Abstract:
Existing literature on Iglesia Ni Cristo focuses more on the religion as a whole. This
qualitative case study sought to understand the reflections of Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC) members
who voted in the 2022 Philippine National Elections and who either complied with or deviated
from the INC endorsement, which showcased the alignment of the religion’s belief in sacred
unity with the endorsed candidates’ message of unity. This case study analyzed accounts of how
the religion influences its members from the members’ perspective and how democracy is
perceived by the members with the presence of bloc voting in the religion. The researchers
collected seven (7) testimonies from registered voters in the 2022 national elections who were all
active members of Iglesia Ni Cristo. The participants were chosen through non-probabilistic and
purposive sampling and the data was collected through in-depth interviews. The researchers
found, through relational (thematic) analysis, that those who voted according to the endorsement
had strong inclinations to act as one with the Church and to act according to the mandate of the
Pamamahala or the church administration. Whereas, those who deviated chose not to follow
because they believed that they have their own ability to decide, contending that they cannot just
obey all that the Pamamahala commands without care for consequences or without justification.
Participants who voted for the INC endorsement rationalized their choice with the belief that
religion was the center of their lives and that everything they must do should be according to the
doctrine of the INC. In contrast, there were little to no religious reasons observed from the
deviating group, as they primarily rationalized their choices through their personal political
standards. The researchers also observed that the participants who deviated from the voting bloc
carried a more democratic notion of unity as opposed to the vertical or top-down administration
of the INC Church.
