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Summary
- Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) teaches that Jesus is the Son of God and the one Savior but a man, not God, and that the Father alone is God; the Catholic Church teaches that Jesus is true God and true man, one of three persons in one God.
- INC was registered in the Philippines on 27 July 1914 and holds that Felix Y. Manalo, who preached it, is “God’s messenger in these last days”; its leader today is the Executive Minister, Eduardo V. Manalo.
- INC reads Isaiah 43:5-6, Isaiah 46:11 and Revelation 7:2-3 as prophecies of a messenger from the Far East; Catholic Bible notes read Isaiah 46:11 as Cyrus of Persia, and their note on Isaiah 43:18 describes Israel’s return from Babylon.
- Each church teaches that it is the true Church. INC teaches there is no salvation outside it; the Catholic Church teaches it is necessary for salvation but that people who through no fault of their own do not know it may still be saved.
- INC baptizes by immersion and does not baptize infants; the Catholic Church baptizes infants and adults in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, and one Catholic archdiocese’s list does not count an INC baptism as valid.
- In the Philippines’ 2020 census, 78.8 percent of the household population reported Roman Catholic as their religion and 2.6 percent reported Iglesia ni Cristo.
Bibliography (Click to show)
- The Holy Bible, King James Version: Isaiah 43:5-6; Isaiah 45:1; Isaiah 46:11; Matthew 16:18; John 1:1; John 1:14; John 5:28-29; John 8:40; John 17:3; John 20:28; Acts 20:28; Romans 16:16; 1 Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 13:17; Revelation 7:2, via BibleGateway.
- Iglesia ni Cristo, “What We Believe” and its belief statements: “One God, the Father,” “The Lord Jesus Christ,” “The Holy Spirit,” “The Messengers of God,” “The Church and Salvation,” “God’s Election,” “The Holy Scriptures,” “Baptism,” “Worship of God,” “The Church Administration,” “The Resurrection of the Dead,” “Judgment Day” and “The Holy City, New Jerusalem,” iglesianicristo.net.
- Iglesia ni Cristo, “History,” iglesianicristo.net; “About Us,” iglesianicristo.net; “Worship,” iglesianicristo.net.
- “Why We Firmly Believe Brother Felix Y. Manalo Is God’s Messenger,” Pasugo: God’s Message, pasugo.com.ph; “The War Referred to in Revelation 7:1-3,” Pasugo: God’s Message, pasugo.com.ph.
- Philippine Statistics Authority, “Religious Affiliation in the Philippines (2020 Census of Population and Housing),” press release 2023-70, 22 February 2023, psa.gov.ph.
- Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraphs 232-267, the Holy Trinity (245, 253, 254), vatican.va; 446-451, “Lord” (448), vatican.va; 456-483, “The Son of God Became Man” (464, 467, 480), vatican.va; 552, vatican.va.
- Catechism of the Catholic Church, on revelation and Scripture: 66, vatican.va; 80, vatican.va; 85-86, vatican.va; 120, vatican.va.
- Catechism of the Catholic Church, on the Church: 816, 846-847 and 862, vatican.va.
- Catechism of the Catholic Church, on the sacraments and worship: 1113, vatican.va; 1239-1240, vatican.va; 1250, vatican.va; 1324, vatican.va; 2042-2043, vatican.va.
- Catechism of the Catholic Church, on the last things: 1023-1024, vatican.va; 1030, vatican.va; 1033, vatican.va; 1038, vatican.va.
- Catechism of the Catholic Church, on mixed marriages and disparity of cult: 1633 and 1635, vatican.va.
- Code of Canon Law (1983), canon 845, vatican.va.
- Archdiocese of Cincinnati, Tribunal, “Valid Baptisms,” catholicaoc.org.
- Second Vatican Council, Lumen Gentium 8 (1964), vatican.va.
- United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, New American Bible, Revised Edition, with notes: Isaiah 43, bible.usccb.org; Isaiah 46, bible.usccb.org; Revelation 7, bible.usccb.org.
- Augustine of Hippo, Tractates on the Gospel of John, 105 (on John 17:1-5), translated by John Gibb, Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series, vol. 7, New Advent.
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