Name of Religion: Iglesia Watawat ng Lahi (Church of the Banner of the Race).

Country of Origin: Philippines 

Time Period Started: 1936 

Regions Active: Primarily in Quezon Province and nearby areas.

Established in 1936 during the Commonwealth era, fueled by fervent Filipino nationalism. It is associated with the larger Rizalist movement, which holds the belief that José Rizal is a divine being or prophet. Hernando Basaan is cited as a significant founder.

Founders & Divisions: Even though Hernando Basaan is often cited as the most significant founder of IWLI, leadership was divided among many scholars and reformers. Eventually, theological tensions resulted in divisions and a decline in adherents.

Filipino Trinity:

• God the Father: He is the Creator and origin of divine mission.

• Jesus Christ: The Savior, but seen through a nationalist lens.

• José Rizal: the incarnation of the Spirit, prophet of Filipino liberation.

• Guide Bonifacio: He is both a spiritual warrior and a symbolic image of resistance.

Sacred Texts:

• Sugong Kayumanggi ("Brown Messenger") reveals the sect's theology.

• Rizal's novels are also treated as moral and spiritual guides.

• Prophetic Destiny: Filipinos believe they have a divine mission to restore humanity and restore the balance of the spirit.

Flag Worship: The Philippine flag plays a significant role in worship as a representation of the divine Filipino identity.

October 3, Christmas: It is celebrated as the true birth of Christ based on spiritual revelations about Mary.

Misa de Tres: A trinitarian mass to honor God, Rizal, and Bonifacio, often followed by parades and flower offerings.

Priests: Receive training in Bicol. If they marry, they wait 5 years after ordination to do so. 

Clergy: Church officials do not receive compensation and instead rely on donations from the community.

Membership patterns:

• Reached a high of about 100,000 in the 1980s.

• There has been a significant decline in membership as a result of internal division and no state recognition.

Cultural implications:

• It is still a source of inspiration for nationalist spirituality.

• It is a marker of resistance to colonial religion.

Challenges:

• It is not recognized in mainstream Christianity.

• It is viewed with stigma and misunderstanding by outsiders.