Apostolic Succession
Clem. 44:1 And our Apostles knew through our Lord Jesus Christ that there would be strife over the name of the bishop's office.
1 Clem. 44:2 For this cause therefore, having received complete foreknowledge, they appointed the aforesaid persons, and afterwards they provided a continuance, that if these should fall asleep, other approved men should succeed to their ministration. Those therefore who were appointed by them, or afterward by other men of repute with the consent of the whole Church, and have ministered unblamably to the flock of Christ in lowliness of mind, peacefully and with all modesty, and for long time have borne a good report with all these men we consider to be unjustly thrust out from their ministration.
1 Clem. 44:3 For it will be no light sin for us, if we thrust out those who have offered the gifts of the bishop's office unblamably and holily.
1 Clem. 44:4 Blessed are those presbyters who have gone before, seeing that their departure was fruitful and ripe: for they have no fear lest any one should remove them from their appointed place.
1 Clem. 44:5 For we see that ye have displaced certain persons, though they were living honorably, from the ministration which had been respected by them.
The above comes from the letter of Clement to the Corinthians dated 96AD. Clement was the Bishop of Rome, as the Rome had become what Ignatius of Antioch, a contemporary of Clement, an place of 'eminence" Why? Because the bishop who succeeded Peter was seen as the Head of the Church to which all other Churches consulted on their problems of faith an direction. Ignatius went further and described how by simply going to Rome rather than consulting other Churches and getting a majority verdict, one could receive the Truth. The Truth was very important to the early Church and Clement describes in his letter how the Apostles took great care, by appointing trustworthy men to lead the Churches that the Truth they taught would be handed down from Generation to Generation. This was crucial for the survival of the Church and the message it held for if at any time someone introduced a new teaching then its truth or falsehood could be judged against the truths of the Church taught from generation to generation. Indeed not even a Pope can contradict this Deposit of Faith. And it is this practice protected by the Holy Spirit that ensures that Truth does not become a matter of opinion, but would be passed in one Church through the ages.
And so we say the Catholic Church is Apostolic. The word Catholic is also a word used by Ignatius of Antioch so it seems to have been common in the early Church, perhaps distinguishing it from the many heresies or false prophets which attacked the Church from the very beginning and still do today.
The above comes from the letter of Clement to the Corinthians dated 96AD. Clement was the Bishop of Rome, as the Rome had become what Ignatius of Antioch, a contemporary of Clement, an place of 'eminence" Why? Because the bishop who succeeded Peter was seen as the Head of the Church to which all other Churches consulted on their problems of faith an direction. Ignatius went further and described how by simply going to Rome rather than consulting other Churches and getting a majority verdict, one could receive the Truth. The Truth was very important to the early Church and Clement describes in his letter how the Apostles took great care, by appointing trustworthy men to lead the Churches that the Truth they taught would be handed down from Generation to Generation. This was crucial for the survival of the Church and the message it held for if at any time someone introduced a new teaching then its truth or falsehood could be judged against the truths of the Church taught from generation to generation. Indeed not even a Pope can contradict this Deposit of Faith. And it is this practice protected by the Holy Spirit that ensures that Truth does not become a matter of opinion, but would be passed in one Church through the ages.
And so we say the Catholic Church is Apostolic. The word Catholic is also a word used by Ignatius of Antioch so it seems to have been common in the early Church, perhaps distinguishing it from the many heresies or false prophets which attacked the Church from the very beginning and still do today.
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