Criticism of Iglesia ni Cristo
From Wikinfo
- See also: Iglesia ni Cristo
The Iglesia ni Cristo has come under criticism from other religions mainly due to disagreements over their doctrines, including their denial of the Trinity, and beliefs regarding the interpretation of the Bible.
Secular critics question the INC's hierarchy and argue that the apparently hereditary succession of Executive Ministers indicates nepotism; supporters point out that both executive ministers since the passing of Felix Manalo were elected by a group of senior ministers.
The denomination has been called a "highly authoritarian organization." [1] by secular critics, who castigate the INC for behaviours that are percieved as a lack of openness in its dealings with other organizations, bloc-voting in the Philippines (such political activism by religious organizations is not unique to INC), and restraint of press freedom (for seeking prior restraint on Ross Tipon's forthcoming critical book, The Power and the Glory: The Cult of Manalo) for alleged gross inaccuracies. Reacting to these claims, the INC has taken legal action against some of their critics.
A Catholic apostolate has questioned the INC's doctrines of apostasy within the Catholic Church and whether or not the verses used to support the doctrine of the Iglesia ni Cristo being prophesied are used in the right context. It contends that other verses are difficult to reconcile with the views of the Iglesia ni Cristo. [2]. Supporters of the INC claim the trinity doctrine was gradually formulated in the four centuries following the death of Jesus, the most significant events of which were the support of the doctrine of the divinity of Jesus by Emperor Constantine (himself a relatively new convert to Catholicism) at the Council of Nicea in 325 CE, and the declaration seventy years later at a similar council that the Holy Spirit was also the true God. They point out that nowhere in the bible is the trinity explicitly mentioned and cite verses where Jesus seems to show a relationship with God that cannot reconcile with the doctrine of the Trinity.[3]
Some critics say that the church itself experienced an evolution from a fairly orthodox Catholicism that welcomed many persecuted Catholic priests in the early [[20th century], towards a Unitarianism that denied the Trinity. [4]
External links
- Iglesia ni Cristo - INC critique by Catholic Answers, a U.S. lay-run apostolate of Catholic apologetics and evangelization
- Examine Iglesia Ni Cristo - Evangelical critique of INC based on Pasugo texts
- The Unofficial Site of the Iglesia ni Cristo - Although titled as if it has ties with INC, this is an anti-INC site and is not affiliated whatsoever to the Iglesia ni Cristo.
- The Iglesia ni Cristo and evangelical Christianity - article by Ann C. Harper of the Asia Pacific Theological Seminary. Her description:"The purpose of this paper is to explore the INC's view of Evangelicals and to consider whether [evangelicals] need to reassess [their] apologetic and evangelistic approach to this group". (PDF reader required, HTML version via Google)
