Apostolic Succession, What is it and Who Has It?

The concept of Apostolic Succession starts with Jesus commissioning some of his disciples to spread his teachings and imparting to them the power to heal and drive out demons in his name. A disciple is a follower or student of a teacher or leader. An apostle is one who is sent out with the authority of the teacher. In the case of the Bible, Jesus’ Apostles were those disciples who he set out to spread his teachings and perform miracles, in His name. The twelve disciples’ apostleship started when Jesus did this:

And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction. The names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him. These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them, “Go nowhere among the Gentiles and enter no town of the Samaritans, but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And proclaim as you go, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. Matt 10:1-8 (ESV)

Luke 10:1-12 describes a time when Jesus chose seventy-two (or seventy in some translations) of his disciples to proceed him, heal people, and prepare them for Jesus to come teach them. Many scholars view these seventy-two to all be Apostles. We do not know who the seventy-two were, but they were presumably the twelve original disciples and sixty more. Tradition holds that Barsabbas and Matthias, who were both put forward to replace Judas, were two of them (Matthias was chosen; see Acts 1:12-26), that John Mark, the author of the Gospel of Mark and a companion of Peter, was another, and that Ananias from Damascus was another. Ananias is mentioned in the bible as a miracle worker, and he is the one who converted Paul after he was struck blind by the spirit of Jesus and who cured his blindness, see Acts 9:1-19.

During Jesus’ life before the crucifixion, the twelve or seventy-two Apostles were not setting up churches and creating Bishops; they were spreading Jesus’ teachings, performing miracles in his name, and preparing the way for Jesus.

After the resurrection, in the Great Commission, Jesus imbued the Apostles with the Holy Spirit and directed the eleven to go forth and spread his teachings. (It is eleven because Judas committed suicide after betraying Jesus.) This is how Matthew described it:

Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Matt 28:16–20 (ESV)

The Great Commission is also described in Mark 16:14–18 and Luke 24:36–49. In 1 Corinthians 15:6, Paul mentions that Jesus also appeared to more than five hundred brothers at once. Presumably, these were Jesus' disciples. Paul does not go into any details about what Jesus said to the five hundred, but the appearance of the resurrected Jesus must have had a great impact on them. Many of them likely continued to spread his teachings.

After the Great Commission, the eleven Apostles, the rest of the seventy-two, and likely others of the 500, spread Jesus’ teachings. They also founded churches in various places and created bishops to head those churches.

What is Apostolic Succession?

The idea behind Apostolic Succession is that those bishops, commissioned by one of the Apostles, created more bishops to succeed them. That involved laying their hands on each new bishop and passing some authority and grace, from the Apostles, to the new bishop. That practice continued in an unbroken line of succession, bishop to bishop, to this very day. This tradition holds that only those bishops who are part of this succession have the authority to ordain deacons and priests and pass on their authority, passed down from the Apostles, to new bishops. Also, only those ordained by a bishop with Apostolic Succession have the authority to perform the sacraments.

The Bible has support for this idea. The beginning of the succession is mentioned in the Great Commission, described above, and again here:

Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” John 20:21.

In Acts 1:12-26 it discusses the process of picking a replacement for Judas. Matthias was chosen after praying to the Lord for guidance. In a few places attributed to Paul, there is a mention of some of the processes of succession, like the laying on of hands and choosing faithful men who can teach:

Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching. Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophecy when the council of elders (the Apostles) laid their hands on you. 1 Tim 4:13-14

You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also. 2 Timothy 2:2

Paul himself is an example of Apostolic Succession. His name was Saul, and he was a Pharisee involved in the persecution of Christians. On his way to Damascus, he encountered the Spirit of Jesus in the form of a bright light and a disembodied voice. Saul was struck blind, and the voice told him he was Jesus and asked him why he was persecuting his people. Saul was then taken to Damascus, where he was converted and baptized by Ananias, including the laying on of hands by Ananias. Saul then changed his name to Paul. Ananias is described as a disciple, who is thought to be one of the seventy-two Apostles, and who was directed by Jesus to seek out Saul. Ananias also healed Paul’s blindness (see Acts 9:1-19, 22:6-21, and 26:12-18.) Some three years later, Paul went to Jerusalem to meet with Peter and James, the brother of Jesus, and remained with Peter for fifteen days (see Gal 1:18-24). So, Paul’s authority was derived from Ananias, at Jesus’ direction, and possibly also from Peter. Because of Paul’s encounter with the Spirit of Jesus and being chosen by Jesus to spread His teachings to the Gentiles, he is also referred to as an Apostle.

Apostolic Succession was a belief and practice of the early church from the beginning, as evidenced by the writings of early church fathers, like The First Epistle of Clement, the fourth bishop of Rome, from the late first century, which states:

The Apostles received for us the gospel from our Lord Jesus Christ; our Lord Jesus Christ received it from God. Christ, therefore, was sent out from God, and the Apostles from Christ; and both these things were done in good order, according to the will of God. They, therefore, having received the promises, having been fully persuaded by the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, and having been confirmed by the word of God, with the full persuasion of the Holy Spirit, went forth preaching the good tidings that the kingdom of God was at hand. Preaching, therefore, through the countries and cities, they appointed their firstfruits to be bishops and deacons over such as should believe, after they had proved them in the Spirit. And this they did in no new way, for in truth it had in long past time been written concerning bishops and deacons; for the scripture, in a certain place, saith in this wise: I will establish their bishops in righteousness, and their deacons in faith. 1 Clement Ch 42:1-5

Our Apostles, too, by the instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ, knew that strife would arise concerning the dignity of a bishop; and on this account, having received perfect foreknowledge, they appointed the above-mentioned as bishops and deacons: and then gave a rule of succession, in order that, when they had fallen asleep, other men, who had been approved, might succeed to their ministry. 1 Clement Ch 44:1-2

Other examples can be found in the writings of St. Ignatius of Antioch (107 AD) and St. Irenaeus of Lyons (c. 180 AD in Against Heresies.) From these and other passages, it appears that in addition to spreading Jesus’ teachings, it was the responsibility of the Apostles and their successors to choose trustworthy and faithful men who could teach and consecrate them to be their successors. In this process, they pass on to them the authority from Jesus and the Apostles to teach, to perform the sacraments, to ordain deacons and priests, and to pick their successors.

The majority of Christian churches accept that Apostolic Succession is necessary for valid ordination and to have a valid ministry to administer the sacraments. These include the Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox Churches, the Eastern Catholic Churches, Oriental Orthodox Churches, Coptic Christians, Anglicans, some Lutherans, and others, who make up about two-thirds of all Christians. Today, these churches require that people desiring ordination undergo a lengthy preparation process. Usually, they need an undergraduate degree in philosophy or religion, then they attend a seminary or graduate program for four or five years and go through a discernment process to determine if God is calling them to serve. Then, they serve as deacons for a year. If all is well, after that, then a bishop may choose to ordain the person to be a priest. The Catholic Church says that about one-third of the people who enter the seminary are ordained as priests. Becoming a Bishop is quite involved after that, but always includes the laying on of hands by the Pope (Catholic), Archbishop, or multiple Bishops (varies by church.)

Many Protestant churches deny the need for Apostolic Succession. They assert that the bible does not give clear guidance on that. They believe that authority is derived from studying the scriptures and faithfully preserving and passing on the teachings of Jesus and the Apostles. Yet, most protestant churches do not allow people who just study the bible deeply to become ministers and bishops. They require formal education in schools that offer religion programs or seminaries, licensing by the government, recommendations, endorsements, a process of discernment and examination, and selection by boards of faithful people. In effect, they have created their own succession process that cannot be traced back to the Apostles.

It is not up to me to assert if Apostolic Succession is necessary for a valid ministry. However, after studying this topic in the Bible, the writings of the early church fathers, and the practices of the early church, I am wondering if it is necessary to attend churches that have maintained Apostolic Succession. I cannot be certain that some authority and grace is passed to current-day clergy via that process, but I cannot be sure it is not.

What Churches Have Maintained Apostolic Succession?

The Catholic Church, made up of the Latin or Roman Catholic Church and twenty-three Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion, claims to have maintained this succession, starting with the Apostle Peter, unbroken, until today. One thing to note is that this succession passes from bishop to bishop, not just from the Pope, so even if there is uncertainty about the history of papal succession, that does not impact Apostolic Succession. The Catholic Church has over 5,000 bishops today, each of which is said to be part of Apostolic Succession.

The Catholic Church is not the only Church claiming to have maintained Apostolic Succession. The Eastern Orthodox church, which was together with the Catholic Church until the East-West Schism of 1054 AD, also claims it. After that schism, the Eastern Orthodox Church continued the practice of Apostolic Succession. Some Eastern Orthodox Churches trace their succession back to the Apostle Andrew, who established the church in Constantinople rather than Peter. Today, the Catholic Church recognizes the validity of Apostolic Succession in the Eastern Orthodox Church and vice versa. (see Catholic Teaching On Apostolic Succession)

The Anglican Church, which was forced to break with the Catholic Church in 1534 by King Henry VIII, also asserts that it has maintained Apostolic Succession. When the break occurred, there were many bishops with Apostolic Succession in the Church of England at that time. Those bishops and their successors have continued the practice of Apostolic Succession until this day.

The Catholic Church views all ordinations in the Anglican Church as null and void after the break with Rome, and there was a papal bull issued in 1896 to that effect called "Apostolicae Curae." In 1922, the Eastern Orthodox Patriarch of Constantinople addressed this question by saying: “That the orthodox theologians who have scientifically examined the question have almost unanimously come to the same conclusions and have declared themselves as accepting the validity of Anglican Orders.”

The Oriental Orthodox Churches, the Church of the East, the Old Catholic churches, the Polish National Catholic Church, and other Eastern Catholic Churches that are not in communion with the Catholic Church also assert that they have maintained Apostolic Succession. The Catholic Church recognizes their claim to Apostolic Succession as valid except if it came through a female bishop. The Catholic Church does not recognize the ordination of women as valid.

The Coptic Churches, which trace their roots to Mark the Evangelist in Alexandria around 43 AD, also claim to have maintained Apostolic Succession. Mark (John Mark) is said to have been one of the seventy-two apostles mentioned above and a companion of the Apostle Peter. The Catholic Church views the Coptic church as a type of Eastern Orthodox and recognizes their claim of Apostolic Succession as valid.

Other churches claim to have Apostolic Succession from other apostles like Philip, Simon, Thomas, or Jude. Given that the Apostles traveled widely, spread Jesus’ teachings, and founded churches, these could be valid claims.

In general, Protestant denominations, other than Anglicans and some Lutherans, deny the need for Apostolic Succession in the abovementioned sense and have not maintained the practice. Many do not believe there is any passing on of authority or grace from the Apostles in the act of one bishop ordaining the next. For a time, some Protestant denominations abolished the position of bishop and thus severed any chance of passing on Apostolic Succession. In some churches, bishops were later created for practical reasons to manage groups of churches, but they were essentially elected positions. Presbyterians have no bishops to this day. Some try to equate elders or ministers to bishops and claim valid succession, and others explicitly deny the concept.

Martin Luther, one of the fathers of the Reformation, was a Catholic priest, but since he was not a Bishop, he could not ordain Bishops with Apostolic Succession. In any case, he is said to have been indifferent to the idea of Apostolic Succession and the Lutheran Book of Concord does not mention it. Nevertheless, some Lutheran sub-denominations or churches do claim it.

John Calvin rejected the idea of Apostolic Succession. He is said to have believed in the succession of apostolic teaching or proclamation of the Gospel, not the version accepted by the Catholic and Orthodox churches. He called the "perpetual succession of bishops" "frivolous and plainly ludicrous" in the Institutes of Christian Religion (Chapter 2 - Comparison Between The False Church And The True.) So, the Calvinist reformed traditions do not accept the need for Apostolic Succession.

John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist Church and other Wesleyan churches, believed in the teaching of true doctrine and not in the succession of bishops. Most Methodist ministers in the US trace their ordination back to Thomas Coke, who was ordained by John Wesley, who was a priest in the Church of England, not a bishop. So, there is no possibility of apostolic succession there, in the way the Catholic, Orthodox, and Anglican churches believe it.

One of the early founders of the Baptist Church, John Smyth, was also a priest in the Church of England, not a bishop. So apostolic succession could not flow from him. But in general, Baptists do not believe in apostolic succession, and they do not have bishops who could convey it. They believe their authority comes from the scriptures, not the succession of bishops.

So, it is safe to say that most of the fathers of the Protestant Reformation denied the Catholic and Orthodox view of Apostolic Succession along with many other Catholic and Orthodox traditions. In general, the concept of Sola Scripta (Scripture Alone) denies the role of traditions like Apostolic Succession. However, while the largest Protestant denomination, the Anglican Church, embraced Sola Scripta, it also maintained the tradition of Apostolic Succession. It is described in the Book of Common Prayer and affirmed in the 39 Articles of Religion. That is one of the reasons that the Anglican Church is viewed as existing in a middle ground between Catholic and Protestant beliefs.

Summary

Apostolic Succession involves grace and authority passed from Jesus to the Apostles and from the Apostles to bishops, who then passed it on to other bishops, who became their successors, in an unbroken line of succession, down through the ages to the present day. Believers in the need for Apostolic Succession assert that such succession is required for a valid ministry to perform the sacraments and ordain deacons, priests, and bishops.

While I did not look at every church (there are thousands), in general, the Churches with undisputed (by each other) claims of Apostolic Succession are:

Churches with disputed claims of Apostolic Succession

The question that should be asked is: Does anyone on earth have the authority to remove Apostolic Succession from a validly ordained bishop or is that a matter between the bishop and God? The Catholic Church believes that the Pope has that Authority.

I don’t have the answer, but in my opinion, if there is grace and authority passed on in the act of one bishop laying on hands and ordaining a new bishop, it seems that the bishop could only lose that by turning away from God and the true teachings of Jesus and the Apostles. Any church that has maintained the tradition of bishops ordaining bishops with the laying on of hands, back to the Apostles, and has stayed true to the teachings of Jesus and the Apostles can likely claim to have maintained Apostolic Succession.

Each person is left to decide for themselves if Apostolic Succession is necessary for a valid ministry. If they think it is necessary, they can then decide among the churches that claim to have maintained it when they decide to join a church. In the US, these churches are the Catholic Church, the Anglican Church (the Episcopal Church, the Anglican Church of North America (ACNA), and a few much smaller Anglican church organizations), the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), and the Orthodox Churches.

If people decide Apostolic Succession is unnecessary, they should determine whether the church they consider joining and its clergy have the proper preparation and authority. There are hundreds of Protestant denominations to choose from. The old mainline denominations, like Baptist, Methodist, Lutheran, and Presbyterian, are in decline. LDS (Mormons) and the Assemblies of God (Pentecostal) are growing, but the huge growth is in Non-Denominational churches. One concern is that the ministers' preparation level in these Non-Denominational churches can range from extensive to almost none. With no denominational structure to check out the ministers’ qualifications, you are left to do it yourself. Remember, Jesus said:

“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits.” Matt 7:15-16

So, no matter what you decide, I encourage you to do your research, be careful, and choose wisely!

Douglas A. Leas, November 2024

Sources:

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version (ESV), 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

Clement of Rome (c. 70AD), The First Epistle Of Clement To The Corinthians, https://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/1clement-hoole.html

Encyclical on Anglican Orders from the Oecumenical Patriarch to the Presidents of the Particular Eastern Orthodox Churches, 1922

Catholic Teaching On Apostolic Succession

Calvin, J. (1536) "Institutes of Christian Religion"

Church of England (1571, amended in 1801 by the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America) "The Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion" from "The Book of Common Prayer," Anglican Church of North America, 2019, Anglican Liturgy Press.

The Association of Religion Data Archives, U.S. Membership reports: accessed October 30, 2024. https://www.thearda.com/us-religion/census/congregational-membership