View source for Union of Methodist and Waldensian Churches

{{Short description|Union of Protestant churches in Italy}}
{{About||the broader movement of Waldensians|Waldensians|former Waldensian denomination in Italy before 1975|Waldensian Evangelical Church}}

The '''Union of Methodist and Waldensian Churches''' ({{langx|it|Unione delle Chiese Metodiste e Valdesi}}) is an Italian [[united and uniting churches|united]] [[Protestantism|Protestant]] denomination.

It was founded in 1975 upon the union of the [[Waldensian Evangelical Church]] (a [[Calvinism|Calvinist]] church with pre-[[Reformation]] roots) and the [[Methodist Evangelical Church in Italy]].

It has 50,000 members (45,000 [[Waldensians]], of whom 30,000 in Italy and some 15,000 divided between [[Argentina]] and [[Uruguay]], and 5,000 [[Methodism|Methodists]]) and it is member of both the [[World Communion of Reformed Churches]] (as Waldensian Evangelical Church) and of the [[World Methodist Council]] (as Methodist Evangelical Church).

It is a founding member of the [[Federation of Evangelical Churches in Italy]], an [[ecumenism|ecumenical]] body representing Italian historical Protestant denominations. The denomination voted, in 2010, to bless same-gender couples.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.pcusa.org/news/2010/9/7/italian-protestants-approve-same-sex-blessings/ |title=Italian Protestants approve same-sex blessings |date=2010-09-07 |website=Presbyterian Church (U.S.A) |access-date=2016-05-26}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ilfattoquotidiano.it/2010/08/27/i-valdesi-riconoscono-le-coppie-gay-primo-si-in-italia/53688/|title=Coppie gay, storica apertura della Chiesa valdese. Ma si aspetta ancora una legge|author=Gaetano Pecoraro|work=Il Fatto Quotidiano|date=27 August 2010 |language=it |access-date=30 April 2016}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Italy|Christianity|Religion|History}}
*[[Religion in Italy]]
*[[Christianity in Italy]]
*[[Protestantism in Italy]]
*[[List of Italian religious minority politicians]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{Official website|http://www.chiesavaldese.org}} {{in lang|it}}

{{Christianity in Italy}}
{{CPCE}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Union Of Methodist And Waldensian Churches}}
[[Category:Protestantism in Italy]]
[[Category:Waldensianism]]
[[Category:Methodist denominations]]
[[Category:Members of the World Council of Churches]]
[[Category:United and uniting churches]]
[[Category:Religious organisations based in Italy]]
[[Category:Christian organizations established in 1975]]
[[Category:Methodist denominations established in the 20th century]]
[[Category:Affirming Christian denominations in Europe]]