This work, originally a doctoral thesis, traces the history and development of the evangelical Protestant movement in the Philippine Islands from the turn of the 20th century, focusing specifically on the work of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ. The narrative begins with the "prospecting" phase of American missionaries immediately following the Spanish-American War and the subsequent American transfer of the Islands, with the first missionaries arriving in Manila in 1901. The book documents the establishment of the mission in the provinces of Northern Luzon, particularly La Union, Ilocos Sur, and Ilocos Norte, and the initial efforts among American soldiers and the local Ilocano-speaking population. A central theme is the deliberate cultivation of an "indigenous church," charting its progress through various stages of self-propagation, self-administration, and self-support. The text highlights the increasing role of Filipino leadership and the eventual decision of the Northern Luzon Conference to unite with other denominations, forming the United Evangelical Church in the Philippines in 1929. The final chapters affirm the vitality of this new, indigenous church, as demonstrated by its resilience during the economic challenges of the Great Depression and the simultaneous rise of Filipino nationalism leading up to the nation’s independence.
The Filipino church : the story of the development of an indigenous evangelical church in the Philippine Islands as revealed in the work of "The Church of the United Brethren in Christ"