What is apostolic succession?

[ChessCastle]

Another question from the uniformed (me). What is apostolic succession and how does it relate to the Eucharist?

CC

[PaladinValer]

Apostolic Succession is the dogma that all bishops can trace their ordinations to that of the Apostles themselves. The Succession is important and vital to believe in to counter the heresies of Gnosticism.

It takes a validly ordained priest or bishop in true Apostolic Succession to properly consecrate the Elements during Holy Communion so that they become the True Body and True Blood of Christ.

[Fish and Bread]

Apostolic Succession means simply that there is a chain of people going back to the apostles and ending in a modern day bishop. Basically, Peter might have laid his hands on a guy and appointed him to run the church in a given area and then that guy appointed a guy and so forth, on forward to the present day. Personally, I view it as kind of a neat link to the historic Christian Church, but I don't think it's necessary in order for eucharists to be real or anything like that. Anglicans go back and forth on whether it is really needed or not, but we all agree it's nice to have. :)

John

[gtsecc]

but I don't think it's necessary in order for eucharists to be real or anything like that...

John

But, do you have the authority to to decide something that the entire church has held as important for 2,000 years, is not important? Think about it like this - even Athanasius is not important enough to say that Apostolic Succession is not important. That is the sort of descision you would need an eccumenical council to change.

[gitlance]

The Apostolic Succession is our protection against heresy, our guarantee of grace through the Sacraments, our proof of validity, and our instrument of unity. Without such, no church is recognized.

"Let that be considered a valid Eucharist which is under the bishop or one whom he has delegated... It is not permitted to baptize or hold a Eucharist independently of the bishop." St. Ignatius of Antioch, d. AD 110

"All who belong to God and Jesus Christ are with the bishop." St. Ignatius of Antioch, d. AD 110


"By 'knowledge of the truth' we mean: the teaching of the Apostles; the order of the Church as established from the earliest times throughout the world: the distinctive stamp of the Body of Christ, preserved through the episcopal succession; for to the bishops the Apostles committed the care of the church which is in each place, which has come down to our own time, safeguarded without any written documents, by the most complete exposition (the creed), which admits neither increase nor diminution (of the tradition): the reading of the Scriptures without falsification, and consistent and careful exposition of them, avoiding temerity and blasphemy: and the special gift of love, which is more precious than knowledge, more glorious than prophecy, surpassing all other spiritual gifts." St. Irenaeus, d. AD 200

"Those who wish to see the truth can observe in every church the tradition of the Apostles made manifest in the whole world. We can enumerate those who were appointed bishops in the churches by the Apostles, and their successors down to our own day. They never taught and never knew of such absurdities as those heretics produce." St. Irenaeus, d. AD 200

"The Church, although scattered through the whole world even to the ends of the earth, has received the faith from the Apostles and from their disciples." St. Irenaeus, d. AD 200

"It is our duty to obey those presbyters whare in the Church, who have their succession from the Apostles, as we have shown, who with their succession in the episcopate have received the sure spiritual gift of truth according to the pleasures of the Father. The others, who stand apart from the primitive succession, and assemble in any place whatever, we ought to regard with suspicion: either as heretics, and unsound in doctrine; or as schismatics, conceited and self-assured; or else as hypocrites. acting thus for the sake of gain and vanity. All these have fallen away from the truth." St. Irenaeus, d. AD 200

[Naomi4Christ]

A bishop has had hands laid on him by a bishop who has had hands laid on him by a bishop who has had hands laid on him by.......one of the original apostles.

[Father Rick]

If you want a practical example... look at the thread about Old Catholic lines of successions. It actually lists the lines of succession of my bishop.

[ChessCastle]

Thanks all, I am glad to hear its not what I feared....that the bishops all had to be of the same bloodline.

[holyshe]

Thanks all, I am glad to hear its not what I feared....that the bishops all had to be of the same bloodline.

lmao

some bishops would wince at that idea!!!! lol

god bless xxx