 housing units for the survivors of super typhoon Haiyan. Garments and dried fish factories, and eco-farming project are also included to provide livelihood to the community. More than 150,000 hunger relief packages were also given which contains 3 kilos of rice, canned goods and instant noodles aside from the free medical and dental services conducted that day.[118] On January 23, 2015, Manalo inaugurated the livelihood and housing project.[119]
On November 9, 2015, Manalo inaugurated a community project forKabihug tribe, an indigenous group inCamarines Norte. The project is situated in a 100-hectare land which includes 300 housing units, calamansi orchard, ecological farm, dried fish factory, garments factory, clinic, learning center, and an INC worship building.[120] After 6 months, another housing and eco-farming community project was inaugurated by the church on May 27, 2016, for theB'laan tribe in Bgy. Danlag, Tampakan South,South Cotabato in southern Philippines.[121]
The first major housing project (pamayanan) of the INC was developed in 1965 at Barrio Maligaya inLaur, Nueva Ecija. Intended as a haven for persecuted members, Barrio Maligaya also saw the advent of an INC congregation in the area.[122] Later housing projects include Bagong Buhay inPalayan,Nueva Ecija, and Tagumpay inRodriguez, Rizal (Montalban), which also developed INC congregations in their respective areas. Housing for INC ministers and their families were also provided for in Quezon City.[123]
| Iglesia ni Cristo Executive Ministers | |
|---|---|
| Name | Tenure of office |
| Felix Y. Manalo | July 27, 1914 – April 12, 1963 |
| Eraño G. Manalo | April 23, 1963 – August 31, 2009 |
| Eduardo V. Manalo | September 7, 2009 – present |
_Executive_Minister_Brother_Eduardo_Manalo_(cropped).jpg)
Iglesia ni Cristo has had three Executive Ministers (Tagalog:Tagapamahalang Pangkalahatan) who lead the Church Administration in overseeing the faith of the members. Eduardo V. Manalo, as the current Executive Minister, serves as the church's leader, and, in this capacity, manages the administration of the church.[124] Along with other senior ministers which comprises the Church Economic Council (Tagalog:Lupon ng Sanggunian), the Executive Minister forms the Central Administration of Iglesia ni Cristo.[72]
The Central Office in Quezon City, built in 1971, is Iglesia ni Cristo's headquarters. The Central Office is one of several structures inside the INC Central Office Complex. It houses the permanent offices of the central administration and some of the church's departments. It is here where about a thousand INC professionals and volunteers hold office.[125][126] It was located inManila during its early years, then inSan Juan, and later inMakati, before moving to its present site. INC also has three main offices outside the Philippines; inBurlingame,California;Washington D.C.; and inHeathrow,London.[127]
Administration and ministerial work are delegated intoecclesiastical districts (termeddivisions until 1990) which are led by District Supervising Ministers (O1, formerlydivision ministers orministrong regular) and Assistant District Supervising Ministers (O2, formerlyregular evangelist). They are assisted bydeacons (diyakono),deaconesses (diyakonesa), secretaries (kalihim), treasurers (ingat-yaman), andworkers (manggagawa).[5][37] Ecclesiastical districts comprise 40 congregations (referred to as locales) on average.[127] All locales were directly managed by Felix Y. Manalo until 1924 when the first ecclesiastical district was organized inPampanga.[22]
Members are also organized intoChristian Family Organizations (CFOs), which cater to groups depending on their respective life stages.Buklod (formerlyBuklod ng Gintong Layunin) is for married members.KADIWA (Kabataang May Diwang Wagas, formerlyKapisanang Maligayang Pagtatagumpay) is for single members 18 years old and above.Binhi is for baptized members aged 12 to 17.Pagsamba ng Kabataan (PNK) is for members' children aged 4 to 11. There are also CFOs aimed for different settings, such as the Society of Communicators and Networkers International (SCAN).[128]
Iglesia ni Cristo church buildings primarily serve as places of worship but are also used for other religious functions. These are described byCulture and Customs of the Philippines, a book published byGreenwood Publishing Group, as structures "which employ exteriorneo-Gothic vertical support columns with tall narrow windows between, interlockingtrapezoids, androsettemotifs, as well as tower andspires." There are multiple entrances leading to the mainsanctuary, where males and females sit on either side of theaisle facing adais where sermons are made. Thechoir loft is located behind the dais, and in larger churches, abaptistry with pools forimmersion baptism is located at the back of the church.[129] Meanwhile, Fernando Nakpil-Zialcita, ananthropologist fromAteneo de Manila University,[130] said that INC churches can be uniquely identified for "its exuberant use of fanciful forms and ornaments [and a] brilliant white facade whose silhouette is a cusped Gothic arch or a flattenedSaracenic arch."[37] The distinctive spires represent "the reaching out of the faithful to God."[22] Prominent architects, such asJuan Nakpil (aNational Artist of the Philippines for architecture) andCarlos A. Santos-Viola, had been involved in designing INC churches while the Engineering and Construction Department of INC, established in 1971 and headed by Felix Manalo's youngest sonBienvenido, oversees the uniformity in design of church buildings.[129][131]
The first chapel was built on Gabriela Street in Tondo, Manila in 1918, fashioned out ofsawali (woven leaf panels),nipa and wood, typified the style and materials of the early chapels. AfterWorld War II, INC began to build concrete chapels, the first of these in Washington (Maceda),Sampaloc, Manila completed in 1948. Next came the chapel and former official residence of the executive minister in San Juan,Rizal (nowSan Juan City, part ofMetropolitan Manila), designed by Juan Nakpil.[132] TheCentral Temple, which opened on July 27, 1984, can accommodate up to 7,000 persons, and was designed byCarlos A. Santos-Viola.[133] It featuresoctagonal spires, "finelatticework" and ribbed windows. Recent buildings are variations on the designs of the Central Temple. These are designed to accommodate 250 to 1,000 persons while larger churches inMetro Manila and provincial capitals can accommodate up to 3,000 persons.[37]
Although the church regards "decent" and "well-constructed" chapels and houses of worship as holy and the only fitting place to conduct worship services[71], INC churches outside the Philippines which were acquired from different religions were converted and underwent intensive renovations to meet the standard of INC worship services.[134]
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The Iglesia ni Cristo is close tofundamentalist style and supports conservative politicians.[16] It is known for its practice ofbloc voting during elections.[135][136][137] During the 2016 presidential election, INC communities inAgusan del Sur,Nueva Ecija,Rizal,Dasmariñas, andQuezon City delivered 98% to 100% of the total votes to the endorsed candidates.[138] The church supported the candidacy ofBenigno "Noynoy" Aquino III during the 2010 presidential elections,[139][140] and also voted forRodrigo Duterte in the 2016 presidential elections.[141][142] In the 2022 elections, Iglesia ni Cristo endorsed the candidacies ofFerdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. andSara Duterte for president and vice president respectively.[143][144] In the 2025 senatorial elections, the church supported the senatorial candidacy of INC memberRodante Marcoleta.[145]
In the1961 Philippine presidential election, the INC opposed the campaign ofDiosdado Macapagal, who would eventually win the polls and make him the first Filipino vice president to defeat an incumbent president. At this time, the INC is seen by the media as "thebogey of Philippine politics."[146]
In the1965 Philippine presidential election, support fromEraño Manalo and the INC was one of the attributed reasons behind the victory ofFerdinand Marcos over the incumbent Macapagal.[147]
In the1969 Philippine vice presidential election, the INC supported the losing bid ofGenaro Magsaysay, running mate of presidential candidateSergio Osmeña, Jr., in a split ticket (that is, Marcos-Magsaysay)[p]. Incumbent Vice PresidentFernando Lopez, the first Filipino to be elected to the vice presidency thrice and later Chairman ofABS-CBN Corporation, believed he has "debunked Iglesia political power with the help of responsible voters." In victory, Lopez remarked that he would rather lose the election than "surrender" to the INC. Lopez (with 62.7 percent vote share) also polled higher than his running mate, PresidentFerdinand Marcos (with 62.2 percent vote share).[149]
On September 23, 1972, when PresidentFerdinand Marcos announced placingMartial law in the Philippines,MetroCom troops led by GeneralFidel Ramos stormed theINC Central Office to close down the church's media armEagle Broadcasting Corporation. However, having no orders from the Executive Minister to allow government forces to enter in their compound, the INC guards armed withThompson submachine guns opened fire to defend the place, and killed onePhilippine Constabulary in the process.[q] By the time Defense MinisterJuan Ponce Enrile arrived in the area, MetroCom troops have already retaliated to the church defiance and killed at least 12 INC guards. After discussions with the church administration, government forces were successful in shutting down the INC media. Enrile called the battle as "the only violent incident" of the day, while Media CzarPrimitivo Mijares dubbed it as the "only armed resistance to the military efforts to enforce martial law."[150][151]
On February 14, 1975, as response to the imprisonment of INC members, some 50,000 church members turned up in a rally against human rights abuses duringMartial law in the Philippines.[152]
In the1986 Philippine presidential election, while the church administration supported the reelection bid of PresidentFerdinand Marcos, Filipino investigative journalist Malou Mangahas wrote that the decision "came close to seriously dividing its flock" as errant members voted for the opposition candidateCorazon Aquino. This prompted ahouse-to-house campaign by INC ministers to determine who voted against the church administration's choice. However, instead of being used as grounds for expulsion (tiwalag), erring members were instead compelled to write their explanations (salaysay).[153]
From April 25 to May 1, 2001, the INC formed the backbone of protesters who joinedEDSA III, which supported the cause of Former PresidentJoseph Estrada.[153][154][155]
On June 12, 2009, PresidentGloria Macapagal Arroyo signed Republic Act No. 9645, declaring July 27 as "Iglesia ni Cristo Day", a special national working holiday.[156] On February 13, 2018, President Rodrigo Duterte appointed INC's executive minister, Eduardo Manalo, as special envoy for overseas Filipino concerns.[157] Manalo was again reappointed by President Bongbong Marcos as Special Envoy for Overseas Filipino Concerns; Manalo's tenure lasted from September 2, 2023 to September 1, 2024.[158][159] On October 31, 2024, President Bongbong Marcos issued Proclamation No. 729, declaring July 27, 2025 as "Iglesia ni Cristo Day," a special non-working holiday.[160]
On February 28, 2012, some 600,000 INC members gathered for a "prayer rally" and "Grand Evangelical Mission" at theQuirino Grandstand and 19 other sites.[106] While claimed to be part of the church's campaign to "propagate God's words", it was also perceived as a show of force against theImpeachment of Renato Corona, who was thenChief Justice of the Philippines. Corona himself, while invited to the event, did not accept the invitation to avoid being accused of "being there for a political purpose."[161][162][163]
The2015 INC protests[164] were a series of marches which occurred between August 27–31, 2015. Supporters of the Iglesia ni Cristo protested against theDepartment of Justice for allegedly meddling in internal church affairs by taking action on an illegal detention case filed byexpelled minister Isaias Samson, Jr. Samson alleged that he was illegally detained by the church andhas accused the church of corruption.[165]
The INC on December 4, 2024 has announced that it plans to hold a rally to oppose theimpeachment efforts concurring with President Marcos' stance in November 2024 that efforts to remove Vice PresidentSara Duterte from office is unconstructive.[166] On January 13, 2025, more than 1.5 million INC members went to the "National Rally for Peace" at theQuirino Grandstand in Manila;[167][168] 12 other sites also staged the rally across the country.[169]
The Felix Y. Manalo (FYM) Foundation is the humanitarian outreach arm of the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) church.[170] It manages INC’s international aid programs providing free medical and dental clinics, educational assistance, disaster relief and other essential goods to needy communities.[171]
In August 2022, the FYM Foundation, in partnership with Iglesia ni Cristo congregations in Canada, distributed 2,000 grocery bags and donated funds to local charities during aCare for Humanity event in Red Deer.[172] In 2022, FYM Foundation received the 2021 Presidential Award for Filipino Individuals and Organizations Overseas (PAFIOO) under the "Banaag" category.[173]
Hukbalahap leader andChristianDemocratic SocialistLuis Taruc wrote in his bookBorn of the People (1949, 1953) that duringWorld War II, Filipino landlords and theJapanese used members of the INC ascivilian guards, with signs labeled asI am Iglesia seen as guarantee of protection.[174]
Reverend Joseph Kavanagh,SJ, Professor at the San Jose Seminary, observed in 1955 that many of the doctrinal attacks of the INC, particularly against theCatholic Church, were unoriginal and had been answered before. He also noted that Manalo'santi-Catholicism essentially makes him aProtestant, and the church doctrines were more of a "potpourri of borrowings from several different creeds, the fruit, undoubtedly, of Mr. Manalo's spiritual wanderings."[175]
Since 1980, there have beenconflicts between the INC and the Members Church of God International (MCGI), when MCGI Overall ServantEliseo Soriano started his radio programAng Dating Daan (ADD). Through his program, he discussed biblical issues and "exposed" what he believes to be wrong doctrines of other religious groups, including those of INC. In 2001, after 20 years of reticence, the INC launched its own program,Ang Tamang Daan, then hosted by INC Ministers Maximo Bularan, Michael Sandoval, and Ramil Parba, as a direct response for the first time toAng Dating Daan, featuring video footages and recordings of ADD hosts (besides Soriano himself, this roster included Josel Mallari and Willy Santiago) as issues were tackled and their format likened to a "running debate." Over time, the animosity between the two groups has intensified and the relationship has been severely strained.
Karl Keating, the founder ofCatholic Answers, said in 1990 that the INC engages inanti-Catholicism andanti-Protestantism in itsGod's Message magazine. Keating views the church as being built on a set of anti-Catholic doctrines, and that their lessons, as well as theirGod's Message magazine are dedicated more to debunking Catholic andProtestant beliefs and doctrines than to explaining their own positions.[176]
In 1992, theMovie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) gave anX rating to the church's television program of the same name,Ang Iglesia ni Cristo, for "criticizing different religions, based on their own interpretation of the Bible."[r] The MTRCB also recommended for the program to "delve on explaining their own faith and beliefs and avoid attacks on other faith." Banking on the principle offreedom of religion, the INC appealed the case to theCourt of Appeals in 1995, which affirmed the MTRCB's actions, and to theSupreme Court in 1996, which reversed the appellate court's decision.[177] The principle applied in this particular case was also cited in a 2005 case between the MTRCB and Filipino media companyABS-CBN.[178]
Let Us Reason Ministries, an onlineapologetics research group, has challenged the Iglesia ni Cristo's doctrines that one can only receivesalvation if they are a member of the INC, and for saying that the INC has the sole authority from God to interpret and preach the Bible, while other religions do not.[179] They also say that the Iglesia ni Cristo fallaciously misinterprets Biblical passages in order to suit their doctrines.[180]
Ibn Majah, a former INC member who converted toIslam, observed in 2006 that themonotheistic view of the INC "served as a bridge for him to embrace Islam." He also compared his conversion to Islam as "much better" than his experience with the INC. He also commended theMuslim commitment to prayer, which he professed he has not found in the INC.[181]
James White, ofAlpha and Omega Ministries, challenged the theology of the Iglesia ni Cristo in a public debate. White and Jose Ventilacion of the Iglesia ni Cristo met for a debate on April 21, 2017, inRapid City, South Dakota. White also dispelled later rumors that he was converted into an INC member, saying that it was the INC being in "damage control mode."[182][183]
Dr. Yuchen Ma ofPeking University classified the INC as anew religious movement (NRM), but has emphasized that although the INC claims to be theone true church, their doctrines and practices were clearly influenced by both Philippine Catholic and American Protestant traditions. A unique distinction of the INC was the Manalo claim of being the "last messenger of God." However, Ma also noted that despite having this doctrine, the INC "has experienced two changes in religious leadership within the Manalo family."[184]
Christian platform Apologetics Index pointed out "unbiblical beliefs" of the INC, including opposition to the Trinity, inconsistency with how a creature (which Jesus is claimed to be by the INC) can be worshipped,good works and obedience to the church administration will bring salvation, the fulfillment of prophecy through Manalo, andsoul sleep.[185]
Kyle Butt,D.Min. of Apologetics Press commended the growth, the beautiful buildings, and the zealousness for evangelism of the INC. However, it was also observed that the church "veered from Christ’s teachings." He also noted inconsistencies with the church doctrine, particularly with how the Bible is interpreted, and howJesus can be worshipped despite not being divine for INC members.[186]
A book-length Catholic treatment of INC history and teachings is: Elesterio, Fernando,The Iglesia Ni Kristo: Its Christology and Ecclesiology, Quezon City, Philippines: Cardinal Bea Studies,Cardinal Bea Institute, Loyola School of Theology,Ateneo de Manila University, 1976.
(Doctrinal lessons for third year ministerial students)
Multitudes of Iglesia ni Cristo members at 19 different sites throughout the archipelago join in intensified campaign to share the message of salvation.
The Iglesia ni Cristo completed the Central Temple in two years.
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