THE APOSTOLIC SUCCESSION
I have now presented blogs on the Mass and the Real Presence. I will now be looking at Authority in the Early Church. By this time I will have been described by many as 'Triumphalist', living in the past, or just plain stupid. In their destruction of the teaching of the Church by the Reformers of the 60's and 70's they made good use of the secular approach. To win a point it was not necessary to prove someone wrong but just to ensure that you let them know that you are 'adult', 'more mature', and 'have moved on from childish things'. This was accepted to such a degree in our English Church that had Jesus himself appeared and orally contradicted the reformers even He
would have been attacked. So let me begin my blog on the Authority of the Church given to her by Jesus Christ Himself.
One thing that the Church had was an appeal to Apostolic Tradition. It was clear that any teaching could be challenged and scripture could be attacked and contradicted by anyone with any bizarre or irrational teaching, indeed the Early Church was soon being attacked by groups leaving on this or that teaching and putting themselves forward as speaking the Truth. Something in addition to scripture was necessary as a test of the Orthodoxy of any teaching, and this was found in what is called the Apostolic Succession. Let us turn to the letter of Paul to Timothy "What you have heard from me before many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also" [2Timothy 2:2}
Thus Timothy who was taught by Paul in the truths taught by Jesus passed his teaching on to Timothy who was then told to pass the truth he had been taught to others. One of the attacks made by the Reformers I have mentioned is that as children they were 'indoctrinated'. But as one parent I know told a headmaster who was praising his school and saying the children were not being indoctrinated. "But, sir, I want my child indoctrinated" Indoctrinated simply means taught but the headmaster was already victim to the secular media and changing simple words into something 'objectionable'. I know nothing of harm that the Catholic Church taught in their schools. No child is indoctrinated in that way in the Catholic School nor have they left school fearing the 'fires of hell' or any other nonsense.
Pope Clement 96AD "And thus preaching through countries and cities, they appointed the first fruits of the labours, HAVING FIRST PROVED THEM BY THE SPIRIT of those who would afterwards be bishops and deacons of those who would afterwards believe. Nor was this any new thing, since indeed many ages before it was written concerning bishops and deacons...........Our apostles also knew, through Our Lord Jesus Christ, that there would be strife on account of the office of the episcopate. For this reason therefore because they had obtained a perfect foreknowledge of this, they appointed those [ministers] already mentioned and afterwards gave instructions that when they should fall asleep other approved men should succeed them in their ministry. {Letter to the Corinthians 96AD:}
The above letter to the Corinthians from someone who had been appointed bishop of Rome is one that was not put into the Bible. The lay people of Corinth had decided to appoint their own leaders, who would teach them what they wanted to be taught. As the successor of Peter Clement very much lay down the law to them and told them to put back in place those who had been appointed by the apostles and other eminent men. In other words he exercised the authority of Pope, first given to St Peter, and recognised by the whole Church in the Bishop of Rome the successor of Peter.
Does anyone really believe the Holy Spirit speaks to them and not the Church. Did Jesus not say "He that hearth you, heareth me and those who despiseth you, despiseth me"
would have been attacked. So let me begin my blog on the Authority of the Church given to her by Jesus Christ Himself.
One thing that the Church had was an appeal to Apostolic Tradition. It was clear that any teaching could be challenged and scripture could be attacked and contradicted by anyone with any bizarre or irrational teaching, indeed the Early Church was soon being attacked by groups leaving on this or that teaching and putting themselves forward as speaking the Truth. Something in addition to scripture was necessary as a test of the Orthodoxy of any teaching, and this was found in what is called the Apostolic Succession. Let us turn to the letter of Paul to Timothy "What you have heard from me before many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also" [2Timothy 2:2}
Thus Timothy who was taught by Paul in the truths taught by Jesus passed his teaching on to Timothy who was then told to pass the truth he had been taught to others. One of the attacks made by the Reformers I have mentioned is that as children they were 'indoctrinated'. But as one parent I know told a headmaster who was praising his school and saying the children were not being indoctrinated. "But, sir, I want my child indoctrinated" Indoctrinated simply means taught but the headmaster was already victim to the secular media and changing simple words into something 'objectionable'. I know nothing of harm that the Catholic Church taught in their schools. No child is indoctrinated in that way in the Catholic School nor have they left school fearing the 'fires of hell' or any other nonsense.
Pope Clement 96AD "And thus preaching through countries and cities, they appointed the first fruits of the labours, HAVING FIRST PROVED THEM BY THE SPIRIT of those who would afterwards be bishops and deacons of those who would afterwards believe. Nor was this any new thing, since indeed many ages before it was written concerning bishops and deacons...........Our apostles also knew, through Our Lord Jesus Christ, that there would be strife on account of the office of the episcopate. For this reason therefore because they had obtained a perfect foreknowledge of this, they appointed those [ministers] already mentioned and afterwards gave instructions that when they should fall asleep other approved men should succeed them in their ministry. {Letter to the Corinthians 96AD:}
The above letter to the Corinthians from someone who had been appointed bishop of Rome is one that was not put into the Bible. The lay people of Corinth had decided to appoint their own leaders, who would teach them what they wanted to be taught. As the successor of Peter Clement very much lay down the law to them and told them to put back in place those who had been appointed by the apostles and other eminent men. In other words he exercised the authority of Pope, first given to St Peter, and recognised by the whole Church in the Bishop of Rome the successor of Peter.
Does anyone really believe the Holy Spirit speaks to them and not the Church. Did Jesus not say "He that hearth you, heareth me and those who despiseth you, despiseth me"
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