L’Italia del secondo dopoguerra e la presenza protestante: tra sfida culturale ed esigenze diplomatiche

This article examines the Italian government’s attitude toward Protestant denominations and US missionary activity from the end  of the Second World War to the mid-1950s. It argues that the issue of religious freedom became a significant, though often overlooked, factor in Italian-American relations during the early Cold War. Drawing on Italian diplomatic, governmental, and ecclesiastical archives, the article highlights the contrasting positions within the Italian state, the different treatment accorded to established Protestant churches and newer evangelical groups, and the influence of American public opinion and diplomatic pressure on Italian policies. It also examines the Holy See’s unsuccessful efforts to portray Protestant missionary activity as indirectly conducive to the spread of communism, with the aim of mobilizing American Catholic opinion against evangelical missions. By situating the controversy over Protestant proselytism within the broader context of Cold War diplomacy, the article sheds new light on the interplay between domestic religious policy, international relations, and competing conceptions of religious freedom.