Apostolic succession: Difference between revisions

The [[Catholic Church]], the [[Eastern Orthodoxy|Eastern Orthodox churches]], [[Oriental Orthodoxy|Oriental Orthodox churches]], the [[Anglican Communion]] and some [[Lutheran church]]es are the predominant proponents of this doctrine.<ref>[[Assyrian Church of the East]] and the [[Old Catholic Church]] all claim apostolic succession, as do [[Lutheran church]]es in some countries, the [[Mar Thoma Church]] in India, and the [[Polish National Catholic Church]], Encyclopedia of American Religions, J. Gordon Melton, editor. 6th Ed., 1999. pp 93-94.</ref> To them, present-day [[bishops]], as the successors of previous bishops, going back to the early days of Christianity, have spiritual and ecclesiastical power by this unbroken chain of ordinations stemming from the Apostles. This link with the Apostles guarantees for them their authority in matters of faith, morals and the valid administration of sacraments. This is reaffirmed every Sunday in the reciting of the [[Nicene Creed]] by priests and congregants, with the words, "We believe in [[Four Marks of the Church|one holy and catholic and apostolic Church]]..." TheAll [[Catholicadherents Church]]view doublyproper believes that a bishop's authority on matters of faith and morals is infallible when what he teaches is universally taught by all the [[collegeconsecration of bishops]] in communion with the [[Bishop of Rome]] (the [[Pope]]), who in turn is seen as theessential [[papal primacy|successor]] of [[Saint Peter|Saint Peter the Apostle]] and the [[Vicar ofto Christ]]maintaining onapostolic Earthsuccession.

EssentialThe to[[Catholic maintainingChurch]] additionally believes that a bishop's authority on matters of faith and morals is infallible when what he teaches is universally taught by all the apostolic[[college successionof bishops]] in communion with the [[Bishop of Rome]] (the [[Pope]]), who in turn is seen as the proper[[papal consecrationprimacy|successor]] of bishops[[Saint Peter|Saint Peter the Apostle]] and the [[Vicar of Christ]] on Earth. Nevertheless, Apostolic succession is to be distinguished from the [[Primacy of Simon Peter|Petrine supremacy]] (see [[Papacy]] and [[Coptic Pope]]).

Most Protestants consider the authority given to the apostles as unique, proper to them alone. They reject any doctrine of a succession of their power. The Protestant view of ecclesiastical authority differs accordingly.<ref>"Apostolic succession", Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th Edition, 10/1/2009. Web: 20 February 2010. [http://www.questia.com/library/encyclopedia/apostolic_succession.jsp Apostolic Succession in Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia]</ref>