“The issues that gave birth to the Reformation five hundred years ago are still very much alive in the twenty-first century for the whole church”, says a document published ahead of the 500th anniversary. More than 50 evangelical leaders have signed it.  

In an audience with members of Christian World Communions, the biggest ecumenical international organisation, the Pope talked about “the ecumenism of prayer, work, and blood.”

Where is the Roman church headed After Vatican II? An interview with Leonardo de Chirico.

Several events to share “common faith” and “heal wounds” of the past are organised in Germany. Most evangelical Christians dissociate themselves from this ecumenical approach.

Zoltan Balog, minister of Human Capacities, said it is “of utmost importance” to help persecuted Christians. The new office will have a starting budget of US$3.35 million.

Theresa of Calcutta was well-known for her work among the poor but the New Testament teaches that every Christian is a saint, explains theologian José Hutter.

The territorial dimension of the hierarchical church, centered on the authority of the bishop, has found it difficult to come to terms with the charismatic energy of the movements, more inclined to follow their own lay leaders than the local bishops.

An interview with the author of ‘The Scarlet Woman’, Keith Malcomson

The commission is made up of seven men and six women. Francis made it clear however that he did not see women becoming priests

The event featured over 40 speakers from evangelical, Catholic and other backgrounds. It shut down five hours earlier, due to the high heat index.

There is a Catholic understanding of justification just as there is a Protestant view. These two perspectives are mutually exclusive. 

Organisers of ‘Together for Europe 2016’ in Munich believe “500 years of division is enough, unity is possible”. Pope Francis and Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew I supported the meeting.

“In no way are we trying to minimize the large doctrinal differences of times past”, organiser Nick Hall tells Evangelical Focus. 1 million Christians from diverse Christian backgrounds are expected to participate.

Italian pastor Giovanni Traettino believes “the Word of God is moving and acting in the Catholic Church.” The Pentecostal leader encourages other churches to have an “open” approach to the Vatican. “Pope Francis is my brother in Christ”, he says in an interview with Evangelical Focus.

Aim is “to express the gifts of the Reformation and ask forgiveness for division perpetuated by the two traditions.” “It doesn’t make any sense”, says President of the Theology Comission of the Spanish Evangelical Alliance, Jose Hutter.

Evangelical Focus asked the well-known Pentecostal pastor about his “open” approach to Roman Catholicism. Traettino defended his position about ecumenism during the Italian Evangelical Alliance 2016 assembly (8-9 April, Rome).

The Secretary General of the World Evangelical Alliance believes the views of evangelical minorities in Catholic countries should be “heared” before relating to the Vatican. In an interview with Evangelical Focus, he also highlighted the role of the churches in the refugee crisis.

The way in which Catholicism perceives time - the sense of definitiveness as well as that of a progression - is a solid indicator of its basic theological framework.

The majority of Italian evangelicals are in favour of co-belligerence, but clearly dismiss ecumenism. A first report of the Italian Evangelical Alliance assembly, in Rome (8-9 April).

According to the Pope, mercy achieves justice by avoiding tribunals, sentences, and prices to be paid. 

During his visit to the region, Pope Francis condemned the exploitation and social exclusion of the indigenous peoples. But Roman Catholics in Chiapas continue to persecute evangelical believers.

Building Christian unity on baptism brings several challenges. In my corner of the world (Italy), a vast majority of people have been baptized and yet very few show any sign of appreciation of basic gospel truths.

Catholic and Lutheran leaders will commemorate the Protestant Reformation in Lund, Sweden, on October 31. “Risk of elevating unity to the absolute principle”, evangelical Vatican expert warns.

There is the risk of elevating “unity” to the absolute principle, a little “god” claiming pre-eminence. It takes courage to make unity dependent on the Biblical truths and not elevating it to the place of “first imperative”.

The regime gets its own agents to act as clergymen, to convince the Western visitors that there was religious freedom in the country.