Protestantism in Italy: Difference between revisions
AIVV Chiesa Valdese del Risveglio Via Guardia Piemontese, 20, 10066 Torre Pellice TO (talk | contribs) →References: *https://www.valdesi.eu/ Tags: Reverted repeated addition of external links by non-autoconfirmed user Mobile edit Mobile web edit |
Reverting addition of unattributed content from Waldensians, which has some relevance, but it was put in inappropriately; an edited (and attributed) version, posted in a different place, might be better. |
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{{Short description|The largest minority of Christian denominations in Italy}} |
{{Short description|The largest minority of Christian denominations in Italy}} |
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{{More citations needed|date=May 2015}} |
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[[File:Chiesa Evangelica Valdese di Bordighera.JPG|thumb|Protestant church in [[Bordighera]], [[Liguria]]]] |
[[File:Chiesa Evangelica Valdese di Bordighera.JPG|thumb|Protestant church in [[Bordighera]], [[Liguria]]]] |
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The [[Catholic Church]] is by far the largest [[Christianity|Christian]] denomination, but Protestantism has a significant presence. While the [[CESNUR]] (an Italian [[think tank]] devoted to religious studies, especially on new religions in Italy) asserts that there are 442,377 Protestants in Italy, due to the difficulty of keeping accurate records regarding the proclaimed religion of immigrants to the country, that number likely reflects, at best, only an approximation of the actual number of Protestants in the country.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Introvigne|first1=Massimo|last2=Zoccatelli|first2=PierLuigi|title=Le Religioni in Italia|url=http://www.cesnur.com/il-pluralismo-religioso-italiano-nel-contesto-postmoderno-2/|website=cesnur.com|publisher=CENSUR|accessdate=27 December 2015|date=2014-03-06}}</ref>{{better source needed|date=December 2019}} |
The [[Catholic Church]] is by far the largest [[Christianity|Christian]] denomination, but Protestantism has a significant presence. While the [[CESNUR]] (an Italian [[think tank]] devoted to religious studies, especially on new religions in Italy) asserts that there are 442,377 Protestants in Italy, due to the difficulty of keeping accurate records regarding the proclaimed religion of immigrants to the country, that number likely reflects, at best, only an approximation of the actual number of Protestants in the country.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Introvigne|first1=Massimo|last2=Zoccatelli|first2=PierLuigi|title=Le Religioni in Italia|url=http://www.cesnur.com/il-pluralismo-religioso-italiano-nel-contesto-postmoderno-2/|website=cesnur.com|publisher=CENSUR|accessdate=27 December 2015|date=2014-03-06}}</ref>{{better source needed|date=December 2019}} |
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In 2022, non-Catholic Christians made up 4% of the population,<ref name=US2022>[https://www.state.gov/reports/2022-report-on-international-religious-freedom/italy US State Dept 2022 report]</ref> while estimates suggest that 0.65% of the country has a Protestant background.<ref>[https://www.thearda.com/world-religion/national-profiles?u=115c&u=23r The ARDA website, retrieved 2023-08-28]</ref> |
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==History== |
==History== |
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The [[Reformation in Italy]] began at the end of the 15th century and quickly collapsed at the beginning of the 17th century. Its development was hindered by stern repression by the [[Inquisition]] of the Catholic Church.<ref name=riforma1>{{cite web |url=http://www.riforma.net/storia/storia41-riformainitalia.htm |title= Riforma.net | la Riforma in Italia|website=www.riforma.net |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130513215458/http://www.riforma.net/storia/storia41-riformainitalia.htm |archive-date=May 13, 2013}}</ref> Groups of Italian Protestants had more comfortable lives in [[Switzerland]], particularly in the [[Graubünden]] region. |
The [[Reformation in Italy]] began at the end of the 15th century and quickly collapsed at the beginning of the 17th century. Its development was hindered by stern repression by the [[Inquisition]] of the Catholic Church.<ref name=riforma1>{{cite web |url=http://www.riforma.net/storia/storia41-riformainitalia.htm |title= Riforma.net | la Riforma in Italia|website=www.riforma.net |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130513215458/http://www.riforma.net/storia/storia41-riformainitalia.htm |archive-date=May 13, 2013}}</ref> Groups of Italian Protestants had more comfortable lives in [[Switzerland]], particularly in the [[Graubünden]] region. |
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[[File:All Saints, Fulham, the old and the new - geograph.org.uk - 2329680.jpg|thumb|Gravestone of an Italian convert to the [[Church of England]] in [[All Saints Church, Fulham]]]] |
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On 17 February 1848 [[Charles Albert of Sardinia|Charles Albert]], king of [[Kingdom of Sardinia|Piedmont-Sardinia]], granted religious freedom and civic emancipation to the Waldensians. Freedom of worship and equality of civic and political rights were later extended to [[Jews]] and to the other Italian states that were progressively annexed to Piedmont-Sardinia during the process of [[unification of Italy]]. Newer Waldensian congregations sprang up as well as the Free Christian Church<ref> |
On 17 February 1848 [[Charles Albert of Sardinia|Charles Albert]], king of [[Kingdom of Sardinia|Piedmont-Sardinia]], granted religious freedom and civic emancipation to the Waldensians. Freedom of worship and equality of civic and political rights were later extended to [[Jews]] and to the other Italian states that were progressively annexed to Piedmont-Sardinia during the process of [[unification of Italy]]. Newer Waldensian congregations sprang up as well as the Free Christian Church<ref>https://www.studivaldesi.org/dizionario/evan_det.php?evan_id=170 [Society of Valdesi Studies, ''Chiesa Cristiana Libera - Chiesa Evangelica Italiana'']</ref> (which lasted from 1852 to 1904) and the [[Evangelical Christian Church of the Brethren]].<ref>Spini, G.l'Evangelo ed il beretto frigio. Rome: Claudiana</ref><ref>http://www.studivaldesi.org/dizionario/evan_det.php?evan_id=172 [Society of Valdesi Studies, ''Chiese Cristiane dei Fratelli'']</ref> Meanwhile British and American missionaries began to preach and establish [[Anglicanism|Anglican]], [[Methodism|Methodist]] and [[Baptists|Baptist]] churches. |
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In the early 20th century, missionaries spread the [[Pentecostalism|Pentecostal]] gospel throughout the country. Nowadays, most of those resulting Pentecostal congregations belong to the [[Assemblies of God in Italy]], the [[Federation of Pentecostal Churches (Italy)|Federation of Pentecostal Churches]], and the [[Apostolic Church in Italy]]. |
In the early 20th century, missionaries spread the [[Pentecostalism|Pentecostal]] gospel throughout the country. Nowadays, most of those resulting Pentecostal congregations belong to the [[Assemblies of God in Italy]], the [[Federation of Pentecostal Churches (Italy)|Federation of Pentecostal Churches]], and the [[Apostolic Church in Italy]]. |
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* [[Religion in Italy]] |
* [[Religion in Italy]] |
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* [[Christianity in Italy]] |
* [[Christianity in Italy]] |
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* [[Catholic Church in Italy]] |
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* [[List of Italian religious minority politicians]] |
* [[List of Italian religious minority politicians]] |
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* [[Conference of Protestant Churches in Latin Countries of Europe]] |
* [[Conference of Protestant Churches in Latin Countries of Europe]] |
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==References== |
==References== |
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*https://www.valdesi.eu/ |
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{{Reflist}} |
{{Reflist}} |
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Latest revision as of 19:47, 22 November 2024
Protestantism in Italy comprises a minority of the country's religious population.
The Catholic Church is by far the largest Christian denomination, but Protestantism has a significant presence. While the CESNUR (an Italian think tank devoted to religious studies, especially on new religions in Italy) asserts that there are 442,377 Protestants in Italy, due to the difficulty of keeping accurate records regarding the proclaimed religion of immigrants to the country, that number likely reflects, at best, only an approximation of the actual number of Protestants in the country.[1][better source needed]
In 2022, non-Catholic Christians made up 4% of the population,[2] while estimates suggest that 0.65% of the country has a Protestant background.[3]
History
[edit]The oldest known of Italy's Protestant churches, the Waldensian Evangelical Church, is a pre-Lutheran Protestant denomination, which was founded by Peter Waldo in the 12th century and, after the Protestant Reformation, adhered to Calvinist theology and became the Italian branch of the Reformed churches. The church's heartland is a cluster of Alpine valleys, the so-called "Waldensian Valleys" (Val Pellice, Val Chisone and Valle Germanasca), in western Piedmont. Since 1975 the Waldensians form a united church with the Methodist Evangelical Church in Italy.[4] The ideas of Girolamo Savonarola also had spread around Florence around the 15th century.[5]
The Reformation in Italy began at the end of the 15th century and quickly collapsed at the beginning of the 17th century. Its development was hindered by stern repression by the Inquisition of the Catholic Church.[6] Groups of Italian Protestants had more comfortable lives in Switzerland, particularly in the Graubünden region.
On 17 February 1848 Charles Albert, king of Piedmont-Sardinia, granted religious freedom and civic emancipation to the Waldensians. Freedom of worship and equality of civic and political rights were later extended to Jews and to the other Italian states that were progressively annexed to Piedmont-Sardinia during the process of unification of Italy. Newer Waldensian congregations sprang up as well as the Free Christian Church[7] (which lasted from 1852 to 1904) and the Evangelical Christian Church of the Brethren.[8][9] Meanwhile British and American missionaries began to preach and establish Anglican, Methodist and Baptist churches.
In the early 20th century, missionaries spread the Pentecostal gospel throughout the country. Nowadays, most of those resulting Pentecostal congregations belong to the Assemblies of God in Italy, the Federation of Pentecostal Churches, and the Apostolic Church in Italy.
The Federation of Evangelical Churches in Italy (FCEI), formed in 1967, comprises all the historical Protestant churches of Italy (including the Union of Methodist and Waldensian Churches, the Lutheran Evangelical Church in Italy, the Baptist Evangelical Christian Union of Italy, and some minor churches), plus two observer members with a large following (the Federation of Pentecostal Churches and the Italian Union of Seventh-day Adventist Christian Churches).[10][11]
Protestantism, especially in its Pentecostal forms, is thus on the rise. The Assemblies of God have the majority of their communities in the South[12] and, according to Caritas Italiana, in 2012 the North of Italy was home to 850 "African Neo-Pentecostal churches".[13]
See also
[edit]- Religion in Italy
- Christianity in Italy
- Catholic Church in Italy
- List of Italian religious minority politicians
- Conference of Protestant Churches in Latin Countries of Europe
- Waldensians
- Waldensian Evangelical Church
- Peter Martyr Vermigli
References
[edit]- ^ Introvigne, Massimo; Zoccatelli, PierLuigi (2014-03-06). "Le Religioni in Italia". cesnur.com. CENSUR. Retrieved 27 December 2015.
- ^ US State Dept 2022 report
- ^ The ARDA website, retrieved 2023-08-28
- ^ "Home | Chiesa Evangelica Valdese | Unione delle Chiese metodiste e valdesi". Chiesavaldese.org. Retrieved 2015-05-29.
- ^ "Philip Schaff: History of the Christian Church, Volume VI: The Middle Ages. A.D. 1294-1517 - Christian Classics Ethereal Library". ccel.org. Retrieved 2021-11-17.
- ^ "Riforma.net | la Riforma in Italia". www.riforma.net. Archived from the original on May 13, 2013.
- ^ https://www.studivaldesi.org/dizionario/evan_det.php?evan_id=170 [Society of Valdesi Studies, Chiesa Cristiana Libera - Chiesa Evangelica Italiana]
- ^ Spini, G.l'Evangelo ed il beretto frigio. Rome: Claudiana
- ^ http://www.studivaldesi.org/dizionario/evan_det.php?evan_id=172 [Society of Valdesi Studies, Chiese Cristiane dei Fratelli]
- ^ "F C e I - sito web ufficiale della Federazione delle Chiese Evangeliche in Italia". Archived from the original on February 24, 2013. Retrieved April 2, 2013.
- ^ "F C e I - sito web ufficiale della Federazione delle Chiese Evangeliche in Italia". www.fedevangelica.it. Archived from the original on August 21, 2014.
- ^ "Dove siamo - Le chiese delle Assemblee di Dio in Italia sul territorio nazionale". assembleedidio.org. Archived from the original on 2014-04-07. Retrieved 2016-04-12.
- ^ "XXIII Rapporto Immigrazione 2013" (PDF). Chiesacattolica.it. Retrieved 2015-10-02.
