Protestantism in the Philippines
Christianity by country |
---|
Christianity portal |
Protestant denominations arrived in the Philippines in 1898, after the United States took control of the Philippines from Spain, first with United States Army chaplains and then within months civilian missionaries.
Statistics
History
It is likely that there was some Protestant activity in the Philippines before 1898, such as during the
Protestantism began to seriously develop in the Philippines after the
The first Protestant service during this era was on Sunday, August 28, 1898.[a] Chaplain George Stull, a member of The Methodist Episcopal Church, came with the occupying forces. Although his primary duty was to minister to the soldiers, he recorded in his diary that that first service, held in an old Spanish dungeon facing Manila Bay, was attended not only by his own men but by some Filipinos as well. He commented on this service:[8]
"That the power of God will use this day to make a good Catholic better, any weak American stronger, any backslider ashamed, and the gloomy old dungeon the beginning of wonderful things in these Islands, is my prayer."[9]
The Comity Agreement (1898–1941)
After the defeat of the Spanish in the Battle of Manila Bay by the U.S. Navy's Asiatic Squadron, Presbyterian, Baptist and Methodist leaders met in 1898 in New York to discuss how to bring Protestantism to the Philippines. The result was a comity agreement that divided the Philippines into missionary areas by denomination to avoid future conflicts among themselves and their converts.[10] Only one Protestant denomination would be in each area.
The meeting was followed by another gathering in 1901 by the early missionaries in Manila to further discuss the comity agreement with three specific major agenda items:
- "to organize the Evangelical Union,"
- "choose a common name for Protestant churches," and
- "delineate the geographical work allotments for each church."[11]
From 1898 to 1930 the different Protestant denominations that joined the comity agreement were:
- ;
- Presbyterians (1899) assigned Bicol, Southern Tagalog area and some parts of Central and Western Visayas;
- Baptists (1900) Western Visayas;
- United Brethren (1901) Mountain Province and La Union;
- towns;
- Congregationalists (1902), Mindanaoexcept for the western end; and
- Christian and Missionary Alliance (1902), Western Mindanao and Sulu Archipelago.
- Brethren (Kapatirang Kristiano) linked to Plymouth Brethren, was established in the 1930s in San Juan, Metro Manila by a missionary named Cyril H. Brooks. They planted numerous chapels in the Philippines with majority in Bulacan, Pampanga and Rizal Province.
Manila was open to all denominations and mission agencies.[12] The Seventh-day Adventist Church and the Episcopal Church in the Philippines did not join because they wanted to go to all parts of the archipelago.[13] American Protestant Missions (APM) emphasized institutional ministry and medical missions in their evangelistic and missions endeavors.
For a short time the comity agreement worked well, until the situation grew more intricate and splits occurred. The Methodists split in 1909 when
Divisions came with growth and expansion, and personality clashes, racial tensions, the dynamics of nationalism, cultural differences, power struggles and other non-theological factors contributed to the schisms. In the 1920s the fundamentalist-modernist controversy in the United States affected the Philippines, causing further division. By 1921, some nineteen independent denominations were registered with the
Unity of the churches was still a goal. In 1929, the United Brethren, Presbyterian and Congregational Churches formed the
World War II and independence
To deal with the diverse Protestant groups, the Japanese during their occupation of the Philippines during
Several independent church organizations emerged in the 1970s and mid-1980s, such as the
A major factor in the development of Philippine Protestantism is the explicit expression of religious freedom found in Section 5, Article III ("Bill of Rights) of the
A theme in the development of Protestantism in the Philippines is the tension between the religion and nationalism. After an initial period of resentment toward American missionaries, Filipinos gradually accepted Protestantism.[19] During the 1920s and '30s, American Methodist missionaries openly supported Filipino independence from the United States.[20]
Education
Protestant missionaries founded many schools and universities in the Philippines. Some of which are founded by early American Protestant missionaries.
Institution | Founded | Founding affiliation | Founded (Nationality) | Description |
---|---|---|---|---|
Silliman University | 1901 as Silliman Bible School | Presbyterian
|
American | First American and Protestant founded school and university in Asia and in the Philippines. |
Central Philippine University | 1905 as Jaro Industrial School | Baptist
|
American | First Baptist founded and second American university in Asia and in the Philippines. |
Filamer Christian University | 1904 as Capiz Home School | Baptist
|
American | |
Adventist University of the Philippines | 1917 as Philippine Seventh-day Adventist Academy | Seventh-day Adventist Church | Filipino /American
|
|
Philippine Christian University | 1946 as Manila Union University | Methodist (United Methodist Church )
|
American | |
Wesleyan University-Philippines
|
1946 as Philippine Wesleyan College | Methodist (United Methodist Church )
|
Filipino | |
West Negros University
|
1948 as West Negros College | Baptist (now acquired by the STI Education Systems Holdings Inc.)
|
Filipino | |
Trinity University of Asia | 1963 as Trinity College of Quezon City | Episcopalian | American |
List of major denominations and prominent independent churches
Emblem | Name | Orientation | Foundation | Leadership | Headquarters | Membership | References |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Alliance of Bible Christian Churches of the Philippines | Bishop Chito Ramos | 102 Scout Rallos Street
Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines |
|||||
Assemblies of God | Pentecostal | 1940 | Malinta, Valenzuela | 360,000 | |||
Bread of Life Ministries International | Evangelical | 1982 | Rev. Noel Tan | Crossroad Center, Paligsahan, Quezon City | 35,000 | ||
Cathedral of Praise | Full Gospel | 1954 | Dr. David E. Sumrall | COP Main Campus, Ermita, Manila | |||
Christian and Missionary Alliance Churches of the Philippines | 1901 (initial formation) 1947 (official) |
500,000 | |||||
Christian Reformed Church in the Philippines | Calvinist | 1962 | Rev. Ben Gonzaga | 5,000 | |||
Christ's Commission Fellowship | Non-Denominational | 1984 | Dr. Peter Fu Tan-Chi | CCF Center, Pasig | 100,000 | ||
Convention of Philippine Baptist Churches | Mainline Baptist
|
1900 (initial formation) 1935 (formal) |
Rev. Danilo Azuela Borlado[22] | Compound Fajardo-Arguelles Sts., Jaro Iloilo City 5000 PHILIPPINES | 600,000[23] | ||
Door of Faith
Church Phils. |
Full Gospel |
Leopoldo Mazaredo | Quezon City, Philippines
|
||||
Episcopal Church in the Philippines | Anglican | 1901 (under USA) 1990 (autonomy) |
Cathedral Heights, Quezon City | 125,000 | |||
Church of the Foursquare Gospel in the Philippines | Pentecostal / Charismatic | 1929 | Rev. Dr. Delfin L. Corona | #1 F. Castillo Street, Marilag, Project 4, Quezon City 1109 | 144,000 | ||
Iglesia Evangelica Metodista En Las Islas Filipinas (IEMELIF) | Methodist | 1909 | Rev. Noel M. Abiog | Beulah Land IEMELIF Center Marytown Circle, Greenfields 1 Subd., Brgy. Kaligayahan, Quirino Highway, Novaliches, Quezon City, 1124 | |||
Iglesia Evangelica Unida de Cristo (Unida Christian Church) | Evangelical | 1932 | Rev. Richard Buenaventura | 25,000 | |||
Iglesia Unida Ekyumenikal (Unida Ecumenical Church) | Evangelical, United Church | 1995 | Rev. Justice Raoul V. Victorino | Bishop Moises F. Buzon Memorial Church - Templo Central, 634 Moriones Street, Tondo, Manila |
|||
Philippine Independent Church (Iglesia Filipina Independiente or Aglipayan Church) | Anglican | 1902 | The Most Reverend Joel O. Porlares | Ermita, Manila
|
1,458,992 (as per 2020 census) |
[24][25] | |
Jesus Is Lord Church Worldwide | Full Gospel | 1978 | Eddie Villanueva | Manila, Philippines
|
1,000,000[26] | ||
Lutheran Church in the Philippines | Lutheran | 1957 | Rev. Antonio del Rio Reyes | Lutheran Center
#4461 Old Santa Mesa Street, Santa Mesa, Manila |
|||
Philippines Central Conference (United Methodist Church) | Methodist | 200,540 | |||||
Presbyterian Church of the Philippines | Presbyterian | 1987 | Rev. Danilo Yandan | Pasig | 11,000 | ||
Seventh-day Adventist Church | Adventist | 1863 (US) 1905 (PH) |
Election every 5 years in 3 Unions (North, Central, South) | Luzon, Pasay
Visayas, Cebu City Mindanao, Cagayan de Oro City |
> 1.1 million | 26 | |
Federation of Southern Baptist Conventions in the Philippines | Baptist | No. 24 Kanlaon Street Brgy. Sta. Teresita 1114 Quezon City PHILIPPINES | 49,501[27] | ||||
The Salvation Army | Holiness Movement | 1865 (Int'l.) 1937 (PH) |
Gen.Brian Peddle (International) Col. David Oalang (PH Territory) |
THQ Malate, Manila | |||
United Church of Christ in the Philippines | Mainline Methodist/
Calvinist |
1901 (early formation) 1948 (official) |
West Triangle, Quezon City | 1,500,000 | |||
Victory | Evangelical | 1984 | Manny Carlos | Every Nation Building, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig | 80,000[28] | ||
Word of Hope | Pentecostal | Word of Hope Christian Family Church, Veterans Village, Project 7, Quezon City | 50,000 | Affiliated with Assemblies of God |
Some are members of the Association of Pastors for Outreach and Intercession, G12 Philippines, National Council of Churches in the Philippines, Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches, Philippines for Jesus Movement, Christian Conference of Asia, World Methodist Council and the World Council of Churches.
See also
Notes
- British Occupation of Manilain the 1760s, at least for soldiers like this 1898 service.
Footnotes
- ^ "Protestant Christianity in the Philippines". Religious Literacy Project. Harvard Divinity School. Retrieved May 8, 2018.
- ^ "Philippines Population Surpassed 100 million people". Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved May 8, 2018.
- ISSN 0424-2084.
- ^ Deats, 1967, p. 91
- ^ Deats, 1967, p. 92
- ^ Anderson, 1969, p. 298
- ^ Deats, 1967, p. 95
- ^ The Story of Methodism in the Philippines - EARLY BEGINNINGS Archived February 10, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Homer Stuntz, 1940, pp. 415-416
- ^ Guillermo & Verora, pp. 1–3
- ^ Guillermo & Verora, p. 3.
- ^ Tuggy & Toliver, p. 19
- ^ James H. Montgomery and Donald A. McGavran, pp. 41–51
- ^ Tuggy & Oliver, pp. 136–40.
- ^ Frank Laubach, p. 23
- ^ McGrath, Alister E. (2008) Christianity's Dangerous Idea: The Protestant Revolution: A History from the Sixteenth Century to the Twenty-First London: Regnum Books (p 454 to 455)
- ^ Elwood, 1969, p. 370
- ^ Anderson, 1969, p. 296
- ^ Deats, 1967, p. 132
- ^ Deats, 1967, p. 142
- ^ Philippines - Religion Archived December 24, 2013, at the Wayback Machine Asian Studies Center, Michigan State University, Retrieved 12-22-13.
- ^ "Convention of Philippine Baptist Churches, Inc". www.facebook.com. Retrieved April 20, 2023.
- ^ "Convention of Philippine Baptist Churches, Inc. | Baptist World Alliance". baptistworld.org. July 21, 2022. Retrieved April 20, 2023.
- ISSN 0118-1564. Retrieved February 4, 2017.
- ^ Mapa, Dennis S. (February 22, 2023). "Religious Affiliation in the Philippines (2020 Census of Population and Housing)". Philippine Statistics Authority (Press release). Archived from the original on March 10, 2023. Retrieved March 12, 2023.
- ^ "About Bro Eddie and JIL".
- ^ "Luzon Convention of Southern Baptist Churches, Inc. | Baptist World Alliance". baptistworld.org. July 21, 2022. Retrieved April 20, 2023.
- ^ Bird, Warren (November 25, 2015). "Philippines: Victory Megachurch Building on Discipleship". outreachmagazine.com. Retrieved April 20, 2023.
References
- Deats, R., Nationalism and Christianity in the Philippines (Dallas, 1967)
- Anderson, G. H., ‘Providence and Politics behind Protestant Missionary Beginnings in the Philippines’, in G. Anderson (ed.), Studies in Philippine Church History (London, 1969)
- Merlyn L. Guillermo and L. P. Verora, Protestant Churches and Missions in the Philippines, vol. 1 (Valenzuela, Metro Manila: Agape Printing Services, 1982)
- A. Leonard Tuggy and Ralph Toliver, Seeing the Church in the Philippines (Manila: OMF, 1972), pp. 26–53 discussed the Spanish–American War.
- International Baptist Mission for Asians Philippines, http://www.ibmasians.org
- James H. Montgomery and Donald A. McGavran, The Discipling of a Nation (Manila: Global Church Growth Bulletin, 1980)
- Frank Laubach, People of the Philippines (New York: George H. Dora, 1925), p. 23.
- Homer Stuntz (1904). The Philippines and the Far East. Jennings and Pye.
- Elwood, D. J., ‘Varieties of Christianity in the Philippines’, in G. Anderson (ed.), Studies in Philippine Church History (London, 1969)
- Missionary to the Philippines for Wycliffe Bible Translators