Even keen Rome observers missed the speech that Pope Francis gave to the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity last week. That is forgivable: keeping up with the abuse crisis has become a full-time job. Besides, much else was competing for reporters’ attention: the historic China deal, a hectic papal visit to the Baltic states and preparations for this month’s youth synod.
In his address, the Pope reflected on how Catholics should respond to one of the most important developments in the Christian world in the past century: the rise of Pentecostalism. Pentecostals are a growing force in the Americas and Africa, and number some 300 million worldwide.
