National, Catholic, and Ecumenical

Abstract

The Iglesia Filipina Independiente (IFI) is one of the most remarkable churches in the Philippines, yet, its history is largely underresearched. This paper uses newly researched archival resources from the archives of this church and of partner churches to explore the way in which this “revolutionary church” came to be accepted as part of the broader ecumenical movement. Special attention is given to two of the most prominent full communion partners of this church, the Episcopal Church and the Old Catholic Churches of the Union of Utrecht. In this way, it is also clear that the IFI came to be recognized as a fully catholic church by other catholic churches, moving beyond any doubt of lingering Unitarianism (as it was part of the later theology of Gregorio Aglipay). The study also shows how various national, even nationalist churches were able to enter into international and intercultural relations with each other, thus creating a fellowship that spans the globe.