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Gospel or Curse? Which do you have?
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Agent_Smith
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APOSTOLIC SUCCESSION CONTINUED

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and what basis there is to believe it is true.


I think history proves my belief. I won’t even touch St. Peter and papal succession, because that is a subset of the greater concept and is the subject for another discussion.

First, I think Paul explains it well in Titus, where he commands adherence to apostolic succession:

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4: To Titus, mine own son after the common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour.
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:
6: If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly.
7: For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre;
8: But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate;
9: Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers. KJV


Clearly Paul is telling Titus to continue to do what Paul has done: ordain others in the same way Paul ordained Titus. The mission from Christ was given to the apostles, and Paul in turn gave that mission to be continued to Titus, who in turn needs to give that mission to new bishops. Not just everyone, not every Christian, not every believer: just to the elders/bishops that Titus ordains. The reason for this is clear in verse 9: to hold the faithful word “as has been taught,” which is Tradition, so that sound doctrine can be given. That authority to give sound doctrine as a final say was in the bishops alone, not every believer, and that authority is traced back to the apostles. We believe, as Catholics, that this has continued all the way to our priests today, by ordination by the successors to the authority given to the apostles.

There are other scriptures more to that point, but this post is already incredibly long (I’m typing it in Microsoft Word and it is already at 4 pages!). So, I’ll be brief in some historical examples.

First, St. Ignatius of Antioch is a wonderful example of many Catholic doctrines (his writings are what really converted me to Catholicism). Ignatius of Antioch was born in Syria circa 50 a.d. and died between 98 a.d. and 117 a.d., depending on which historian you talk to. Ignatius was the direct disciple of St. John and was Bishop of Antioch until he was martyred.

Now, I’m going to quote a lot from his letters, and I encourage you to read and not casually glance over them.

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Keep yourselves from those evil plants which Jesus Christ does not tend, because they are not the planting of the Father. Not that I have found any division among you, but exceeding purity. For as many as are of God and of Jesus Christ are also with the bishop. And as many as shall, in the exercise of repentance, return into the unity of the Church, these, too, shall belong to God, that they may live according to Jesus Christ. Do not err, my brethren. If any man follows him that makes a schism in the Church, he shall not inherit the kingdom of God. If any one walks according to a strange opinion, he agrees not with the passion of Christ.. Letter to the Philadelphians.


Here, Ignatius gives insight into the time. Not only does he show that the Church is visible, so as people could see that one was from the true Church, but he also warns of schism from the true Church, and to me Protestants are very schismatic, even amongst themselves.

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Ignatius, who is also called Theophorus, to the Church of God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, which is at Philadelphia, in Asia, which has obtained mercy, and is established in the harmony of God, and rejoiceth unceasingly in the passion of our Lord, and is filled with all mercy through his resurrection; which I salute in the blood of Jesus Christ, who is our eternal and enduring joy, especially if [men] are in unity with the bishop, the presbyters, and the deacons, who have been appointed according to the mind of Jesus Christ, whom He has established in security, after His own will, and by His Holy Spirit. Letter to the Philadelphians


In the introduction to that same letter, he speaks clearly of the doctrine of apostolic succession and its validity.

This post was last modified: Mon Nov 21, 2005 07:32 PM by Agent_Smith.

Mon Nov 21, 2005 07:23 PM
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