The Assemblies of God in Italy (Italian : Assemblee di Dio in Italia, ADI), whose full name is Evangelical Christian Churches Assemblies of God in Italy (Chiese Cristiane Evangeliche Assemblee di Dio in Italia), is a fellowship of evangelical and Pentecostal churches which functions as the Italian branch of the International Fellowship of Christian Assemblies, while being in communion with the World Assemblies of God Fellowship as well.
The ADI traces its roots in the "Italian Pentecostal revival" led by Louis Francescon among Italian immigrants in Chicago in 1907, that led to the formation of the Christian Congregation in the United States. [1] From Chicago, pioneers like Francescon, Giacomo Lombardi, Pietro Ottolini, Lucia Menna, Umberto Gazzari, and Louis Terragnoli went back to Italy in order to spread the Pentecostal gospel e and establish Pentecostal churches. [2] [3]
During the Fascist regime, a letter issued by Guido Buffarini Guidi, undersecretary of the Interior, provided grounds to shut all Pentecostal congregations in Italy. [4]
After the fall of Fascism, it was still difficult for Pentecostals to practice their faith and religious freedom, due to legal and social obstacles. Thus, several Pentecostal congregations sought a purely nominal affiliation with the Assemblies of God USA. [1] The ADI was consequently founded in 1948. [2]
In 1986 the denomination signed an agreement with the Italian government, in accordance with art. 8 of the Constitution of Italy; [5] the agreement became law in 1988. [6]
According to CESNUR, a think tank, the ADI is the single largest Protestant denomination in Italy. As of 2013, it counts 1,028 congregations, 150,000 members and 590 pastors. [2] The church is more numerous in the South, especially Campania, Apulia, Basilicata, Calabria and Sicily, where it has more than half of its congregations. [7]
The International Fellowship of Christian Assemblies (IFCA), formerly known as the Christian Church of North America (CCNA), is a North American Pentecostal denomination with roots in the Italian-American community, but is now a multicultural denomination. Central offices are located in Transfer, Pennsylvania. Ministries of the church include Benevolence, Home Missions, FOCUS, Foreign Missions, Education, Lay Ministries, and Public Relations. A convention is held annually, and their official publication is Vista, a quarterly magazine. Membership in 2000 was about 7,200 in 96 churches in the United States. They also have thousands of affiliated congregations internationally in Africa, Australia, Canada, Europe, South America, and Asia with a strong presence in India with over 100,000 members in over 1,000 churches. Brother Rick George is the general overseer of the denomination.
Louis Francescon was a missionary and pioneer of the Italian Pentecostal Movement. Several Pentecostal denominations and fellowships acknowledge him as their founder, including the Christian Church of North America, the Christian Assembly in Argentina, the Assemblies of God in Italy, the Christian Congregation in the United States, and the Christian Congregation of Brazil.
Religion in Italy has been historically characterised by the dominance of the Catholic Church, the largest branch of Christianity, since the East–West Schism. This is in part due to the importance of Rome in the history of the Church, including its historical status as a leading patriarchate and the presence of the Vatican, the Catholic Church's headquarters and the residence of the Pope—the Bishop of Rome—within its borders. However, due to immigration, notably the influx of Muslims, Eastern Orthodox Christians, Protestants, Buddhists and Hindus, as well as proselytism and secularization, religious pluralism in Italy has increased in the 21st century. Italy also features a pre-Christian Jewish community, an autochthonous Protestant church–the Waldensian Evangelical Church and one of the largest shares of Jehovah's Witnesses in the world.
Christianity in Italy has been historically characterised by the dominance of the Catholic Church since the East–West Schism. However, the country is also home to significant Christian minorities, especially Orthodox Christians, Protestants and Jehovah's Witnesses.
The Italian Hindu Union is an association representing Hinduism in Italy.
The Waldensian Evangelical Church is a Protestant denomination active in Italy and Switzerland that was independent until it united with the Methodist Evangelical Church in Italy in the Union of Methodist and Waldensian Churches. Founded in the 12th century by Peter Waldo as a proto-Protestant group, since the 16th century Reformation it has adopted Calvinist theology and blended into the wider Calvinist tradition. It is one of several Protestant denominations with pre-Reformation roots, and is appraised by various denominations of Protestantism as its major successor.
The Methodist Evangelical Church in Italy, known also as Italian Methodist Church, is a Protestant church in the Methodist tradition active in Italy that is in full communion with the historical Waldensian Evangelical Church in the Union of Methodist and Waldensian Churches. It part of the World Methodist Council.
The Federation of Evangelical Churches in Italy is an ecumenical Protestant body in Italy.
Protestantism in Italy comprises a minority of the country's religious population.
William Howard Durham was an early Pentecostal preacher and theologian, best known for advocating the Finished Work doctrine.
The Lutheran Evangelical Church in Italy is a Protestant denomination in the Lutheran tradition in Italy.
The Federation of Pentecostal Churches is a fellowship of Pentecostal churches in Italy.
The Evangelical Reformed Baptist Churches in Italy, or CERBI, is an association of Reformed Baptist churches formed on 25 April 2006 in Bologna.
The Christian Congregation is an international non-denominational fellowship of assemblies with roots in the Italian Pentecostal revival in Chicago, which began in 1907. It can be found, for example, in Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, the United States, Mozambique, Italy, Portugal and Ireland. There are approximately 3 million members, 2.5 million being in Brazil.
The Evangelical Christian Church of the Brethren is an Italian Protestant denomination.
The Italian Union of Seventh-Day Adventist Christian Churches, part of the worldwide fellowship of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, is a Protestant denomination in Italy.
The Italian Buddhist Union is an association representing Buddhism in Italy.
The Apostolic Church in Italy is an Italian Protestant denomination in the Pentecostal-evangelical tradition founded in 1927, which is part of the worldwide fellowship of the Apostolic Church and the Federation of Evangelical Churches in Italy, an ecumenical body representing Italian Protestants. Its headquarter is in Grosseto.
Ljudevit Vuličević was an Italian-language writer and cleric who was known for his Serbian and pan-Slavic patriotism.
The Christian Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses in Italy is the Italian section of Jehovah's Witnesses, who have been active in the country since 1903. The congregation is recognized by the Italian government both as a juridical person and a religious denomination. The congregation also signed two agreements with the Italian government in 2000 and 2007, according to article 8 of the Constitution of Italy, but neither of them has been approved by the Italian Parliament and signed into law yet.
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