Apostolic Succession
Ministerial authority is handed down from the apostles through ordained succession.
This doctrine is actively contested between major traditions. Faithful Christians disagree.
What the traditions say
Essential to Catholic ecclesiology. Valid sacraments require bishops in apostolic succession. The Pope is the successor of Peter.
Bishops in unbroken succession from the apostles are the guardians of the faith. Without valid succession, there are no valid sacraments.
Irenaeus and Tertullian invoked apostolic succession to refute Gnostic claims. The bishop who stands in the apostolic chain teaches authentic doctrine.
Anglicanism claims apostolic succession through the historic episcopate. The validity of Anglican orders has been disputed by Rome (Apostolicae Curae, 1896).
Scandinavian Lutheran churches maintain episcopal succession; others do not. The Augsburg Confession subordinates church order to the gospel.
Rejected entirely. Each congregation is autonomous under Christ. There is no priestly class or institutional chain of authority.
Succession of doctrine, not office. What matters is faithfulness to apostolic teaching, not an unbroken chain of ordination.
Who binds this
Every affiliated congregation inherits its denomination's position. Follow a chip to see the confession's language.
Key scriptures
- 1Pet 5:1 — The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed:
- 1Tim 4:14 — Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.
- 2Tim 1:6 — Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.
- 2Tim 2:2 — And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.
- Acts 1:20 — For it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein: and his bishoprick let another take.
- Acts 1:26 — And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.
- Acts 14:23 — And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed.
- Acts 6:6 — Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them.
- Eph 4:11 — And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
- Heb 13:17 — Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.
- John 17:18 — As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.
- John 20:21 — Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.
- Matt 28:18 — And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
- Rom 10:15 — And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!
- Titus 1:5 — For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee:
What the confessions say
Articles of the historic confessions that address this doctrine.
- Reformed Baptist 1689 London Baptist Confession 26.8 — Of the Church
- Reformed Belgic Confession Art31 — The Officers of the Church
- Reformed Baptist 1689 London Baptist Confession 26.9 — Of the Church
- Anglican Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion Article 26 — Of the Unworthiness of the Ministers, which hinders not the effect of the Sacrament
- Lutheran Augsburg Confession Article 5 — Of the Ministry
- Roman Catholic Council of Trent (Canons) On Confirmation · Canon 3 — On Confirmation
The Church Fathers
The earliest Fathers who commented on the Scriptures above.
Appoint, therefore, for yourselves, bishops and deacons worthy of the Lord, men meek, and not lovers of money, and truthful and proved; for they also render to you the service of prophets and teachers. Despise them not therefore, for they are your honoured ones, together with the prophets and teachers.
I have become acquainted with your greatly-desired name in God, which ye have acquired by the habit of righteousness, according to the faith and love in Christ Jesus our Saviour. Being the followers of the love of God towards man, and stirring up yourselves by the blood of Christ, you have perfectly accomplished the work which was…
Instruct each other therefore, and be at peace among yourselves, that I also, standing joyful before your Father, may give an account of you all to your Lord.
With regard to those (the Marcionites) who allege that Paul alone knew the truth, and that to him the mystery was manifested by revelation, let Paul himself convict them, when he says, that one and the same God wrought in Peter for the apostolate of the circumcision, and in himself for the Gentiles. Peter, therefore, was an apostle of…
And now the Saviour shows Himself, out of His abundance, dispensing goods to His servants according to the ability of the recipient, that they may augment them by exercising activity, and then returning to reckon with them; when, approving of those that had increased His money, those faithful in little, and commanding them to have the…
What is this deposit? Is it so secret as to be supposed to characterize a new doctrine? or is it a part of that charge of which he says, "This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy? " and also of that precept of which he says, "I charge thee in the sight of God, who quickeneth all things, and before Jesus Christ who witnessed a good…