In Italy, Protestant Network REFO+ Highlights Practical Pastoral Support for LGBT Believers in Churches
In early October 2026, the Evangelical Network for Faith, Orientations, and Genders (REFO+), which brings together LGBTQ+ believers, pastors, and allies across Italy’s historic Waldensian, Methodist, and Baptist churches, published a comprehensive reflection highlighting concrete pastoral practices for queer inclusion in religious life. The statement came in response to a broader debate triggered by a young believer’s public testimony about facing homophobia and ostracism in a conservative evangelical church in Italy.
According to the Italian Christian LGBTQ+ portal Progetto Gionata, REFO+ co-president Emanuele Crociani emphasized that genuine Christian inclusion cannot rest solely on theoretical affirmations, but must be demonstrated through tangible actions. The document outlined the theological divergence within Italian Protestantism: while fundamentalist and certain Pentecostal congregations adhere to a literalist reading of biblical scriptures that views homosexuality as sinful, historical Protestant denominations embrace historical-critical interpretation. Among the foremost examples of practical hospitality, Crociani highlighted the blessing of same-sex civil unions and the baptism of transgender adults using their chosen names and pronouns.
The overview detailed recent pastoral initiatives across Italy, including dedicated “rainbow services” against homophobia (such as a liturgy led by Baptist pastor Ioana Ghilvaciu in Lentini, Sicily), active clergy participation in regional Pride marches in Rovigo and Catanzaro (where Waldensian pastor Giusy Bagnato witnessed that “God loves you as you are”), ecumenical anti-homophobia vigils around IDAHOBIT in Bollate, Modena, Turin, and Albano Laziale, and public forums addressing the harms of conversion therapy in Milan. The network also recognized long-standing pastoral advocates, including former Federation of Evangelical Churches in Italy (FCEI) president Luca Negro, for their decades of dedicated accompaniment.
REFO (now REFO+) was founded in Italy in 1998 as an advocacy and fellowship platform for LGBTQ+ believers within historical evangelical denominations. Italy’s Protestant minority, numbering several hundred thousand adherents, presents a diverse theological landscape: while the Waldensian and Methodist Union officially approved blessings for same-sex couples in 2010, many independent evangelical and Pentecostal congregations continue to hold traditional views on sexual ethics.
Previously, Urania covered ongoing religious dialogues on sexuality and diversity in Italy, including the theological writings of Italian Jesuit scholar Paolo Gamberini on Progetto Gionata, the Bolzano diocese’s pastoral initiative supporting LGBT believers and families during coming out, and a historic prayer vigil in Chiavari featuring a public church apology to sexual minorities.
