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'''Apostolic succession''' refers to the Christian doctrine that holds modern churches to be the descendants of the early apostolic church through the sacramental handing down of authority through the episcopate. Most significantly, it considers that the authority to celebrate [[Sacrament|sacraments]] is dependent on being able to trace such authority back to the first apostles, who in turn received it directly from [[Christ]].

'''Apostolic succession''' refers to the Christian doctrine that holds modern churches to be the descendants of the early apostolic church through the sacramental handing down of authority through the episcopate. Most significantly, it considers that the authority to celebrate [[sacrament]]s is dependent on being able to trace such authority back to the first apostles, who in turn received it directly from [[Christ]].

Churches in Apostolic Succession see in their doctrine and practice a sure and biblical, though not infallible, means of receiving and perpetuating the Faith from one generation to another. This is because Apostolic Succession requires a "tactile," person to person, conferring of authority from the Apostles onward. It requires the most heightened responsibility in the giving and receiving. The practice originated in the late first century. It is also believed that there is the grace of the Holy Spirit transmitted by the laying on of hands at the time of ordination. Proponents see Apostolic succession in both the Old and the New Testaments:

Churches in Apostolic Succession see in their doctrine and practice a sure and biblical, though not infallible, means of receiving and perpetuating the Faith from one generation to another. This is because Apostolic Succession requires a "tactile," person to person, conferring of authority from the Apostles onward. It requires the most heightened responsibility in the giving and receiving. The practice originated in the late first century. It is also believed that there is the grace of the Holy Spirit transmitted by the laying on of hands at the time of ordination. Proponents see Apostolic succession in both the Old and the New Testaments:

{{quotation|We believe it would not be right for us to administer either Baptism or the Lord's Supper unless we had a commission so to do from those Bishops whom we apprehend to be in a succession from the Apostles.<ref name="Harrington William Holden - Quote on Celebration of the Sacraments">{{Cite book|url = http://books.google.com/books?id=FtACAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA57&dq=apostolic+succession+methodist&lr=&cd=5#v=onepage&q=apostolic%20succession%20methodist&f=false|title=John Wesley in Company with High Churchmen [Parallel Passages, Selected] by an Old Methodist [H.W. Holden].|quote= In 1745 Wesley said, "We believe it would not be right for us to administer either Baptism or the Lord's Supper unless we had a commission so to do from those Bishops whom we apprehend to be in a succession from the Apostles." (xxviii. 348)|publisher =Church Press Company|accessdate = 2007-12-31}}</ref>|[[John Wesley|Rev. John Wesley]]|A.D. 1745}}

{{quotation|We believe it would not be right for us to administer either Baptism or the Lord's Supper unless we had a commission so to do from those Bishops whom we apprehend to be in a succession from the Apostles.<ref name="Harrington William Holden - Quote on Celebration of the Sacraments">{{Cite book|url = http://books.google.com/books?id=FtACAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA57&dq=apostolic+succession+methodist&lr=&cd=5#v=onepage&q=apostolic%20succession%20methodist&f=false|title=John Wesley in Company with High Churchmen [Parallel Passages, Selected] by an Old Methodist [H.W. Holden].|quote= In 1745 Wesley said, "We believe it would not be right for us to administer either Baptism or the Lord's Supper unless we had a commission so to do from those Bishops whom we apprehend to be in a succession from the Apostles." (xxviii. 348)|publisher =Church Press Company|accessdate = 2007-12-31}}</ref>|[[John Wesley|Rev. John Wesley]]|A.D. 1745}}

In 1763, [[Greek Orthodox]] bishop [[Erasmus of Arcadia|Erasmus of the Diocese of Arcadia]], who was visiting London at the time,<ref name="Luke Tyerman">{{Cite book|url = http://books.google.com/books?id=EHpJAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA487&dq=erasmus+arcadia+wesley&lr=&cd=2#v=onepage&q=erasmus%20arcadia%20wesley&f=false|title= The life and times of the Rev. John Wesley, founder of the Methodists, Volume 2|quote= Just at this juncture, Erasmus a bishop of the Greek church, visited London.|publisher = Regent College Publishing|accessdate = 2007-12-31}}</ref> consecrated Rev. John Wesley a bishop,<ref name="Wesleyan-Methodist magazine - Consecration of Rev. John Wesley">{{Cite book|url = http://books.google.com/books?id=STVAAAAAYAAJ&q=erasmus+arcadia+wesley+bishop+dare&dq=erasmus+arcadia+wesley+bishop+dare&lr=&cd=18|title= Wesleyan-Methodist magazine: being a continuation of the Arminian or Methodist magazine first publ. by John Wesley

In 1763, [[Greek Orthodox]] bishop [[Erasmus of Arcadia|Erasmus of the Diocese of Arcadia]], who was visiting London at the time,<ref name="Luke Tyerman">{{Cite book|url = http://books.google.com/books?id=EHpJAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA487&dq=erasmus+arcadia+wesley&lr=&cd=2#v=onepage&q=erasmus%20arcadia%20wesley&f=false|title= The life and times of the Rev. John Wesley, founder of the Methodists, Volume 2|quote= Just at this juncture, Erasmus a bishop of the Greek church, visited London.|publisher = Regent College Publishing|accessdate = 2007-12-31}}</ref> consecrated Rev. John Wesley a bishop,<ref name="Wesleyan-Methodist magazine - Consecration of Rev. John Wesley">{{Cite book|url = http://books.google.com/books?id=STVAAAAAYAAJ&q=erasmus+arcadia+wesley+bishop+dare&dq=erasmus+arcadia+wesley+bishop+dare&lr=&cd=18|title= Wesleyan-Methodist magazine: being a continuation of the Arminian or Methodist magazine first publ. by John Wesley

|quote= Mr. Wesley thus became a Bishop, and consecrated Dr. Coke, who united himself with ... who gave it under his own hand that Erasmus was Bishop of Arcadia, ...|publisher = [[Wesleyan Methodist Magazine]]|accessdate = 2007-12-31}}</ref><ref name="David Lyle Jeffrey - Bishop">{{Cite book|url = http://books.google.com/books?id=yhqzG-kOic4C&pg=PA205&dq=erasmus+arcadia+wesley+bishop&lr=&cd=22#v=onepage&q=erasmus%20arcadia%20wesley%20bishop&f=false|title= English Spirituality in the Age of Wesley|quote= By 1763, Wesley was desperate to obtain ordination for some of his lay preachers and when bishop after bishop refused, he took the dubious expedient -against the council of all his close friends and associates-of asking one Erasmus, who claimed to be bishop of Arcadia in Crete, to do the job. Erasmus knew no English, but agreed. |publisher = Regent College Publishing|accessdate = 2007-12-31}}</ref> and ordained several Methodist lay preachers as [[Elder (Methodism)|priests]], including [[John Jones (Talysarn)|John Jones]].<ref name="The Churchman">{{Cite book|url = http://books.google.com/books?id=fyDnAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA257&dq=erasmus+arcadia+ordained&cd=3#v=onepage&q=erasmus%20arcadia%20ordained&f=false|title= The Churchman, Volume 40|quote= Erasmus was the Bishop of Arcadia, in Crete. In 1763, he visited London. Wesley found his credentials unexceptionable, and Dr. Jones, one of the preachers whom he had ordained, obtained testimonials concerning him from Symrna.|publisher = [[University of Michigan]]|accessdate = 2007-12-31}}</ref> However, Wesley could not openly announce his episcopal consecration without incurring the penalty of the [[Praemunire|Præmunire Act]].<ref name="Richard Joseph Cooke">{{Cite book|url = http://books.google.com/books?id=mVVIAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA145&dq=erasmus+arcadia+wesley+bishop&cd=5#v=onepage&q=erasmus%20arcadia%20wesley%20bishop&f=false|title= The historic episcopate: a study of Anglican claims and Methodist orders |quote= Dr. Peters was present at the interview, and went with and introduced Dr. Seabury to Mr. Wesley, who was so far satisfied that he would have been willingly consecrated by him if Mr. Wesley would have signed his letter of orders as bishop, which Mr. Wesley could not do without incurring the penalty of the ''Præmunire'' Act.|publisher =Eaton & Mains|accessdate = 2007-12-31}}</ref> In light of Wesley's episcopal consecration, the [[World Methodist Council|Methodist Church]] can lay a claim on apostolic succession, although not as understood in the traditional sense.<ref name="William Joseph Whalen - Membership">{{Cite book|url = http://books.google.com/books?id=sw9ILcqw2hsC&pg=PA71&dq=methodism+our+separated+brethren&cd=1#v=onepage&q&f=false|title=Separated Brethren: A Review of Protestant, Anglican, Eastern Orthodox & Other Religions in the United States|quote= Today the World Methodist Council represents twenty-nine million members of some sixty churches that trace their heritage to Wesley and his brother Charles.|publisher =[[Our Sunday Visitor]]|accessdate = 2007-12-31}}</ref> Because Wesley ordained and sent forth every Methodist preacher in his day--those who preached and baptized and ordained--and since every Methodist preacher who has ever been ordained as a Methodist was ordained in this direct "succession" from Wesley, then the Methodist Church teaches that it has all the direct merits coming from apostolic succession, if any such there be.<ref name="William A. Bowen - Apostolic Succession">{{Cite book|url = http://books.google.com/books?id=Qz3TAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA12&dq=apostolic+succession+methodist&lr=&cd=16#v=onepage&q=apostolic%20succession%20methodist&f=false|title=SWhy two Episcopal Methodist churches in the United States?: A brief history answering this question for the benefit of Epworth leaguers and other young Methodists|quote= And since he himself ordained and sent forth every Methodist preacher in his day, who preached and baptized and ordained (except such as, like himself, had been ordained by a bishop), and since every Methodist preacher who has ever been ordained as a Methodist was ordained in this direct "succession" from Wesley, then have we all the direct merits coming from apostolic succession, if any such there be.|publisher =[[Methodist Episcopal Church, South|Publishing House of the M.E. Church, South]]|accessdate = 2007-12-31}}</ref> The validity of Methodist orders is not recognized by the Catholic, Anglican, or Eastern Orthodox churches, but they have been accepted by the "Unity Catholic Church," a tiny [[Independent Catholic Churches|autocephalous Catholic Church]].<ref name="Unity Catholic Church - Recognition of Methodist Apostolic Succession">{{Cite web|url = http://www.unitycatholic.org/page11.html|title=Constitution of the Unity Catholic Church|quote= +John Wesley was consecrated by +Erasmus, Bishop in the Greek Orthodox Church, Diocese of Arcadia in 1763.|publisher =Unity Catholic Church|accessdate = 2007-12-31}}</ref>

|quote= Mr. Wesley thus became a Bishop, and consecrated Dr. Coke, who united himself with ... who gave it under his own hand that Erasmus was Bishop of Arcadia, ...|publisher = [[Wesleyan Methodist Magazine]]|accessdate = 2007-12-31}}</ref><ref name="David Lyle Jeffrey - Bishop">{{Cite book|url = http://books.google.com/books?id=yhqzG-kOic4C&pg=PA205&dq=erasmus+arcadia+wesley+bishop&lr=&cd=22#v=onepage&q=erasmus%20arcadia%20wesley%20bishop&f=false|title= English Spirituality in the Age of Wesley|quote= By 1763, Wesley was desperate to obtain ordination for some of his lay preachers and when bishop after bishop refused, he took the dubious expedient -against the council of all his close friends and associates-of asking one Erasmus, who claimed to be bishop of Arcadia in Crete, to do the job. Erasmus knew no English, but agreed. |publisher = Regent College Publishing|accessdate = 2007-12-31}}</ref> and ordained several Methodist lay preachers as [[Elder (Methodism)|priests]], including [[John Jones (Talysarn)|John Jones]].<ref name="The Churchman">{{Cite book|url = http://books.google.com/books?id=fyDnAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA257&dq=erasmus+arcadia+ordained&cd=3#v=onepage&q=erasmus%20arcadia%20ordained&f=false|title= The Churchman, Volume 40|quote= Erasmus was the Bishop of Arcadia, in Crete. In 1763, he visited London. Wesley found his credentials unexceptionable, and Dr. Jones, one of the preachers whom he had ordained, obtained testimonials concerning him from Symrna.|publisher = [[University of Michigan]]|accessdate = 2007-12-31}}</ref> However, Wesley could not openly announce his episcopal consecration without incurring the penalty of the [[Praemunire|Præmunire Act]].<ref name="Richard Joseph Cooke">{{Cite book|url = http://books.google.com/books?id=mVVIAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA145&dq=erasmus+arcadia+wesley+bishop&cd=5#v=onepage&q=erasmus%20arcadia%20wesley%20bishop&f=false|title= The historic episcopate: a study of Anglican claims and Methodist orders |quote= Dr. Peters was present at the interview, and went with and introduced Dr. Seabury to Mr. Wesley, who was so far satisfied that he would have been willingly consecrated by him if Mr. Wesley would have signed his letter of orders as bishop, which Mr. Wesley could not do without incurring the penalty of the ''Præmunire'' Act.|publisher =Eaton & Mains|accessdate = 2007-12-31}}</ref> In light of Wesley's episcopal consecration, the [[World Methodist Council|Methodist Church]] can lay a claim on apostolic succession, although not as understood in the traditional sense.<ref name="William Joseph Whalen - Membership">{{Cite book|url = http://books.google.com/books?id=sw9ILcqw2hsC&pg=PA71&dq=methodism+our+separated+brethren&cd=1#v=onepage&q&f=false|title=Separated Brethren: A Review of Protestant, Anglican, Eastern Orthodox & Other Religions in the United States|quote= Today the World Methodist Council represents twenty-nine million members of some sixty churches that trace their heritage to Wesley and his brother Charles.|publisher =[[Our Sunday Visitor]]|accessdate = 2007-12-31}}</ref> Because Wesley ordained and sent forth every Methodist preacher in his day—those who preached and baptized and ordained—and since every Methodist preacher who has ever been ordained as a Methodist was ordained in this direct "succession" from Wesley, then the Methodist Church teaches that it has all the direct merits coming from apostolic succession, if any such there be.<ref name="William A. Bowen - Apostolic Succession">{{Cite book|url = http://books.google.com/books?id=Qz3TAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA12&dq=apostolic+succession+methodist&lr=&cd=16#v=onepage&q=apostolic%20succession%20methodist&f=false|title=SWhy two Episcopal Methodist churches in the United States?: A brief history answering this question for the benefit of Epworth leaguers and other young Methodists|quote= And since he himself ordained and sent forth every Methodist preacher in his day, who preached and baptized and ordained (except such as, like himself, had been ordained by a bishop), and since every Methodist preacher who has ever been ordained as a Methodist was ordained in this direct "succession" from Wesley, then have we all the direct merits coming from apostolic succession, if any such there be.|publisher =[[Methodist Episcopal Church, South|Publishing House of the M.E. Church, South]]|accessdate = 2007-12-31}}</ref> The validity of Methodist orders is not recognized by the Catholic, Anglican, or Eastern Orthodox churches, but they have been accepted by the "Unity Catholic Church," a tiny [[Independent Catholic Churches|autocephalous Catholic Church]].<ref name="Unity Catholic Church - Recognition of Methodist Apostolic Succession">{{Cite web|url = http://www.unitycatholic.org/page11.html|title=Constitution of the Unity Catholic Church|quote= +John Wesley was consecrated by +Erasmus, Bishop in the Greek Orthodox Church, Diocese of Arcadia in 1763.|publisher =Unity Catholic Church|accessdate = 2007-12-31}}</ref>

It was Zinzendorf who was responsible for the church beginning its work in America where it now has its strongest presence. The several branches of the Moravian Church are governed by bishops in apostolic succession, although they exercise only spiritual oversight, not financial or other control as is the rule in most other churches that hold to apostolic succession.

It was Zinzendorf who was responsible for the church beginning its work in America where it now has its strongest presence. The several branches of the Moravian Church are governed by bishops in apostolic succession, although they exercise only spiritual oversight, not financial or other control as is the rule in most other churches that hold to apostolic succession.

==See Also==

==See also==

*[[Eucharist]]

*[[Eucharist]]

*[[Evangelical Apostolic Church of North America (Syro-Chaldean)]]

*[[Evangelical Apostolic Church of North America (Syro-Chaldean)]]