The Waldensian Evangelical Church (''Chiesa Evangelica Valdese'', CEV) is a

Protestant Protestantism is a Christian denomination, branch of Christianity that follows the theological tenets of the Reformation, Protestant Reformation, a movement that began seeking to reform the Catholic Church from within in the 16th century agai ...

denomination active in

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...

and

Switzerland ). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...

that was independent until it united with the Methodist Evangelical Church in Italy in the

Union of Methodist and Waldensian Churches The Union of Methodist and Waldensian Churches ( it, Unione delle Chiese Metodiste e Valdesi) is an Italian united Protestant denomination. It was founded in 1975 upon the union of the Waldensian Evangelical Church (a Calvinist church with pre ...

. Founded in the 12th century by

Peter Waldo Peter Waldo (; c. 1140 – c. 1205; also ''Valdo'', ''Valdes'', ''Waldes''; , ) was the leader of the Waldensians, a Christian spiritual movement of the Middle Ages. The tradition that his first name was "Peter" can only be traced back to the f ...

as a

proto-Protestant Proto-Protestantism, also called pre-Protestantism, refers to individuals and movements that propagated ideas similar to Protestantism before 1517, which historians usually regard as the starting year for the Reformation era. The relationship be ...

group, since the 16th century

Reformation The Reformation (alternatively named the Protestant Reformation or the European Reformation) was a major movement within Western Christianity in 16th-century Europe that posed a religious and political challenge to the Catholic Church and in ...

it has adopted

Calvinist theology Calvinism (also called the Reformed Tradition, Reformed Protestantism, Reformed Christianity, or simply Reformed) is a major branch of Protestantism that follows the theological tradition and forms of Christian practice set down by John ...

and blended into the wider Calvinist tradition. It is one of several

denominations with pre-Reformation roots, and is appraised by various denominations of Protestantism as its major successor. The Church, after the Protestant Reformation, adhered to

Calvinist Calvinism (also called the Reformed Tradition, Reformed Protestantism, Reformed Christianity, or simply Reformed) is a major branch of Protestantism that follows the theological tradition and forms of Christian practice set down by John C ...

theology and became the Italian branch of the Calvinist churches. As such, the church is a member of the

World Communion of Reformed Churches The World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC) is the largest association of Calvinist churches in the world. It has 230 member denominations in 108 countries, together claiming an estimated 80 million people, thus being the fourth-largest Chris ...

. In 1967, the church had 30,000 members in Italy (plus some 15,000 affiliates in

Argentina Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the List of South American countries by area, second-largest ...

and

Uruguay Uruguay (; ), officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay ( es, República Oriental del Uruguay), is a country in South America. It shares borders with Argentina to its west and southwest and Brazil to its north and northeast; while bordering ...

), and was a founding member of the

Federation of Evangelical Churches in Italy The Federation of Evangelical Churches in Italy ( it, Federazione delle Chiese Evangeliche in Italia, FCEI) is an ecumenical Protestant body in Italy. History The FCEI, formed in 1967, includes the historical Protestant churches of Italy, that is ...

(FCEI), an

ecumenical Ecumenism (), also spelled oecumenism, is the concept and principle that Christians who belong to different Christian denominations should work together to develop closer relationships among their churches and promote Christian unity. The adjec ...

body comprising mainly historical Protestant denominations. In 1975 the CEV united with the Methodist Evangelical Church (5,000) to form the

References

External links

* Protestantism in Italy Reformed denominations in Europe Religious organisations based in Italy Members of the World Council of Churches Waldensianism {{italy-stub

See also

References

External links