Classical Italian Pentecostalism and ecumenical dialogue : a constructive proposal

Abstract

This research has been an attempt to present the relationship between some of the classical Pentecostal churches in Italy in respect to ecumenism and the ecumenical movement. Unfortunately, though these two movements may be most important in the twentieth century to have made a mark on and changed the face of Christianity, classic Pentecostals in Italy have given little concern to, or completely ignored, the movement to seek unity in the Church (Napolitano, 2015). The reality of the Italian Pentecostals is very particular because it goes against the trend of the other classic Pentecostals in the world, especially those in America. In fact, during this same 50-year period, thanks to several churches and theologians, Pentecostals around the world have acted in an ecumenical spirit in a fight for the unity of the Church. An example of this would be the dialogue between the Roman Catholics and the classic Pentecostals. Two principal motives gave birth to this research. The first was to provide a small ecumenical vademecum to the Italian churches where they can inform themselves of all that is happening around them concerning ecumenism. This is necessary because this kind of information has been presented badly in Italy, and in a fractured way, there is no concise or succinct text that provides comprehensive information regarding a single Christian confession. Therefore, the first aim of this research is that of gathering information into a single work and putting it at the disposal of the Italian Pentecostals relevant to the classic Pentecostals and their ecumenical dialogues in Italy first and then internationally. The research was not meant to be exclusively a compilation, a gathering of information, but all of the information gathered, even within the dialogues themselves though compiled in synthesis, has always been subject to the critical structure of the author. This critical structure consists of a presentation of the dialogue itself, that is, the dialogues are directly presented and recounted through the critical perspective of the author, and the reading of them is made through the knowledge and perspectives that the author desires to propose through the presentation. The second reason, which is maybe the more significant one, has been the author’s desire for the classical Pentecostal churches to find inspiration through this kind of research and be encouraged to develop a less diffident vision of ecumenism. The author hopes that even the Italian Pentecostals might have the beginning of an ecumenical Spring brought about through a greater knowledge of their part of the bilateral dialogues between Pentecostals and other churches, which could indicate a first step on the part of the local Pentecostal churches towards an ecumenical approach in their relationship with other Christians.

Finally, the author found great benefit for his own development through the research carried out. This is because this has not just been a wealth of information personally, but by enabling a comparison with other Christians, above all through the study and comments on the bilateral dialogues, the author has been able to strengthen and deepen, through a greater awareness of own identity first as a Christian, then as a Pentecostal.