Convention of Philippine Baptist Churches
The Convention of Philippine Baptist Churches (CPBC) (Hiligaynon: Kasapulanan sang Bautista nga Pilipinhon) is a Baptist Christian denomination in the Philippines. It is affiliated with the Baptist World Alliance and is headquartered in Jaro, Iloilo City. CPBC was founded in 1900 as the oldest and first organized union of Baptist churches in the Philippines. This occurred after the country opened to Protestant American missions in 1898, following Spain's transfer of the Philippine islands to the United States.
Convention of Philippine Baptist Churches | |
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Kasapulanan sang Bautista nga Pilipinhon | |
Abbreviation | CPBC |
Classification | Protestant |
Orientation | Baptist |
Theology | Evangelical Mainline |
Polity | Congregationalist |
Leader | Rev. Danilo Borlado BTh, Master of Theology (General Secretary) |
Associations | Baptist World Alliance, World Council of Churches, National Council of Churches in the Philippines, Christian Conference of Asia, Asia Pacific Baptist Federation |
Region | Philippines |
Headquarters | Jaro, Iloilo City, Philippines |
Origin | 1900 Jaro, Iloilo City |
Congregations | 1,079 |
Members | 600,000 |
Tertiary institutions | 2 |
Seminaries | Central Philippine University College of Theology |
Official website | cpbcph.org |
CPBC is associated with the American Baptist Foreign Mission Society (now International Ministries) and played a key role in establishing the Jaro Evangelical Church, which was the first Baptist in the Philippines (first Protestant church outside Manila). CPBC also has affiliations with various institutions, including Central Philippine University, which was the first Baptist and second Protestant and American university in the country. Furthermore, CPBC is affiliated with the CPU College of Theology, the first Baptist Theological Seminary in the Philippines; Filamer Christian University, the first Baptist school in the country; and Capiz Emmanuel Hospital, the first Baptist hospital in the Philippines.
In the 1930s, CPBC also became affiliated with the Iloilo Mission Hospital. Initially founded by Protestant Presbyterians, it was later transferred to the Baptists (CPBC). The Iloilo Mission Hospital was the first American and Protestant hospital in the Philippines.