360 Degree Ecumenism

The Waldensian church has a deep ecumenical vocation. Over the centuries of persecution the solidarity received from other Protestant churches was enormously important. The Waldensian Church is a member of the World Council of Churches [www.wcc-coe.org], World Alliance of Reformed Churches [www.warc.ch], and the Conference of European Churches [www.cec-kek.org]. The Methodist churches maintain fraternal relationships with the world-wide Methodist family.

The relationships between the Waldensian Church and the Protestant churches of the USA are particularly strong, especially with the Presbyterian Church USA (www.pcusa.org), the Reformed Church in America (www.rca.org), the United Methodist Churc (www.umc.org) and the United Church of Christ (www.ucc.org). Important relationships also exist with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and other protestant denominations. Representatives of the PC(USA), the UCC, the UMC and the RCA have seats on the AWS Board.

In Italy, the Union of Methodist and Waldensian Churches is engaged in a covenant of ministry with the Union of Evangelical Christian Baptists in Italy [www.ucebi.it] that is expressed, for example, in the publication of the weekly magazine Riforma [www.riforma.it]. The Church also maintains relationships of cooperation and exchange with other evangelical Protestant denominations.

The Union of Methodist and Waldensian Churches is a member of the Federation of Protestant Churches in Italy [www.fcei.it].

The relationship with the Catholic world is also important: every year the Waldensian Church actively participates in the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity; the ecumenical activities of translation, study and distribution of the Bible; and ecumenical conventions organized by the Italian Bishops’ Conference. There is also an important relationship with the Sacred Orthodox Archdiocese in Italy.

The Waldensian and Methodist churches moreover, are actively engaged in supporting the Charta Oecumenica signed in Strasbourg in April 2001 [http://www.cec-kek.org/English/ChartafinE.htm] by leaders of the Conference of European Churches and the Council of European Bishops' Conferences.