Aglipayan Religion/Philippine Independent Church

Source: Wikipedia

Aglipayan Religion
Philippine Independent Church

Cristy B. Pajarillaga

Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Management

Milagros Burac

October 4, 2019, Friday

 Aglipayan Religion

The Philippine Independent Church (Spanish: Iglesia Filipina Independiente; Tagalog: Malayang
Simbahan ng Pilipinas; Latin: Libera Ecclesia Philippina; colloquially called the Aglipayan Church, IFI and PIC) is an
independent Christian denomination in the form of a national church in the Philippines. Its schism from the Roman
Catholic Church was proclaimed in 1902 by the members of the Unión Obrera Democrática Filipina, due to the
mistreatment of the Filipinos by Spanish priests and the execution of José Rizal during Spanish colonial rule.
Isabelo de los Reyes was one of the initiators of the separation, and suggested that former Catholic
priest Gregorio Aglipay be the head of the church. It is also known as the "Aglipayan Church", after its first Supreme
Bishop, Gregorio Aglipay, who like José Rizal, later became a Freemason, in May 1918.
Pope Leo XIII instructed the Archbishop of Manila, Bernardino Nozaleda y Villa to excommunicate those who
initiated the schism.[7] Since 1960 the church has been in full communion with the Episcopal Church in the United
States, and through it, the entire Anglican Communion.
Members commonly believe in the rejection of the exclusivity right to apostolic succession by the Petrine
papacy, the allowing of priestly ordination of women, optional clerical celibacy, tolerance of Freemasonry, and support
for contraception and same-sex civil rights, however the members of the Church still believe in transubstantiation and
the Real presence of Christ in the Eucharist. Many saints canonized by Rome after the 1902 schism are not recognized
by the Aglipayan church and its members.
As of 2017 the Supreme Bishop was Rhee Timbang, whose central office is located at the National Cathedral
of the Holy Child in Ermita, Manila.
Name
The church's official name is Iglesia Filipina Independiente, or, in English, the Philippine Independent Church.
The church or its members are referred to by the acronym IFI as well as by a variety of names in the various languages
of the Philippines, such as Ilokano: Siwawaya nga Simbaan ti Filipinas; Tagalog: Malayang Simbahan ng Pilipinas;
and Kinaray-a: Simbahan Hilway nga Pilipinhon.
Philippine Revolution and Gregorio Aglipay
Gregorio Aglipay was an activist and a Roman Catholic priest from Ilocos Norte who would later
be excommunicated by then Archbishop of Manila Bernardino Nozaleda y Villa for fomenting schism with the Pope.
During the Philippine Revolution, Isabelo de los Reyes (also known as Don Belong) and Aglipay acted to reform the
Filipino Catholic clergy. Aglipay was the convener of the Filipino Ecclesiastical Council (Paniqui Assembly), in response
to Mabini's manifesto urging the Filipino clergy to organize a Filipino national Church. He was a member of the Malolos
Congress, the lone member coming from the religious sector, although he also represented Ilocos Norte. He was a
guerilla leader of Ilocos Norte during the Philippine–American War with the rank of lieutenant general. Following the
Philippine–American War, Aglipay and De los Reyes founded the Philippine Independent Church in 1902. The new
church rejected the spiritual authority of the Pope (then Pope Leo XIII) and abolished the celibacy requirement for
priests, allowing them to marry. At that time, all of its clergy were former Catholic priests.
Aglipay drew upon the Masons for some concepts of theology and worship. He was supported by Miguel
Morayta, the Grand Master of the Spanish Orient Lodge of Freemasonry in Madrid. Aglipay became a Mason in
1918. The historian John N. Schumacher contends that Morayta and other non-Filipino laymen pushed Aglipay
toward schism with the Catholic Church because of their resentment of the activities of Catholic religious orders in the
Philippines rather than Filipino nationalism.
The new Iglesia Filipina Independiente reformed the Latin Tridentine liturgy, adopting the vernacular in
worship, and modeling its liturgy on the Anglican Book of Common Prayer. Mass in the IFI has been said
in Spanish since the earliest days of its independence, but it is also said in Tagalog.
Visiting other churches while traveling abroad, Aglipay developed his theology, coming to reject the divinity of
Jesus and the concept of the Trinity and becoming theologically Unitarian. Other IFI officials refused to accept this
revised theology. Aglipay's unitarian and progressive theological ideas were evident in his novena, Pagsisiyam sa
Birhen sa Balintawak, 1925 and its English translation, Novenary of the Motherland (1926).
Winning large numbers of adherents in its early years because of its nationalist roots, Aglipayan numbers
decreased due to factionalism and doctrinal disagreements. The American government of occupation, after
the Philippine–American War ended in July 1902, decided to return to the Catholic Church those parish buildings that
had become Aglipayan during the Philippine Revolution and this further limited church growth. There were tensions
within the church from the beginning between Aglipay's liberal followers and more traditional members. Eventually there
would be a schism: after Aglipay's death in 1940 the courts awarded the name and assets to the Trinitarian faction.
Some factions formally joined other denominations including the Episcopal Church and the American Unitarians.
In 1961, the IFI joined the Anglican Communion and its bishops were re-consecrated into the historic
succession of the Anglican line.
Present
Today, Aglipayans in the Philippines claim to number at least 6 to 8 million members, with most from the
northern part of Luzon, especially in the Ilocos Region and in the parts of Visayas like Antique, Iloilo and Guimaras
provinces. Congregations are also found throughout the Philippine diaspora in North America, Europe, Middle East and
Asia. The church is the second-largest single Christian denomination in the country after the Roman Catholic Church
(some 80.2% of the population), comprising about 6.7% of the total population of the Philippines. By contrast, the 2010
Philippine census recorded only 916,639 members in the country, or about 1% of the population.
Some of the members of the church, like the founders Aglipay and De los Reyes, are political activists, often
involved in progressive groups and advocating nationalism, anti-imperialism, democracy, as well as opposing
extrajudicial killings. They have often been victims of forced disappearances and been branded as leftist by the
government for being aligned with progressive groups, specifically after Obispo Máximo IX Alberto Ramento was killed
in 2006 for being an anti-government critic.
Priesthood
The Church believes in ordination both of priests and bishops. Like many Anglican and Lutheran
denominations and unlike the Catholic Church, the church ordains women. The Church allows its priests to marry,
rejecting mandatory clerical celibacy.
Worship and liturgy
The main liturgy on Sunday is the eucharist, which is said in the vernacular. The Holy Mass is the center of
Aglipayan Worship, the liturgy still resembles that of the Roman Missal, but there are differences in terms of the
arrangement of the rites, (e.g. the offering of peace is done before the Liturgy of the Eucharist). The members of the
Church believe in transubstantiation and the Real presence of Christ in the Eucharist. Just like Roman Catholic Clergy,
the clergy of the Iglesia Filipina Independiente have the ability to turn bread and wine to the Most Precious Body and
Blood of Christ, this is due to the fact that the IFI has been bestowed Apostolic Succesion on April 7, 1948 by the
Episcopal Church of U.S.A.
According to historian Justo L. González, apostolic succession is generally understood today as meaning a
series of bishops, regardless of see, each consecrated by other bishops, themselves consecrated similarly in a
succession going back to the apostles.
Contraception
Aglipayan bishops joined public demonstrations in support of the Reproductive Health Bill, a law advocating
for contraception and sex education that the Catholic Church and several other Christian denominations objected to on
moral grounds.
LGBT rights
The Philippine Independent Church has had a history of violence against members of the LGBT community.
However, in the early 21st century, the church position changed dramatically to an extent where the church leadership
apologized through an official statement to the LGBT community. The church recognized that it has "shown indifference,
and have made the LGBT people feel less human, discriminated against and stigmatized". The statement – dubbed
"Our Common Humanity, Our Shared Dignity" – stresses the church's position that it "must openly embrace God's
people of all sexes, sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions". [12]
The apology statement's groundwork first came up in 2014, when a gay man articulated during the church
plenary his query about the church's plans for sexual minorities. This led to discussions among the newly elected set
of national youth officers, led by an openly gay president and a lesbian executive vice president, which would later be
succeeded by another openly gay president. The church position on LGBT persons was officially adopted by the entire
church in February 2017.[12]
Executive Commission
The General Assembly is the highest governing body that meets every three years. The Executive
Commission is mandated by the General Assembly to act on its behalf, when not in session, on matters ordinarily within
its jurisdiction. The Executive Commission meets regularly during the ad interim period.
 The Obispo Maximo presides as ex-officio Chairperson of the Executive Commission. Other members include
the Chairperson of the National Lay Council, as ex-officio vice-chairperson; the General Secretary, as ex-officio
secretary; the chairpersons of the Commission on Programs and Projects and the Commission on Business and
Finance; five bishops elected by the Supreme Council of Bishops, five priests elected by the Council of Priests; and
the three presidents of the national sectoral organizations of the men, women and youth of the Church.
Two other elected officers of the Church, the General Treasurer and General Auditor, are given permanent
invitation by the Executive Commission to join during regular meetings. They are permitted to deliberate but not granted
with the right to vote.

 Obispo Maximo
 General Secretary
 General Treasurer
 Auditor General
 Chairperson, Supreme Council of Bishops [SCB]
 Chairperson, Mindanao Bishops' Conference [MinBisCon]
 Chairperson, North-Central Luzon Bishops Conference [NC-LBC]
 Chairperson, South-Central Luzon Bishops Conference [SC-LBC]
 Bishop, Visayas Bishops Conference [ViBisCon]
 Bishop, USA and Canada Conference [Abroad Conference]
 Chairperson, Council of Priests
 Governor General, National Priests Organization
 Representative, COP Visayas
 Representative, COP North-Central Luzon
 Representative, COP Mindanao
 Chairperson, National Lay Council
 National President, Laymen of the Iglesia Filipina Independiente
 National President, Women of the Philippine Independent Church
 National President, Youth of the Iglesia Filipina Independiente
 Chairperson, Commission on Business and Finance
 Chairperson, Commission on Programs and Projects

Organization

The Church has 47 dioceses, including the Diocese of the Eastern and Western United States and Canada.
However, a lack of priests means that many parishes in the United States must depend on lay leaders.
The church is led by the Obispo Máximo or Supreme Bishop, similar to a presiding bishop in other
denominations. The current Obispo Máximo is The Most Rev Rhee XIII Timbang y Millena, who was elected on May
14, 2017.
The Supreme Council of Bishops (SCB) consists of all serving and retired bishops. Its main tasks include
maintaining and defining doctrinal orthodoxy, the adoption and prescription of liturgy.and the overall pastoral and moral
guidance to the faithful. There are also regional episcopal conferences, North Central Luzon Bishops Conference,
South Central Luzon Bishops Conference, Visayas Bishops Conference, and Mindanao Bishops Conference.
The Council of Priests (COP) is the group of delegates to the General Assembly that are entirely priests. It
elects a chairperson, a vice-chairperson and a secretary that have each terms of three years. The Council of Priests
promotes the welfare of the clergy and represents their concerns to the General Assembly.
The National Lay Council is composed of the men, women and youth delegates of every diocese represented
in the General Assembly. It works to promote and enhance the participation of the laity in the governance and general
affairs of the Church. There are also several sectoral groups, such as the Women of the Philippine Independent Church
(WOPIC), Youth of the Iglesia Filipina Independiente (YIFI), and Laymen of the Iglesia Filipina Independiente (LIFI).
General Assembly
The Iglesia Filipina Independiente has a strong tradition of authority belonging to the entire people of God.
This conciliar nature of authority in the Church is expressed in the General Assembly where the clergy and laity are
both represented.
The Iglesia Filipina Independiente is a Church that is governed synodically. It has the General Assembly as
the highest governing and policy-making body that regularly convenes every three years. It consists of all bishops, two
priests in active duty, and three and three delegates representing the men, women, and youth from every diocese
elected in a convention, as provided in Sections 1 and 2, Article II, of its Constitution.
The General Assembly operates as a synod through which the ordained and non-ordained share the
responsibility of witnessing to the apostolic faith by virtue of their common baptism. It serves as the governing body of
the Church in fulfilling the mission entrusted by God, in safeguarding the unity and continuity of the apostolic faith, and
in guiding the faithful in the fulfillment of their baptismal covenant. It is thus the final authority in all matters affecting the
life, order and discipline of the Church.
In the spirit of consultation, the General Assembly tackles complex and contentious issues and matters that
touch on the institutional components of the Church that have to do with governance, policies, and programs. On the
whole, the General Assembly:

 receives the address of the Obispo Maximo

 acts upon the decisions of the Executive Commission
 receives report of the General Treasurer
 receives reports of the Commission on Business and Finance (CBF) and the Commission on Programs and
Projects (COPP)
 receives reports of the Supreme Council of Bishops, Council of Priests and National Lay Council
 approves the program of the Church
 approve the triennial budget
 elects the Executive Commission and the national officers of the Standing Commission
Commission
There are six commissions that promote the enduring concerns in the various aspects of the life of the Church,
with each composed of people with expertise in the particular areas. The Commissions are primarily recommendatory
in nature in terms of formulation of policies, which are subject to the final approval of the Executive Commission and
the General Assembly of the Church.

 Commission on Business and Finance

 Commission on Programs and Projects
 Commission on Education and Ministry
 Commission on Liturgy and Music
 Commission on Mission and Evangelism
 Commission on Ecumenical Relations and International Affairs

Councils
The church has three important councils that are represented in the General Assembly. These are the
Supreme Council of Bishops, the Council of Priests and the National Lay Council. These play important leadership
roles in setting the direction of the church and in pursuing institutional development for the work of mission.

 Supreme Council of Bishops

The Supreme Council of Bishops (SCB), which consists of all serving and retired bishops, defines the doctrines
of the Church, adopts and prescribes official liturgical rites, and gives pastoral and moral guidance to the faithful.
 Council of Priests
The Council of Priests is composed of all priest-delegates to the General Assembly. It elects a Chairperson,
a Vice Chairperson and a Secretary for an office of three years. The Council of Priests promotes the welfare of priests
and represents their concerns to the General Assembly.

 National Lay Council

The National Lay Council is composed of the men, women and youth delegates of every diocese represented
in the General Assembly. It works to promote and enhance the participation of the laity in the governance and general
affairs of the Church.

Lay organizations
There are three sectoral organizations of the laity in the Church. These are the Youth of the Iglesia Filipina
Independiente (YIFI), the Women of the Philippine Independent Church (WOPIC) and the Laymen of the Iglesia Filipina
Independiente (LIFI).
The sectoral organizations are each governed by their respective constitution and by-laws, have their own
sets of elected officers, and are organized at the national, diocesan and parish levels.
The youth, women, and men of the sectoral organizations are represented to the General Assembly through
the National Lay Council.

Notable Churches

Interior of the Cathedral of the Holy Child

Owing to its roots in the Roman Catholic Church in the Philippines, the church buildings of the Philippine
Independent Church do not differ significantly from Catholic church buildings. Some of its notable churches are listed
here.
Cathedral of the Holy Child (National Cathedral
Main article: Iglesia Filipina Independiente National Cathedral

The Cathedral of the Holy Child in Ermita, Manila is the National Cathedral of the Philippine Independent
Church, and the seat of the Obispo Máximo. Designed by architect Carlos Arguelles, construction of the church began
in 1964 and was inaugurated on May 8, 1969, on the occasion of the 109th birth anniversary of its first Obispo Máximo,
Gregorio Aglipay. The church is made largely of bare concrete and wood and has been noted for having a suspended
block with sloping trapezoidal walls and textured with horizontal grooves all throughout, suspended with a triangular
block.
María Clara Church
The María Clara Church in Santa Cruz, Manila, was originally built as a wooden structure in 1923 before it
was expanded and becoming concrete structure in the 1950s. When the original cathedral of the Iglesia Filipina
Independiente in Tondo was destroyed during World War II, the María Clara Church became the temporary office of
the Obispo Máximo before relocating in 1969 to the present Cathedral of the Holy Child.
It was the also home parish of the fourth Obispo Máximo, Isabelo de los Reyes, Jr., where he was ordained as a priest
in 1923, and elected Supreme Bishop in 1946.