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El Camino Antiguo , considered as the longest-running religious program in the Philippines. Soriano is known for his signature method of "Bible Expositions". It is a live Bible symposium where guests get the chance to ask impromptu questions personally or via live video streaming or telephone calls.
Since , there have been conflicts between Philippine-based Christian religious organizations Iglesia ni Cristo ("Church of Christ", INC) and the Members Church of God International (MCGI), when MCGI Presiding Minister Eliseo Soriano started his radio program Ang Dating Daan (ADD). Eliseo "Eli" Fernando Soriano, also known as "Brother Eli" or "Ka Eli", is a Filipino televangelist. In , Soriano started the Ang Dating Daan radio program, which became a television program in In , Soriano was Justyn. " Iglesia Ni YHWH at ni YHWSA HMSYH ('Ang Dating Daan')". cellotonica.com Retrieved.
He is also known for straightforward preaching and "exposing" what he believes are doctrinal errors of various local and international religious groups. He also had numerous religious debates with different pastors. An incident when he used a defamatory word in his television show [2] consequently led to a three-month suspension of the program in a case that went to the Supreme Court of the Philippines. Soriano was born to Triunfo Soriano and Catalina Fernando in Pasay , Philippines and is the seventh of eight children.
He grew up in Pampanga. He started school at the age of eight. Soriano was supposed to receive the highest honors of the school, but he dropped out three months before graduation due to an alleged religious debate between Soriano and the school administrator. In , Nicolas Antiporda Perez, who was then the church's presiding minister, bestowed upon Soriano the title minister making him the only minister in the Iglesia ng Dios kay Kristo Hesus, Haligi at Suhay ng Katotohanan at that time.
Rumors were circulating that Soriano is going to be Perez's successor. Soriano initially accepted the appointment of Gugulan but subsequently denounced her leadership stating that women should not be leaders of the church according to the Bible.
In , Soriano and his allies left Gugulan's sect. Because of the similarity between the name used by Gugulan's group and Soriano's group, the former filed a suit, which was resolved by the Supreme Court of the Philippines in in favor of Gugulan's group and Soriano's group was ordered to change their church's name. Before starting his flagship TV program, Soriano would preach in different towns and municipalities in the Philippines.
He, along with other representatives of religious groups, would debate and defend their beliefs in the show. There Soriano admitted that the Ang Dating Doon program, which is a parody of his Ang Dating Daan show, actually helped raise the popularity of the said religious program. He is currently on exile [10] due to the various death threats he received during his controversial years and his countless libel cases he faces in the Philippines, from the people he defamed.
He used this opportunity to preach in other countries.
Soriano, through the help of his nephew Daniel Razon , has been spearheading many projects for the indigent. These include free medical and dental check-ups, a free Bus Ride and a free Transient Home for homeless people. On May 17, , Soriano appeared through a live video patch in a concert conceptualized by Daniel Razon and was titled Protest Broadcast 3. The concert aims to help the families of the victims of the Maguindanao Massacre. During his appearance, Soriano harshly criticized Former Philippine President Arroyo , whom he blamed for his legal troubles. The game, titled "Hoopsters Meet The Legends: All the net proceeds will be given to support the free college program of Soriano and Razon.
Cristo, the first locale in Pampanga. The province of Pampanga became the first Division in the Church, which Bro. He was also the one teaching the workers in the division. Eli was the one being fronted by Bro. Perez to prove the true faith and teachings of Christ against different pastors, ministers and priests. He was also Bro. In , Brother Perez gave Bro. No other worker was given this proof of being a minister.
Perez died without laying his hands onto a successor to preside over the Church. In the coming months, it was Brother Eli who outlined the topics being taught to the brethren in order for them not to lose hope. The members thought Bro. Perez outlined those topics before he died; most of the workers knew, however, that it was Bro. According to the policy of the Securities and Exchange Commission SEC in the Philippines, the General Secretary of an organization shall succeed as temporary presiding officer until such time that the presiding officer is elected.
Eli, signed an agreement that Levita Gugulan shall, as the law states, succeed Bro.
Howbeit, Gugulan desired to preside over the Church permanently, which is prohibited in the Holy Scriptures. Women are not allowed to rule over the people of God according to the Bible. In their belief that the group formerly led by Bro. Perez already went astray in the teachings of God, Bro.
Eli, together with the elders in the Church, left the group led by Gugulan.
Most of the elders who went with him testified that they have heard Bro. Perez preach that it is strictly prohibited in the Bible for a woman to rule over the Church of God. On March 26, , Bro. On January 13, , Bro. Eliseo Soriano registered the name Members Church of God International, the name the Church currently uses, in response to the growing number of members in other countries, both Filipinos and non-Filipinos. Despite the persecution presented by other religious groups, the congregation he leads remains steadfast. The year marked Bro. Jose Rizal follower, Romulo Aldana, Mr.
For three consecutive years, Bro. No other minister was awarded the same after him. Ang Dating Daan television-counterpart program was launched in through the efforts of Bro.
Eli Soriano and Bro. Daniel Razon Assistant to Overall Servant. It was aired on IBC It once again moved to another station, this time on SBN 21, in the year