Iglesia Ni Cristo: Nontrinitarian Christian denomination from the Philippines
The Iglesia ni Cristo (IPA: ; Filipino for Church of Christ), or INC, is a church which was founded in the Philippines by Felix Manalo in 1914.
The INC states the church was founded by Jesus Christ but that Felix Manalo restored it. The church does not believe in the religious teaching that Jesus is God and part of the Trinity.
| Iglesia ni Cristo | |
|---|---|
 INC church | |
| Abbreviation | INC |
| Classification | Restorationism |
| Theology | Nontrinitarianism, Unitarianism |
| Governance | Central administration |
| Executive Minister | Eduardo V. Manalo |
| Region | 156 countries and territories |
| Language | Filipino, English |
| Headquarters | Quezon City, Philippines |
| Founder | Felix Manalo |
| Origin | July 27, 1914 (date registered to the Philippine government) Punta, Santa Ana, Manila, Philippine Islands |
| Congregations | approximately 7,000 |
| Members | 3 million (estimated worldwide) |
| Ministers | 7,205 (2009) |
| Hospitals | New Era General Hospital |
| Aid organization |
|
| Primary schools | Yakap Orphanage |
| Tertiary institutions |
|
| Other name(s) | Church of Christ |
| Official website | iglesianicristo |
History
Felix Manalo was born a member of the Roman Catholic Church, but joined a number of Protestant churches until he believed that God gave him a mission to teach the gospel and to bring back the first church made by Jesus. The INC began with a handful of followers on July 27, 1914 in Punta, Santa Ana, Manila, with Manalo as highest minister. It has now spread to many different countries.
Beliefs and teachings
Some of the teachings INC believes in are:
- God is the one who made the Heavens and the Earth, and he is the only god.
- There is no Holy Trinity; God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit are not one.
- Jesus is the Son of God.
- The Holy Spirit is the power of God given to Jesus to teach and for us to help us with our problems.
- Manalo was God's last messenger.
- God chose INC members to serve him just as he did the early church and Israel in the past.
- INC is the same church as the Christian church in the first century.
- INC is God's true church, and the only way to be saved.
- INC believes in baptism by dipping the whole body under water.
- Members must follow the Administration and the Administration must follow the words of Christ.
- Members should live a life of good.
- Members must not eat food made with blood or marry a non-member.
- It is everyone's job to worship God by going to worship services two times a week.
- Members should treat each other like brother and sister.
- The church should act as one; this includes voting.
- The dead will come back to life and either be blessed or punished.
- Jesus will come again very soon because the signs that He is coming back (such as World War 1 and World War 2, and widespread news of poverty, famine, earthquake and other disasters) have happened.
- A holy city is being made by Jesus for INC members and all other chosen people in the past to live in when he comes back.
References
Books
- Melton, J. Gordon (2009). Melton's Encyclopedia of American Religions (8th ed.). Detroit: Gale Cengage Learning.
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