Presbyterian and Reformed Church in Italy

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Presbyterian and Reformed Church in Italy
Classification Protestant
Orientation Reformed
Theology Calvinist Evangelical
Polity Presbyterian
Region Italy
Origin2022
Branched from Presbyterian Church in America and United Reformed Churches in North America
Congregations4 (2022)
Official website chiesariformata.org

The Presbyterian and Reformed Church in Italy (in Italian : Chiesa Presbiteriana e Riformata in Italia, CPRI) is a Presbyterian and reformed denomination in Italy, constituted in 2022, by the union of the missions of the Presbyterian Church in America and United Reformed Churches in North America in the country. [1] [2] [3]

Contents

History

Philadelphia Reformed Church

Presbyterianism was established in Italy from the Church of Scotland, which founded congregations in the country in the 20th century. However, their congregations hold services in English, which makes their membership predominantly formed by Scottish immigrants to Italy. [1]

In 2001, Andrea Ferrari, until then a Reformed Baptist and pastor of the Evangelical Christian Church "Sola Grazia" of Caltanissetta, was contacted by a group of Christians from Milan and Naples who adhered to Reformed Theology and wanted to start planting a new church in Nova Milanese. In December 2001, the first service of the new congregation was held. [1]

In July 2002, Pastor Ferrari moved to Lombardy to serve the group of believers of Nova Milanese, and in December 2003 the Philadelphia Reformed Baptist Church was formally established.

In 2009, Pastor Ferrari began to disagree with Congregationalism and Credobaptism, adopting Paedobaptist and Presbyterian theology. Later, the entire congregation adopted the same doctrine. Since then, the congregation has connected with the United Reformed Churches in North America and has become known as the Philadelphia Reformed Church. [1]

Reformed Church of Perugia

In 2014, a group of Christians in Perugia also joined Reformed Theology and contacted Pastor Andrea Ferrari. In 2016, a conference was held in Perugia and some residents were welcomed as members of the Reformed Church of Philadelphia. These members formed a congregation, which Pastor Andrea Ferrari began visiting quarterly.

In 2018, Rev. Michael Brown assumed the pastorship of the Philadelphia Reformed Church, allowing Pastor Andrea Ferrari to pastor the Perugia congregation, which also came under the supervision of the United Reformed Churches in North America. [4]

Mission of the Presbyterian Church in America

In 2008, the Presbyterian Church of Perugia Calvary, a Greenville-based church affiliated with the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), began planting a church in Viterbo under the leadership of Pastor Michael Cuneo. [1] Years later, the missionary moved to Trasimeno, where the church was renamed Trasimeno Reformed Church. [5]

After 2019, a second church was founded in Lecce, called Living Stone Presbyterian Church. [6]

Union of churches

In 2022, the Philadelphian Reformed Church (Nova Milanese), the Reformed Church of Perugia, the Living Stone Presbyterian Church (Lecce), and the Reformed Church of Trasimeno united to form the Presbyterian and Reformed Church in Italy. [2] [7] [3]

In 2024, according to a report by the Presbyterian Agency for Cross-Cultural Missions, the Philadelphia Reformed Church had 50 members and 2 elders. [8]

Doctrine

As a denomination founded from missions of the Presbyterian Church in America and United Reformed Churches in North America, CPRI is a conservative denomination. Officially subscribes to the Apostles' Creed, Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed, Athanasian Creed, Declaration of Chalcedon, the Westminster Confession of Faith, the Westminster Larger Catechism, the Westminster Shorter Catechism, the Belgic Confession, Heidelberg Catechism, Canons of Dort and does not ordination of women. [1] [9]

Inter-church relations

The member churches of the Presbyterian and Reformed Church in Italy Reformed in Italy is related to the Free Church of Scotland. [10] and with the Presbyterian Church in Italy, formed from a mission of the Presbyterian Agency for Transcultural Missions, of the Presbyterian Church of Brazil. [8]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "The Reformed Churches in Italy". Center for Studies on New Religions. Archived from the original on August 2, 2014. Retrieved June 23, 2021.
  2. 1 2 "Foundation of the Presbyterian and Reformed Church in Italy". Archived from the original on 3 January 2023. Retrieved 30 May 2025.
  3. 1 2 "Reformed Christianity in Italy". Archived from the original on May 6, 2025. Retrieved May 30, 2025.
  4. ↑ "History of the Reformed Church of Perugia". Archived from the original on May 30, 2025. Retrieved May 30, 2025.
  5. ↑ "History of the Transminero Reformed Church". Archived from the original on May 23, 2022. Retrieved May 30, 2025.
  6. ↑ "History of the Living Stone Presbyterian Church". Archived from the original on May 23, 2022. Retrieved May 30, 2025.
  7. ↑ "Where a curious look can lead". May 10, 2023. Archived from the original on May 15, 2023. Retrieved May 30, 2025.
  8. 1 2 "Report of the Presbyterian Cross-Cultural Mission Agency" (PDF). pp. 32–35. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 20, 2025. Retrieved December 27, 2024.
  9. ↑ "Doctrine of the Presbyterian and Reformed Church in Italy" . Retrieved May 30, 2025.
  10. ↑ "Rev. Dr. Zachary Purvis ordained and inducted". October 26, 2023.
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