An Italian evangelical fellowship is facing a potential tax penalty – because the building in which it meets does not look ‘religious’ enough.
Breccia di Roma lacks the usual Roman Catholic paraphernalia, and now faces a Supreme Court battle. Leonardo de Chirico reports:
A couple of years ago, 300 people of CERBI churches (Evangelical Reformed Baptist Churches in Italy) prayed in front of the Supreme Court for justice in the land and for judges called to administer it. This was part of a prayer rally for the city of Rome, its authorities and its people, for the gospel to impact it. We could never have imagined that the following year our church would be called in front of the Supreme Court to defend its rights from a challenge by the Italian Tax Agency.
What happened?
After purchasing our property in Rome city centre (a 1,600 square foot space), our church, Breccia di Roma, obtained the status of a religious building for it. This status would have allowed it to be tax exempt, as all religious buildings are. But the Tax Agency took issue with the change, arguing that our space could not be considered a religious building because it lacked the ‘intrinsic features’ of religious buildings, e.g. altars, images, and statues. Evidently, it had in mind a Roman Catholic understanding of religious space and projected it onto ours. We explained that, as Protestants, our spaces are simply laid out with no altars because we worship our God in spirit and truth according to His word. Two lower courts found in our favour as they recognised the right of faith communities to design their own space according to their own principles. After winning twice, we thought that the case was over. It was not. The Tax Agency is now calling us in front of the Supreme Court, which will have to deal with it in the next months.
'After winning twice, we thought that the case was over. It was not.'
It is a case of legal harassment against a minority needing advocacy. In Italy, the constitution recognises religious freedom, even though its practical outworking for non-Catholic groups is still a slow process. While evangelicals in the past had to face various forms of persecution by the state, now there is no violent or physical opposition (thank God), but they are often harassed by unfair laws and dull officers, especially when they aspire to have a higher public profile and visibility.
To defend the right to worship according to Biblical principles and be treated like every other religious group we had to hire lawyers and spend much money on legal costs. The World Evangelical Alliance will file the case before the United Nations once the report on Religious Liberty in Italy is presented. It is important to promote religious freedom and fair treatment of all religions.
It is also a case involving spiritual warfare calling for prayer. We know there will always be some opposition to gospel work, especially when it begins to thrive and bear fruit. As we prayed in front of the Supreme Court for justice in the land, we continue to pray for those who are in authority. Ultimately, it’s not about us: it’s about the honour of our God and the glory of His gospel. Please pray with us, and for us.
