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Apostolic Succession in Christian Church History

Apostolic succession is a doctrine concerning the spiritual authority of Christian clergy, particularly bishops, tracing a direct line of descent from the apostles of Jesus Christ. This concept is understood and emphasized differently across various Christian traditions.

In the Roman Catholic Church, apostolic succession is understood as the uninterrupted transmission of spiritual authority from the Apostles through successive bishops, achieved through the laying on of hands [11]. This succession is considered essential for the valid administration of sacraments and the preservation of true doctrine. Thomas Aquinas, for instance, describes Christ as the head of the Church, which is a "mystic body" with diverse members, akin to a natural body [10]. The Catechism of the Catholic Church emphasizes that Christ Jesus is the "Mediator and Fullness of All Revelation" [11].

Eastern Orthodox churches also uphold the doctrine of apostolic succession, viewing their bishops as direct successors to the apostles. They believe this continuity ensures the authenticity of their faith and practices.

Protestant traditions generally hold different views on apostolic succession. While many acknowledge the historical role of the apostles, they often emphasize a succession of apostolic teaching rather than an unbroken line of episcopal ordination. For example, the Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion, foundational to Anglicanism, define the visible Church as "a congregation of faithful men, in the which the pure Word of God is preached, and the Sacraments be duly ministered according to Christ's ordinance" [9]. This definition prioritizes the preaching of the Word and proper administration of sacraments over a specific lineage of bishops.

Reformed theologians like Charles Hodge argue against the necessity of episcopal succession for the existence of the Church. Hodge notes that "a large part of the Church in which Christ dwells by his presence... has no bishops until the present day" [12]. He further states that the government of the Church by bishops, particularly in the Roman Catholic tradition, rests on tradition rather than Scripture for its authority [12]. John Calvin's Institutes of the Christian Religion also focuses on the Word and sacraments as marks of the true church, rather than an unbroken line of bishops [8].

Many Protestant denominations, including Presbyterian, Baptist, and Methodist traditions, emphasize the spiritual unity of the church as the body of Christ, where various members have different functions but are all part of one body [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]. John Gill, in his commentary on 1 Corinthians 12:20, explains that while there are "many members" of different make and service, they "yet but one body," united together to form one complete body of Christ [3]. Matthew Henry similarly describes "Christ mystical" as Christ and his church making one body, with many members [5]. Adam Clarke also notes that the "mystical body, the Church," is composed of many members [4]. These interpretations highlight the functional diversity and spiritual unity of the church, often without requiring a specific form of hierarchical succession for its validity.

Early Christian writers, such as Justin Martyr, describe the Eucharist as food partaken by those who believe the teachings, have been baptized for the remission of sins, and live according to Christ's injunctions [6]. This focus on belief, baptism, and righteous living as prerequisites for participation in the sacraments reflects an early emphasis on the faithful adherence to Christian doctrine and practice. Martin Luther's Small Catechism defines the Eucharist as "the true body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, under the bread and wine... instituted by Christ Himself" [7], again emphasizing Christ's institution and the nature of the elements rather than the ordaining authority of the minister.

The concept of apostolic succession, therefore, serves as a point of significant divergence in Christian ecclesiology, with some traditions viewing it as a foundational element for the Church's authority and sacraments, while others prioritize the faithful proclamation of the Gospel and the proper administration of Christ's ordinances.

Sources

  1. 1 Corinthians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 1 Corinthians 12:12: 12:12-31 The church is like a body (see 12:27) composed of many different parts, each with its own function as determined by God (see 12:11, 18, 28; Rom 12:4-5).”
  2. 1 Corinthians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 Corinthians 12:27: members in particular--that is, severally members of it. Each church is in miniature what the whole aggregate of churches is collectively, "the body of Christ" (compare Co1 3:16): and its individual components are members, every one in his assigned place.”
  3. 1 Corinthians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 1 Corinthians 12:20: But now are they many members,.... Of different make and shape, in different parts and places, and of different use and service: yet but one body; all are united together, and make up one complete body, and which without each of them would not be perfect: so there are many members in the body of Christ, the church; some are teachers, others are hearers; some give, and others receive; but all make up but one church, of which Christ is the head; nor can anyone of them be spared; was anyone wanting, even the meanest, there would be a deficiency, and the church ”
  4. 1 Corinthians (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on 1 Corinthians 12:14: For the body is not one member - The mystical body, the Church, as well as the natural body, is composed of many members.”
  5. 1 Corinthians (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on 1 Corinthians 12:12: The apostle here makes out the truth of what was above asserted, and puts the gifted men among the Corinthians in mind of their duty, by comparing the church of Christ to a human body. I. By telling us that one body may have many members, and that the many members of the same body make but one body (Co1 12:12): As the body is one, and hath many members, and all members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ; that is, Christ mystical, as divines commonly speak. Christ and his church making one body, as head and members, this body is m”
  6. Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 1: Clement, Polycarp, Ignatius, Barnabas, Papias, Justin Martyr, Irenaeus — CHAP. LXVI.--OF THE EUCHARIST.: And this food is called among us E<greek>ukaristia</greek>(5) [the Eucharist], of which no one is allowed to partake but the man who believes that the things which we teach are true, and who has been washed with the washing that is for the remission of sins, and unto regeneration, and who is so living as Christ has enjoined. For not as common bread and common drink do we receive these; but in like manner as Jesus Christ our Saviour, having been made flesh by the Word of God, had ”
  7. Luther's Small Catechism (Lutheran) “Luther's Small Catechism (Lutheran, 1529), –Answer: 1bIt is the true body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, under the: –Answer: 1bIt is the true body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, under the bread and wine, for us Christians to eat and to drink, instituted by Christ Himself.”
  8. CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 109: Index of Scripture References Genesis 1:2 1:26 1:27 1:31 2:7 2:7 2:17 2:18 2:23 2:23 3:7 3:9 3:12 3:15 3:15 3:15 3:22 4:4 4:7 4:10 4:13 6:3 6:5 6:6 6:18 7:21 8:21 9:6 12:12 12:17 14:18 14:18 15:1 15:1 15:5 15:17 16:9 17:7 17:7 17:10 17:10 17:13 17:15 17:27 18:2 18:23 20:3 20:7 21:1 21:12 21:24 22:1 22:8 22:16-18 23:4 23:19 24:7 24:10 26:27 27:28 27:38-39 28:12 28:20 29 30:2 31:19 31:20 31:40-41 32 32:10 32:13 32:29-30 33 34 36:22 37:18 37:28 37:33 38:18 42 43 43:14 45:5 47:9 47:9 47:29-30 48:14 48:16 49:5-6 49:18 Exodus 2:12 3:2 3”
  9. Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion (Anglican) “Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion (Anglican, 1571), Section 247: The visible Church of Christ is a congregation of faithful men, in the which the pure Word of God is preached, and the Sacraments be duly ministered according to Christ's ordinance in all those things that of necessity are requisite to the same.”
  10. theology (Catholic (Scholastic)) “Aquinas, Summa Theologica, Third Part (Tertia Pars), Of the Grace of Christ as He Is the Head of the Church, Art. 1: Article: Whether Christ is the Head of the Church? I answer that, As the whole Church is termed one mystic body from its likeness to the natural body of a man, which in divers members has divers acts, as the Apostle teaches (Rm. 12; 1 Cor. 12), so likewise Christ is called the Head of the Church from a likeness with the human head, in which we may consider three things, viz. order, perfection, and power: "Order," indeed; for the head is the first part of man, beginning from the ”
  11. Catechism of the Catholic Church (Catholic) “Catechism of the Catholic Church, 24. (part 1): 24. 20 Cf. DV 3. 21 Dt 28: 10; Roman Missal, Good i Friday, General Intercession VI; see also Ex 19:6 22 Cf. Is 2:2-4; Jer 31:31-34; Heb 10:16 23 Cf. Ezek 36; Is 49:5-6; 53:11 24 Cf. Ezek 2:3; Lk 1:38 Previous - NextCopyright © Libreria Editrice Vaticana Catechism of the Catholic Church - IntraText HelpCatechism of the Catholic Church IntraText - TextPART ONE: THE PROFESSION OF FAITHSECTION ONE "I BELIEVE" - "WE BELIEVE"CHAPTER TWO GOD COMES TO MEET MANArticle 1 THE REVELATION OF GODIII. Christ Jesus -- "Mediator and Fullness of All Revelation"Pr”
  12. CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 1, section 38: introduced. And it is no less notorious that a large part of the Church in which Christ dwells by his presence, and which He in every way acknowledges and honours, has no bishops until the present day. The government of the Church by bishops, Romanists admit is one of the institutions which rest not on Scripture, but on tradition for their authority. 4. But should everything else be conceded, the assumption that subjection to the Pope, as the vicar of Christ, is necessary to the existence of the Church, is utterly unreasonable. This is th”
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