FINDING THE MEAN

Understanding and Balancing the Modalities of History in an Age of Disconnection, Politics, and Postmodern Identity Crisis in Considerations of Apostolic Succession

By Bp. Joseph (Ancient Church of the West) 

Introduction 

In our fragmented world, marked by disconnection, political strife, and the fluidity of postmodern identity, the Church must find a stabilizing center. This "mean," a balanced understanding of Apostolic Succession, provides a theological anchor and historical continuity. Apostolic Succession is not a relic of the past but the living thread that ties the Church to Christ Himself. To rediscover and articulate its profound significance, we must examine its Christological, Pneumatological, and Ecclesiological foundations of our Succession. 

The Origin of Apostolic Authority is Christ's Person

All authority in the Church flows from Christ, who declares, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me” (Matthew 28:18). The Apostles’ authority originates in their encounter with the incarnate Word, who called them not merely to follow but to lead. This personal calling is echoed in St. Paul’s affirmation: “Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord?” (1 Corinthians 9:1). Christ is the cornerstone, and His Person is the source from which all ecclesial authority derives.

The Foundation for Apostolic Authority is Confessional

The foundation of Apostolic authority was laid in Peter’s confession: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16). Jesus responds, “You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church” (Matthew 16:18). This confessional foundation was sealed by the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, when the Apostles were empowered to proclaim the Gospel universally. As St. Basil the Great observes, “The Spirit is the seal of the new covenant, confirming the Apostles in their ministry” (On the Holy Spirit, 16.39).

Peter as Bishop: Feeding the Sheep

Peter’s role as a bishop is evident in Christ’s threefold command: “Feed my sheep” (John 21:17). The pastoral care and doctrinal teaching entrusted to Peter became the model for episcopal ministry. As St. John Chrysostom explains, “Peter’s love for Christ is proven by his care for the flock” (Homilies on John, 88.1). The Church is built upon this confession and this pastoral mission.

Apostolic Ordination by the Laying on of Hands

The Apostles, empowered by the Holy Spirit, ordained presbyters to serve the burgeoning Christian communities. Paul reminds Timothy, “Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you” (1 Timothy 4:14). This act of ordination signifies the transmission of spiritual authority, a practice rooted in Old Testament priestly consecration and fulfilled in the New Covenant. Authority is therefore Lineal and also Synodal, Confessional and also Practical and Pastoral. 

Timothy’s Ordination and Historical Continuity

Timothy’s ordination to the bishopric demonstrates the continuity of Apostolic Succession. St. Paul exhorts him: “Fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands” (2 Timothy 1:6). This practice continued in Alexandria and elsewhere, as St. Clement of Alexandria attests: “The Apostles appointed bishops and deacons for those who were to believe” (Stromata, 6.13).

Ignatius on the Bishop as Christ’s Icon

For St. Ignatius of Antioch, the bishop embodies the presence of Christ in the local Church: “Where the bishop is, there let the people be; even as where Christ is, there is the Catholic Church” (Letter to the Smyrnaeans, 8). Ignatius emphasizes the bishop’s role as the visible unity of the Church, an icon of Christ Himself, safeguarding the Apostolic faith.

Irenaeus on Apostolic Succession and Ecclesial Ministry

St. Irenaeus of Lyons highlights the Apostolic roots of both episcopal and presbyteral ministry: “It is within the power of all to see the truth, clearly perceived in every Church, by means of the tradition of the Apostles” (Against Heresies, 3.3.1). He insists that bishops serve in the capacity of Peter, maintaining doctrinal unity, while presbyters share in the Apostolic ministry of proclaiming the Gospel and administering the sacraments. Therefore, Apostolic Succession is very much functional and practical, as much about management and functional ministry as it is about mystical gifts of the Spirit. 

Elders as Guardians of Apostolic Blessing

The presbyters, or elders, were entrusted with the community’s spiritual welfare, preserving the Apostolic teaching and extending it through sacramental ministry. St. Cyprian of Carthage affirms, “The Church is the people united to their bishop, the flock adhering to their shepherd” (On the Unity of the Church, 8). The presbyterate thus becomes a conduit for Apostolic blessing within the baptized community, as representatives and defenders, receiving the blessing of the group (taxis) as God’s grace flowing both up and down the hierarchy. 

Bishops as Equals

The early Church recognized the equality of bishops as successors of the Apostles. St. Cyprian writes, “The episcopate is one, each part of which is held by each one for the whole” (On the Unity of the Church, 5). This collegiality is exemplified in the election of St. Ambrose, where the laity, clergy, and local leaders discerned his calling to lead the Church in Milan. Therefore, clericalism and the theory of monastic superiority is ahistorical, anti-biblical, and dysfunctional. 

Apostolic Witness in the Nicene Creed

The Apostolic witness finds its doctrinal expression in the Nicene Creed, which declares the faith “once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 1:3). This Creed, confessed universally by the Church, safeguards the Apostolic Gospel. St. Athanasius praises it as the “standard of faith” that unites believers across time and space (De Decretis, 4). The truth is known in reception, not declaration, as the seal of the Holy Spirit certifies what was believed in the Vincentian Canon: Everywhere, Always and By All! 

The Creed as Guardian of Apostolic Succession

The Nicene Creed serves as the guardian of true Apostolic Succession. It ensures that ordination and ecclesial authority remain tethered to the living faith of the Church in dynamic tension. As St. Gregory of Nazianzus asserts, “The faith we hold is that which we received from the Apostles and which we have handed down to the faithful” (Orations, 32.5). Without fidelity to this Creed, claims to Apostolic Succession are hollow and empty, because the Succession only exists in submission to the teachings it is sworn to propagate. 

Summary 

In an age of disconnection and identity crisis, Apostolic Succession provides a vital link to Christ, ensuring the Church’s continuity and fidelity. Both the laying on of hands and the confession of the Nicene Orthodox faith are indispensable - holding one another accountable. Together, they affirm the Church’s historical and spiritual connection to Christ, the Apostles, and the living tradition of the Holy Spirit within the living Body of the Church. Let us, therefore, hold fast to this dual foundation, that we may stand firm in the faith and witness of the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Orthodox Church.

COLLECT  

O God, who hast founded Thy Church upon the rock of Apostolic faith and succession, and hast preserved it through the ages by the grace of Thy Holy Spirit, grant that we, being steadfast in that same faith, may ever hold fast the heritage delivered unto us by Thy holy Apostles; that, rooted and grounded in Christ, we may neither be shaken by the winds of false doctrine nor led astray by the confusion of this age, but may remain steadfast in the unity of Thy Holy Church; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

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