A friend met an old-time friend on Monday. This description, though factual, does not capture the full import of Pope Francis's visit to Pentecostal pastor Giovanni Traettino in Southern Italy. Theirs was not an inconsequential stopover; it signals a realignment of ecumenical lines.
If the chatter and backstage moves of previous weeks serve as an indication, relations between Christian confessions are undergoing a shake-up. Major Evangelical entities in Italy (such as the Evangelical Alliance and the Federation of Pentecostal Churches) have issued a joint statement distancing themselves from ecumenical dialogue with the Vatican. On the Catholic side, plans had to be revisited not to offend sensibilities in the diocese of Caserta, where Traettino's church is located.
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