Founder: Felix Manalo Isugan (b. 1886; d. 1963)
Felix Manalo Isugan (1886-1963) was born and raised as a Catholic. As a young man, he became a spiritual seeker, joining first the Methodist Church, then the Churches of Christ. He later became a Seventh-day Adventist, although in 1913, during the course of a mystical experience, he felt called to leave the Adventist Church and establish his own denomination. He proceeded to gather some followers and found a new church, simply known as ‘Iglesia ni Cristo’ (Church of Christ), registered with the Philippine government on 27 July 1914. The fact that the date coincided with the start of World War One was later regarded as a prophetic omen by Manalo’s followers.
The growth of the new church (known as ‘the Manalist Church’ in the Philippines) was initially quite slow, and plagued by more than one schism. Later it progressed very rapidly, within the framework of the Philippine’s post-World War Two religious revival. Manalists experienced remarkable success and, currently led by the founder’s son Erano Manalo (1925-) who took over the leadership on his father’s death in 1963, represent the third largest Christian denomination in the Philippines. With some two million members (although the Church claims five million, and statistics are a matter of speculation in the Philippines), it follows in term of size both the Roman Catholic Church and the Aglipayans (i.e. the Philippine Independent Church founded by Gregorio Aglipay (18601940), a Catholic splinter group). Branches have been established in the US in response to the large Filipino population settling there (eighty congregations), and in Australia and Europe. The European headquarters are located in Italy, with branches in Spain, the UK, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, and Germany, with several thousand members, mostly from the Philippines but also from Sri Lanka and other Asian countries. There are a very limited number of European converts.
Iglesia ni Cristo rejects the traditional doctrine of the Trinity as a dangerous ‘thriteism’. In order to avoid the conclusion that there are, in fact, three Gods, Manalo taught that Jesus Christ is indeed the Redeemer and the elected ‘Son of God’, but not ‘God Himself. A particular status is attributed to Felix Manalo, who is believed to be the ‘angel rising from the East’, as mentioned in Revelation 7. His title in the Iglesia ni Cristo is sugo, meaning ‘messenger’, a word with prophetic and messianic connotations in the language of the Philippines’ NRMs. According to Manalo, the Bible’s authentic interpretation should be seen as being reflected in the message of the sugo. In order to be saved, it is necessary to join the one true church, i.e. the Iglesia ni Cristo. This explains the great importance attributed to proselytization, and the frequent controversies with the Roman Catholic Church. In other respects, the Manalist Church’s theology is close to US-style fundamentalism, and like the latter gives active support to conservative politicians.
