A brief review of apostolic succession

1. Apostolic
Succession
Foundation of
Church Authority

2. The Inner Circle
(Transfiguration, Major Miracles Garden of Gethsemane, etc.)
Peter
Who were they?
brothers “Sons of Thunder”,
possibly cousins of Jesus
John James

3. John
• followed Jesus after His
arrest to the foot of the
Cross
• Jesus entrusted him to
care for His mother
• First of Apostles to
witness Resurrection
“the one Jesus loved”

4. James
• fisherman
• “thunderous” temper?
• first martyred Apostle 44 A.D.
(tradition claims he was
cheerfully and eagerly
martyred)

5. Peter-
Is this Man Qualified to Lead the Church?
• walked on water (almost)
• Jesus’ predicts His death
“get behind me Satan”
• wash Jesus’ feet incident
• fell asleep in the Garden
• hastily cutting off ear of
priest servant
• denied Jesus 3 times
before rooster crowed

6. Peter’s Appointment
Jesus asked, "Who do
you say I am?"
Simon Peter answered,
"You are the Christ,
the Son of the living
God.“
Jesus replied, "Blessed
are you, Simon, for
this was not revealed
to you by man, but by
my Father in heaven.
And I tell you that you
are Peter, and on this
rock I will build my
Church, and the gates
of Hades will not
overcome it.
Mt 16: 15-19

7. 1. Jesus: "Simon, son of John, do
you love me more than these?"
Peter: "Yes, Lord, you know t
that I love you.“
Jesus: "Feed my lambs."
2. Jesus: "Simon, son of John, do
you love me?"
Peter: "Yes, Lord, you know
that I love you.“
Jesus: "Tend my sheep."
3. Jesus: "Simon, son of John, do
you love me?"
Peter (distressed): "Lord,
you know everything; you
know that I love you."
Jesus said to him, "Feed my
sheep”.
John 21:15-
19
Peter’s “Ordination”
Sounds good!…But!...

8. Jesus: “Amen, amen, I say
to you…when you grow
old, you will stretch out
your hands, and someone
…will lead you where you
do not want to go."

9. “Upon this Rock I
will
build my Church”
Matthew 16:18

10. St. Peter's Basilica
Vatican City

11. Christmas Mass 2008
St. Peter’s Basilica

12. Peter Appointed a Successor
Before He Died
St. Linus,
the 2nd
pope

13. Early Church Persecution
Martyrdom of Pope Clement I

17. Emperor Constantine
legalized Christianity
313 A.D.
Attributed to prayers of his
mother St. Helena
Played an important role in
collecting artifacts and
establishing church buildings

18. They had collections of writings including Scripture
but Apostolic Tradition ruled the day, The Holy Bible
as we know it today came still later…!
Constantine Formed the Council of Nicea
325 AD

19. Nicene Creed

21. Councils of Laodicea, Rome,
Hippo and Carthage
• OT Hebrew Canon established in the 2nd
Century
• Ephesians, Philippians and Romans were
originally excluded
• NT Christian Canon established between the 3rd
and 5th
century

22. Hand copying and making a bible would take a monk working
full time 10-20 years “burning the midnight oil”

23. clerical/
political election
(Popes and Anti-Popes)
The Church as an Unbroken Chain
Peter
Linus
~30 Popes (reigning under
persecution/martyrdom)
Clement
Emperor
Constantine
313 A.D.

24. Priests
Bishops
College of
Cardinals
Pope
Bishops
ordination

25. Apostolic
Disconnection
Eastern Orthodox
c.1000 A.D.
Lutherans
1517
Anglicans
1534
Presbyterians
1534
Baptists
1605 Episcopalians, 1600s.
Methodists, 1744.
Mormons (Latter Day Saints), 1829.
Salvation Army, 1865.
Pentecostals, 1900s.
Restorationist, 1900s.

26. You are also at the end
of this chain!
• Holy Communion
• Confirmation
Priests/Bishops provide these sacraments to us as
they act in persona Christi when ordained by the
authority of Apostolic Succession

27. Andrew: Eastern & Russian Orthodox
Mark: Greek Orthodox
Bartholomew/Jude: Armenian Apostolic Church
Thomas: Syrian/Indian
Philip: Ethiopian Orthodox Church
James the Lesser: Greek Orthodox of Jerusalem
Mark: Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria
Barnabas: Orthodox Church of Cyprus
Apostolic Succession working in the
Orthodox part of the Church
“Valid Holy Orders/in Full Communion”

28. The Apostolic Mission
Unite the
Church
as one
catholic faith

29. The End