In the Shadow of the Vatican

In 1948, joining the wave of post-World War II evangelical missionary activism, the small, non-denominational Church of Christ from Lubbock, Texas, decided to establish its own mission in Italy. The missionaries believed that by promoting religious freedom, they would help spread democracy and American values. But they were also motivated by fervent anti-Catholicism and a conviction that they could challenge the Vatican's near monopoly on religion in Italy. Their zeal and naivety were met with a harsh response from the Catholic Church and its allies within the Italian government. At the same time, the omnipresent Cold War soon forced all the actors involved to adapt their strategies and rhetoric to leverage the situation to their advantage. A long-overlooked story, Mario Del Pero offers a compelling lens through which to explore the early history of the Cold War and the complex dynamics between geopolitical alignments, ideological integration, and national sovereignty.