The missionary vision in the Italian Evangelical Church starting from the Unity of Italy to the present day

Abstract

This research explores the development of the Pentecostal Protestant Churches in Italy from the time of the Unification of Italy. Italy is a predominantly Roman Catholic country, strengthened by the fact that the main centre of Catholicism, the Holy See, is situated in the very heart of the country. Throughout the years the Protestantism has been struggling to gain a foothold among the people. In 1170, the first non-Catholic church, the Waldensians were established. They remained a small group by did have an influence on the spread of Protestantism. Various influences from other countries, as missionaries came into the country established other churches. The Counter Revolution and the way the Catholic Church resisted this development is discussed Much detail is given to the various Laws, Papers, Statutes and Proclamations used by the government to counter the spread of these non-Catholic churches. The various Projects developed by the Pentecostals are explained and the state of the Church today is explored.