Apostolic Succession By COGwriter. Many believe that the true church can be traced through what is known as apostolic succession or the laying on of hands from at least one of the original apostles through those they ordained and then their sucessors to the present time. Actually, to one degree or another, this is the official belief of the churches that most who profess Christ are affiliated (e. Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Anglican, Church of God), although the individual churches tend to interpret how and who a bit differently. The term apostolic succession has several possible meanings. But for the purpose of this article, the following definition from a Roman Catholic priest and scholar will be used: Apostolic Succession.. In its strict sense, apostolic succession refers to the doctrine by which the validity and authority of the Christian ministry is derived from the Apostles.
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The outward sign by which this connection is both symbolized and effected is the laying on of hands by the Bishop at ordination. In its broader sense, apostolic succession refers to the relationship between the Christian church today and the apostolic church of New Testament times. Thus, apostolic succession refers to the whole church insofar as it is faithful to the word, the witness, and the service of the apostolic communities.
Understood in this way, the church is not simply a collectivity of individual churches; instead, it is a communion of churches whose validity is derived from the apostolic message that it professes and from the apostolic witness that it lives (Mc. Brien R. P. Yet the 'laying on of hands' is also an essential factor as that is how one is ordained (note: an overseer or overseeing pastor is the same spiritual position as bishop according to what the Bible teaches and most Catholic scholars realize). Spiritual matters are important.
Jesus said: 2. 3 But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. Because of the above passage, though, some mistakenly seem to believe that the leadership of the true church was passed on from Christ only to Peter, and then only to the successors of Peter in Rome. But no city is implied in the above verse, nor is the concept of apostle to bishop transfer mentioned in that verse. Historians of that time seem to suggest that this passage was not limited to Peter alone. They taught that succession simply needed to pass from any of the original apostles to anyone who was ordained by an apostle (more information can be found in the article Peter and the Keys). In addition, even today, the Roman Catholic Church accepts as valid, the succession from other apostles in cities other than Rome (such as the Orthodox churches in Constantinople, Antioch, Jerusalem, and Alexandria), and it used to accept that in what now is part of the Anglican church (but only because they claim it came through Rome).
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- 14 but they went on from Perga and came to Antioch in Pisidia. And on the Sabbath day they went into the synagogue and sat down. 15 After the reading from the Law and.
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It still teaches that succession passed from the Apostle John to Polycarp of Smyrna (in Asia Minor), though it may not recognize any today who claim that particular succession (however, it was accepted that there was apostolic succession in that region and after apostasy took place in the Ephesus/Smyrna region, for a couple of centuries, Rome and the Orthodox also recognized Ephesus as an . In his letter to the Ephesians the Apostle Paul makes clear that the Church was not just built on Peter but is built on the spiritual foundation of the apostles (plural) AND the prophets, with Jesus as the chief cornerstone, and including all the members in the church as well (note: the NJB- New Jerusalem Bible- is a Roman Catholic translation): 1. Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 2.
Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, 2. Lord, 2. 2 in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit. You are built upon the foundations of the apostles and prophets, and Christ Jesus himself is the cornerstone. Every structure knit together in him grows into a holy temple in the Lord; 2.
God in the Spirit. And, I should add here, that the biblical idea that the true church would be built on an apostolic foundation is a valid view. But, it needs to be understood that the leaders are only to be followed if they are faithful to true Christian teachings.
Notice that this passage in Ephesians, by discussing the apostles and prophets, does not in any way imply that any single city, nor bishop to bishop transfer, is required for succession (which, biblically was prophesied to be impossible, cf. Furthermore, as Jesus and Peter used the term prophets (see Matthew 7: 1. Acts 3: 1. 8- 2. 5) as a description of part of the Bible and the fact that the apostles wrote nearly all books of the New Testament, this verse is a clearer endorsement of apostolic succession being based upon the teachings (especially the inspired writings) of the apostles and prophets as opposed to only some type of bishop succession that Paul does not mention in this passage. And Luke recorded this concerning Paul: From Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called for the elders of the church. And when they had come to him, he said to them: . From the above passages we see that Paul taught leaders of the church that they were to teach others faithfully, but that even those who appear to be Christian successors/leaders could be a problem.
The Continuing Church of God teaches that according to the New Testament, the Holy Spirit was given through the laying on of the hands of Christ’s apostles or elders (Acts 8: 1. Timothy 4: 1. 4; 2 Timothy 1: 6). Groups like the Continuing Church of God recognize that the true church has an apostolic foundation, and that authority was passed from the apostles to the ministry through the laying on of hands (Acts 6: 5- 6, 8: 1. Timothy 4: 1. 4; 2 Timothy 1: 6; Hebrews 6: 2)- -and this has continued to this day (though not in one continuing city per Hebrews 1. Paul also taught to Timothy of Ephesus (one of his successors who he laid hands upon): 6 Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands (2 Timothy 1: 6). And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also (2 Timothy 2: 2).
As stated earlier, the Roman and Greek churches accepted that the church in Ephesus did have . Thus, they both recognize that it was the laying on of hands and NOT SIMPLY the death or some statement by (or to) Peter that only authorized succession through Peter's death in Rome.
Who was Peter's Successor? There are different ideas about who was Peter's successor. There are late traditions, some of which contradict, as well as indications in the Bible (that does not contradict). The Apostle Paul noted that there were three leaders in Jerusalem during one of his visits there: 9 James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars (Galatians 2: 9). But notice that Paul then listed Cephas, who is Peter, and then John.
This may suggest that Paul considered that Peter, at that time, had higher authority, sometimes called primacy, than John then did. It also shows that Peter apparently conferred with John, hence Peter helped train him as a potential successor. Yet, possibly around 6. A. D., Peter was killed, hence he no longer held physical primacy over the remaining apostles.
Now, John greatly outlived Peter and is believed to have lived as late as 9. A. D. The Bible clearly teaches that apostles were first (I Corinthians 1. Notice that even Roman Catholic scholars understand: Unlike Peter, the pope is neither an apostle nor an eyewitness of the Risen Lord (Mc. Brien, Richard P. Lives of the Popes: The Pontiffs from St.
Peter to Benedict XVI. Harper, San Francisco, 2.
Since that is true, it makes no sense that the Apostle John would be somehow subordinate to Linus, Anacletus, Clement, and Evaristus, all of whom have been claimed to have been . And since the Bible teaches that the true church is first led by apostles and other positions are lower ranked, there is no way that the Apostle John would have been below any bishop (essentially a pastor) in rank- -Note that although the Bible uses the Greek term for pastor more than the one for bishop, it seems to show that the terms are interchangeable (see I Peter 2: 2. Hence, after Peter died (as well as the other apostles), it is clear that the was one true successor- -who had been appointed by Christi Himself- -would be the Apostle John (the last of the original apostles to die) and that true apostolic successors would probably have had contact with him. This is consistent with the Bible.
Appendix B has the position of two Greek Orthodox Bishops who explained why they do not believe that Peter was in Rome as well as other information they have against the Roman Catholic view of succession. Four Claimed Early Apostolic Successors by the Orthodox. Now that we know what apostolic succession is, and biblically where it came from, we now need to look at all the known candidates of who the first human leader who could have been an apostolic successor could be. While there is little doubt about the succession of later leaders in Rome, Antioch, Alexandria, and Constantinople, the links to the earliest leaders and earliest teachings is not strong as the current leaders from these areas normally indicate. Actually, there are so many contradictions of teachings in those groups now, that any early leader (with the probable exception of Alexandria) who were to suddenly become alive today would not recognize as apostolic many of the teachings and practices of those who now claim to be his successor. It is of great importance to realize that the Bible was finished around 9.
A. D. The Bible does not list any particular individual as the apostolic successor.