Apostolic Succession

Definition and Meaning

Apostolic succession is the teaching that the authority and mission of the apostles appointed by Jesus have been passed on without interruption to the church leaders who followed them. Understandings of this succession fall into two broad views, depending on what is held to be transmitted.

• Succession of office: This view emphasizes the historical chain by which ordination has been passed from the apostles to bishops, and from them to their successors.
• Succession of teaching: This view holds that the essence of apostolic succession lies in faithfully receiving and handing on the gospel and teaching delivered by the apostles.

Biblical and Historical Background

Those who affirm apostolic succession appeal to the following passages of Scripture:

• The filling of Judas Iscariot's place with Matthias (Acts 1:21–26)
• Paul's instruction to Titus to "ordain elders in every city" (Titus 1:5)
• The exhortation to commit the teaching to faithful men (2 Timothy 2:2)

Those who emphasize the succession of teaching point to Ephesians 2:20, which states that the Church is "built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets."

Among the writings of the early Church, the letter of Clement of Rome (late first century) records that the apostles appointed bishops and deacons. In the second century, Irenaeus, in opposing heresy, is known to have presented a list of the bishops of the church of Rome and to have argued that the church descended from the apostles preserves the true teaching. The Nicene Creed confesses the Church as "one, holy, catholic, and apostolic."

The Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church regard the unbroken continuity of episcopal ordination as an essential mark of the Church. The Catholic Church further adds the papacy as the office of the successor of Peter. The Reformers located the criterion of apostolicity not so much in the continuity of office as in the proclamation of the gospel faithful to Scripture.

Practice in the Korean Church

• The Anglican Church of Korea maintains the historic episcopate (the office of bishop as handed down through history), and its bishops ordain priests and deacons.
• Presbyterian churches understand apostolic succession as the succession of the apostles' teaching, that is, of Scripture. Ordination of ministers is carried out by the presbytery in accordance with the church constitution.
• The Korean Methodist Church has a system of bishops, but its bishops are elected and serve for a fixed term.
• Baptist and Full Gospel denominations, among others, generally take faithfulness to apostolic teaching, rather than historical continuity of office, as their standard.

Meanwhile, some movements, such as the New Apostolic Reformation, claim that the office of apostle must be restored today. This claim is treated as a separate issue from the historical doctrine of succession and has been a matter of controversy in various denominations.