- Highlights of the 2026 Italian Waldensian-Methodist Synod
The annual synod of the Evangelical Waldensian Methodist Church in Italy met August 22 – 26 in Torre Pellice, Italy. Carol Bechtel, the executive director of the American Waldensian Society attended the meeting. This is her report. It was my privilege to attend the recent synod of the Waldensian/Methodist church in Torre Pellice, Italy as … Continue reading Highlights of the 2026 Italian Waldensian-Methodist Synod - Faith is Like a Quilt: The More You Contemplate It, The More Mysterious It Becomes
One of the goals of the American Waldensian Society is to help Waldensians as well as those who consider themselves to have been influenced by Waldensians to learn from each other. That’s why the AWS weekly email is sometimes devoted to sharing reflections about what we believe and how we can live out what we … Continue reading Faith is Like a Quilt: The More You Contemplate It, The More Mysterious It Becomes - This Year’s Waldensian Synod Is Now Meeting in Torre Pellice
Highlights of this year’s synod which is now meeting will include the election of a new moderator, the Miegge Day focused on artificial intelligence, and a public evening dedicated to the challenges facing democracy in Italy and around the world. The Waldensian Methodist Synod is now meeting and will continue to deliberate through this coming … Continue reading This Year’s Waldensian Synod Is Now Meeting in Torre Pellice - AI May be Reaching a Crisis Point
Waldensians everywhere have been giving a lot of thought to AI, Artificial Intelligence. Two weeks ago, the American Waldensian Society reported on a new statement from Italian Baptists, Methodists, and Waldensians entitled “Artificial Intelligence: A Protestant Perspective.” This statement was intended as a preliminary exploration of some of the critical ethical and theological issues raised by Artificial Intelligence. Since then, … Continue reading AI May be Reaching a Crisis Point - Scared to Death: A Sermon for the Waldensian Festival Weekend in Valdese, North Carolina
The 51st Waldensian Festival was held this last weekend in Valdese, North Carolina. Matt Matthews, the co-pastor of the Waldensian Presbyterian Church preached this sermon yesterday to mark this special weekend. What makes you really afraid? And how do you move through your fear? Peter Steinke tells a story about visiting a friend’s new house. On … Continue reading Scared to Death: A Sermon for the Waldensian Festival Weekend in Valdese, North Carolina - Artificial Intelligence: A Waldensian Perspective
The Study Commission for Ethics and Science of the Italian Baptist, Methodist, and Waldensian Churches has prepared a new document entitled “Artificial Intelligence: A Protestant Perspective.” This document is intended as a preliminary exploration of some of the critical ethical and theological issues raised by Artificial Intelligence. “The commission’s initial work on this document was structured … Continue reading Artificial Intelligence: A Waldensian Perspective - The Collective Memory of South American Waldensians Is Enriched by New Digital Archives
As part of its celebration of International Archives Week, the Espacio Cultural Valdense (Waldensian Cultural Space) has reaffirmed its commitment to the preservation, processing and dissemination of archives that document the history and cultural and religious life of the Waldensians in the Río de la Plata. This report was written as a team effort of … Continue reading The Collective Memory of South American Waldensians Is Enriched by New Digital Archives - When the Ocean Covers the Cemeteries
Luca Maria Negro, longtime pastor, ecumenical leader, and friend to many in the American Waldensian Society, is writing a series of articles titled “Christians in the World.” This article will describe a part of the Christian world that few people in Europe or the Americas know much about. Luca’s series of articles is a virtual … Continue reading When the Ocean Covers the Cemeteries - Real Evangelism Begins in the Moment When People Come to See You as a Trustworthy Person
The newsletter of the Waldenser Freundeskreis recently published an interview that many members and friends of the American Waldensian Society will find interesting. Giovanni Bernardini, pictured above, who is currently the pastor of the Waldensian Church in Riesi, Italy, was the interviewee. The interviewer was Till Hüttenberger, a member of the pastoral team in the Evangelical Peace … Continue reading Real Evangelism Begins in the Moment When People Come to See You as a Trustworthy Person - The Sasabe Empowerment Project: From Survival to Hope
Several years ago, few people would have imagined that a thriving children’s library, youth choir, English classes, and Little League baseball teams could emerge from the small border town of Sasabe, Sonora, Mexico. Like many communities along the U.S.-Mexico border, Sasabe has endured tremendous hardship. During a violent period of cartel conflict in 2023, most … Continue reading The Sasabe Empowerment Project: From Survival to Hope