In 1975, the Waldensian and Methodist churches in Italy, while preserving their distinct identities, especially at the congregational level, agreed to unite. They have also developed strong links with the Italian Baptists. Their synod at the end of August this year took place in Torre Pellice, in the Waldensian valleys, and was held at the same time and place as the Baptists' general assembly. This gave a helpful opportunity to review the tripartite cooperation between Italian Baptists, Methodists and Waldensians, which includes such areas as pastoral work, ministerial formation and communication.

The synod discussed bioethics (in particular, a statement on euthanasia) and elected a new professor of systematic theology for the Waldensian Theological Faculty, which is based in Rome.

The four paragraphs of the report dedicated to WARC herald the arrival of our new general secretary as a sign of the "growing attention the Alliance is paying to the Reformed churches working in the "developing' countries". They say that, despite its withdrawal from participation in the Jubilee Year celebrations organized by the Roman Catholic Church, WARC has reaffirmed its "deep ecumenical vocation" as it pursues its bilateral and multilateral dialogues with many Christian confessions. They announce the publication of Reformed and Ecumenical, a collection of theological essays in English prepared by the Alliance's European area committee.

A response to the Charta Oecumenica for Europe drafted by CEC was also submitted to the synod. It says that section II, on the visible communion of European churches, "requires much greater sobriety and incisiveness": ecumenical activity "must always be prepared ecumenically, and not imposed on the smaller churches". The section on the secularization of Europe "needs to be completely rethought". A loss of power by the churches "has often had positive results", both for society as a whole and for the churches themselves. The distinction between "church" and "sects" is so problematic "that it must be abandoned entirely". Equally questionable is the idea, in the section on Europe's need of the church, that Europe has a "soul". The churches "have no right to define or dictate what Europe's spiritual state ought to be".

Odair Pedroso Mateus