Evangelical Italians ponder their media utilization
In the heart of Italy, the Giornate Teologiche 2025 took place on the 12th and 13th of September, with a focus on "The Politics of the Gospel". This annual theology conference, organized by the IFED, Italy's Evangelical Institute of Formation and Documentation, brought together Christian leaders, both experienced and young, for a weekend of thoughtful dialogue and discussion.
The event kicked off with Leonardo De Chirico at the helm, marking the 36th edition of the Giornate Teologiche. Notable speakers included Calogero Sorce, who shared his experiences in the media field, specifically with Notiziario ADI, a news service of the Italian Assemblies of God. Liberato Vitale, from culture and faith magazine locicommunes.it, also contributed insights from the media field at the Italian level.
Tim Challies, a Toronto-based blogger and evangelical pastor, spoke about themes from his book The Next Story: Life and Faith after the Digital Explosion. Giuseppe Rizza of the Evangelical Reformed Baptist Churches in Italy discussed the relationship between ecclesiology and technology, identifying it as a sensitive terrain in which evangelicals with a poor ecclesiology too often tend to chase after technology without governing it.
The conference, themed "Evangelicals and the media", was held at the IFED's building outside Padova and was attended by over 250 people from various regions. The event aimed to be a place of "thought and dialogue for evangelical witness in Italy".
Two panel discussions took place, one starting from documents produced by the evangelical and Catholic worlds, and another discussing 'Religious pluralism and information: where do we stand?' with representatives from Ideaitalia, Riforma magazine, and RAI. The organizers emphasized the importance of applying the Apostle Paul's writings to the situation of Italian evangelicals who wish to communicate in various media platforms.
The conference highlighted the need for a more pluralistic approach to information in Italy, with a deficit of pluralism in culture that is also reflected in the national communication context. Pietro Bolognesi, the founder of IFED, concluded the event by suggesting that the Giornate Teologiche could serve as an example for larger Italian cultural institutions and media to listen to diverse voices.
The event also marked the end of the five-year Theology and Culture Course, with four students receiving their diplomas. Space was dedicated during the conference to the Theology and Culture Course, with the presentation of the programme planned for the 2024/25 academic year.
The organizers of the Giornate stated that all communication has a creed behind it, and the evangelical responsibility is to combine a sound creed with proper communication. The conference concluded with a call to the evangelical community to develop professionalism that is up to the task, despite the challenges of information monopoly in Italy. The Giornate Teologiche 2025 served as a significant step towards fostering a more pluralistic and informed evangelical witness in Italy.
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