Rome (NEV), November 11, 2017 – “Old and new missions” was the title of the VI Conference organized by the Methodist Documentation Center (CDM), in collaboration with the History-Culture-Religions Department of “La Sapienza” University of Rome, held on November 9th. For this year’s meeting the CDM focused on “missions” on the occasion of the death centennial of the Methodist missionary Henry James Piggott (1831-1917). The Methodist Wesleyan presence in Italy is in fact due to this English pastor. The central theme was not only about the missions of the past, but also about those of the present time: their elements of continuity and of difference, if not even of contrast, were explored under a historical, sociological, anthropological and theological cut. It dealt also with the Catholic missions of the past and of the present, as well as with the aspects linked with Freemasonry.
Emanuela Prinzivalli, director of the History-Culture-Religions Department of “La Sapienza” University of Rome, opened the conference, followed by the addresses of pastor Massimo Aquilante, president of the CDM and of pastor Mirella Mannocchio, president of the Methodist Churches’ work organization in Italy (OPCEMI). Among the speakers Tim Wooley, Cliff College, Sheffield, UK; Paolo Naso, Sergio Botta, both from “La Sapienza”; Ullas Tankler, responsible for the Global Ministries in Europe, Eurasia and North Africa of the United Methodist Church, USA. Alessandro Saggioro of “La Sapienza”, concluded the meeting.
