Eli Soriano
A fiery, debate-driven televangelist whose long-running program became a Philippine broadcasting institution, polarizing and captivating millions.
1947–2021 (age 74)·Filipino television evangelist·Birthday: April 4·Baby Boomers
Biography
Eli Soriano built a religious empire from the pulpit and the television studio. Rising from a background in the Iglesia ni Cristo, he broke away to form the Members Church of God International (MCGI). His vehicle was 'Ang Dating Daan' (The Old Path), a radio and later television program that shattered the mold of gentle worship. Soriano's style was combative, intellectual, and relentless; he hosted marathon question-and-answer sessions, taking on all doctrinal challengers with a formidable command of scripture. This approach, coupled with his title of 'Overall Servant', drew a massive, devoted following and significant controversy in equal measure. His ministry expanded globally, particularly across Latin America, fueled by diaspora communities. Soriano's life was marked by legal battles, including an arrest in Brazil, which his followers decried as persecution. Until his death, he remained a dominant, uncompromising voice in the noisy landscape of Filipino faith, a preacher who believed truth was best found in the heat of debate.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Eli was born in 1947, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Eli Was Born
The biggest hits of 1947
#1 Movie
The Egg and I
Best Picture
Gentleman's Agreement
Eli's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1947Born
India gains independence; the Dead Sea Scrolls found
Gas: $0.23/galHome: $6,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Near You" — Francis CraigBest Picture: Gentleman's Agreement
1952Started school
Queen Elizabeth II ascends the throne
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,350Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Blue Tango" — Leroy AndersonBest Picture: The Greatest Show on Earth
1960Became a teenager
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1963Could drive
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1965Could vote
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1968Turned 21
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1977Turned 30
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1987Turned 40
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1997Turned 50
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2007Turned 60
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2017Turned 70
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2021Died at 74
January 6 Capitol breach; COVID vaccines roll out globally
Gas: $3.01/galHome: $298,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Levitating" — Dua LipaBest Picture: CODA
Key Achievements
- Founded and led the Members Church of God International (MCGI), a global Christian organization.
- Created and hosted 'Ang Dating Daan', the longest-running religious television program in Philippine history.
- Expanded his evangelical work internationally, establishing a significant presence in Latin America and among overseas Filipino workers.
Did You Know?
He was known for his 'Exposition' preaching style, which involved answering biblical questions from audiences for hours, often without notes.
Facing arrest warrants in the Philippines on libel charges, he lived in Brazil for several years in the 2000s.
He was a skilled chess player and sometimes incorporated chess analogies into his sermons.
His birth name was Eliseo Fernando Soriano.
“The truth is like a lion. You don't have to defend it. Let it loose. It will defend itself.”
