Pope’s apology divides Pentecostals

A leader of the Pentecostal Churches in Germany has played down the significance of the recent apology made by Pope Francis to Pentecostals, writes Christa Pongratz-Lippitt.

On 28 July in Caserta north of Naples, the Pope apologised for Fascist-era denunciations of Pentecostals by Catholics.

The chairman of the Union of Free Pentecostal Churches in Germany, Johannes Justus, said that while Pope Francis’ apology merited respect, the Pentecostals at the meeting with the Pope were not official representatives of the Pentecostal Churches.

There was no worldwide Pentecostal movement but rather many Pentecostal and charismatic communities whose teaching and devotional practices differed widely, Justus told the German Protestant news service idea.de.

“That is why subjects such as ecumenism or the Roman Catholic Church always lead to altercations among Pentecostals.  However right and good dialogue with other Churches is in my view, it cannot and must not be used to strive for church unity or to do away with … differences.”

Pastor Giovanni Traettino, whom the Pope met at Caserta, had previously told idea.de that the Pope’s meeting at Caserta had marked a turning point in relations between the Catholic Church and the Pentecostal movements.