Brother Eli and his Religious Affiliation

Eli Soriano’s religious affiliation had been the subject of many debates. Read on to find out what these issues have in them.

Modest Beginnings

Brother Eli Soriano’s calling as an evangelist began 49 years ago. He was a 17-year old who quit high school at the last year and gave up his dream of becoming a scientist to pursue preaching. His parents who were already baptized in the Iglesia ng Dios kay Kristo Hesus Haligi at Saligan ng Katotohanan (Church of God in Christ Jesus the Pillar and Ground of the Truth)[1] helped him in his spiritual pursuit. The then Bro. Nicolas Antiporda Perez[2] led that congregation.

Brother Eli’s parents shared the teachings they learned from Bro. Perez with the whole family. It was the staple in any gathering, be it meal-time or a simple bonding.

At school, whenever he and his non-Catholic classmates would gather, religious talk follows. Those events gave Brother Eli ideas about other religions, and were the modest beginnings of his comparison of the teachings of his parents’ Church with those of his classmates. His young inquisitive mind would make him question their beliefs. When he was not getting satisfactory answers, he had the impression that his parents’ belief was more credible than any others’ religion.

In time, he was baptized – April 7, 1964. Brother Eli was a very active member and would always attend batches of gatherings from morning until evening. Sooner, through the encouragement of Church elders, he entered the evangelical ministry and became a worker. He was at that time the youngest.

Setting the Issues Straight

There are claims that Brother Eli had affiliated with other religions, before or after Brother Perez’s death. All claims of such nature are false, including an allegation by the Iglesia ni Cristo (Church of Christ), a church founded in the Philippines by Felix Manalo in 1913, that Brother Eli Soriano is one of their former ministers. Brother Soriano never was and never will be a part of any religion other than the Members Church of God International, used to be called Iglesia ng Dios kay Kristo Hesus Haligi at Saligan ng Katotohanan (Church of God in Christ Jesus the Pillar and Ground of the Truth).

When Brother Perez was still alive, Brother Eli was the only worker in the Church whom he credited the title “Minister.” He received an identification card which bore the title. Notice the image below.

Eliseo F. Soriano is the name that is visible in the ID’s marks. 

It was signed by Bro. Nicolas Perez, the then Presiding Minister of

the Church of God in Christ Jesus The Pillar and Ground of the Truth.

How possible is it for Brother Eli to minister for another church if his own ID does not identify him with them? If the ministers from other churches that claim connections with Brother Eli are also given ID’s, those ID's will look different from the image given. Why would his ID be different?

Brother Eli was not baptized in other religious organizations. Is it not a prerequisite in any organization, that to gain a position or rank, one must become a member first? How could a non-member be given a position without undergoing membership through baptism?

Here is a confirmation addressed to the editor of a local publication, denouncing Brother Eli’s affiliation with an influential religious group in the Philippines:

In this article posted online by the Philippine Daily Inquirer

on September 2, 2013, Atty. Fredelino Tudio, Brother Eli's legal consultant,

clarifies that the former is not an ex-INC minister. The phrase

"[they] never have had any connection, in whatever capacity,

with the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC)" is clear and understandable enough.

Let the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) prove that Brother Eli was indeed their former minister, supported with documents they are willing to display in public. However, these documents must be certified authentic and legal to the time they claim that Brother Eli was affiliated with them, and later, a declaration that he was expelled. The documents should have aged naturally with time, and not something that have been made to appear old.

It is strange for some religious organizations to claim of a past association with a person they now consider as a threat to their religious leadership. Whatever ties these groups claim to have had with Brother Eli Soriano will never be proven unless they will present solid evidence to justify that he had been with them.

There is a Philippine adage that suits this situation. In English it reads, “A tree that is laden with fruit is stoned.” It means that when people are envious of you and there is no way that they could do what you are doing, the next thing to do is venture upon insult. So it is not surprising if Brother Eli gets hit with false accusations like this because he is envied.

Any religious group can claim that Brother Eli for a time became their disciple, but proving that he had learned from them is a different thing.

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[1]The Iglesia ng Dios kay Kristo Hesus Haligi at Saligan ng Katotohanan (Church of God in Christ Jesus the Pillar and Ground of the Truth) is a Christian denomination established in the Philippines in 1934. It is now known as Members Church of God International and is presided by International Evangelist Bro. Eli Soriano. (More discussion on the Church's history on http://www.mcgi.org/about/history/)

[2]Brother Nicolas Antiporda Perez was the acknowledged presiding minister of the former Iglesia ng Dios kay Kristo Hesus, Haligi at Suhay ng Katotohanan (Church of God in Christ Jesus, the Pillar and Support of Truth), now known as Members Church of God International. His death in 1975 was a tragic loss to the Church, and he left no clear successor. The lone minister he appointed years before his death, Brother Eli Soriano, along with a few brethren, continued preaching and doing town missions despite accusations that he had an ambition to be the presiding minister. It was later discovered by some Church elders of that time that those who were accusing Brother Eli of usurpation were the ones desperate to attain power and control over the congregation. (More of this on www.elisoriano.com/biography)