Changes

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 = https://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 = https://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 = https://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 = https://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 = https://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 = https://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 = https://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 = https://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 = https://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 = https://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 = https://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 = https://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 = https://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 = https://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>

Most Methodists view apostolic succession as outside the Methodist system. This is because [[John Wesley|Rev. John Wesley]] believed that [[bishops]] and [[presbyters]] constituted one [[Holy Orders|order]],<ref name="John McClintock, James Strong ">{{Cite book|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=NBAMAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA170&dq=alexandria+wesley+ordination&lr =&cd=21#v=onepage&q=alexandria%20wesley%20ordination&f=false|title=Cyclopædia of Biblical, theological, and ecclesiastical literature, Volume 6|quote= Wesley had believed that bishops and presbyters constituted but one order, with the same right to ordain. He knew that for two centuries the succession of bishops in the Church of Alexandria was preserved through ordination by presbyters alone. "I firmly believe," he said, "I am a scriptural ἐπίσκοπος, as much as any man in England or in Europe; for the uninterrupted succession I know to be a fable which no man ever did or can prove;" but he also held that "Neither Christ nor his apostles prescrive any particular form of Church government." He was a true bishop of the flock which God had given to his care. He had hitherto refused "to exercise this right" of ordaining, because he would not come into needless conflict with the order of the English Church to which he belonged. But after the Revolution, his ordaining for America would violate no law of the Church; and when the necessity was clearly apparent, his hesitation ceased. "There does not appear," he said, "any other way of supplying them with ministers." Having formed his purpose, in February, 1784, he invited Dr. Coke to his study in City Road, laid the case before him, and proposed to ordain and send him to America.|accessdate = 2007-12-31}}</ref> citing an ancient opinion from the [[Church of Alexandria]].<ref name="John McClintock, James Strong ">{{Cite book|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=NBAMAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA170&dq=alexandria+wesley+ordination&lr=&cd=21#v=onepage&q=alexandria%20wesley%20ordination&f=false|title=Cyclopædia of Biblical, theological, and ecclesiastical literature, Volume 6|quote= Wesley had believed that bishops and presbyters constituted but one order, with the same right to ordain. He knew that for two centuries the succession of bishops in the Church of Alexandria was preserved through ordination by presbyters alone. "I firmly believe," he said, "I am a scriptural ἐπίσκοπος, as much as any man in England or in Europe; for the uninterrupted succession I know to be a fable which no man ever did or can prove;" but he also held that "Neither Christ nor his apostles prescrbve any particular form of Church government." He was a true bishop of the flock which God had given to his care. He had hitherto refused "to exercise this right" of ordaining, because he would not come into needless conflict with the order of the English Church to which he belonged. But after the Revolution, his ordaining for America would violate no law of the Church; and when the necessity was clearly apparent, his hesitation ceased. "There does not appear," he said, "any other way of supplying them with ministers." Having formed his purpose, in February, 1784, he invited Dr. Coke to his study in City Road, laid the case before him, and proposed to ordain and send him to America.|publisher=[[Harper & Brothers]]|accessdate = 2007-12-31}}</ref> Since the [[Bishop of London]] refused to ordain [[Anglican ministry|ministers]] in the [[British colonization of the Americas|British American colonies]],<ref name="William Joseph Whalen - Beginnings of Methodism"/> this constituted an emergency, and as a result, on 2 September 1784,<ref name="James Grant Wilson, John Fiske - Ordination of Dr. Coke">{{Cite book|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=takoAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA438&dq=Thomas+Coke+bishop+1780&cd=1#v=onepage&q=Thomas%20Coke%20bishop%201780&f=false|title=Appleton's cyclopædia of American biography, Volume 6|quote= Being refused, he conferred with Thomas Coke, a presbyter of the Church of England, and with others, and on 2 Sept., 1784, he ordained Coke bishop, after ordaining Thomas Vasey and Richard Whatcoat as presbyters, with his assistance and that of another presbyter. |publisher =[[D. Appleton & Company]]|accessdate = 2007-12-31}}</ref> Rev. John Wesley, along with a priest from the Anglican Church and two other elders,<ref name="Richard Joseph Cooke - Ordination of Dr. Coke">{{Cite book|url = https://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= IN September, 1784, the Rev. John Wesley, assisted by a presbyter of the Church of England and two other elders, ordained by solemn imposition of the hands of the Rev. Dr. Thomas Coke to the episcopal office.|publisher = Eaton & Mains |accessdate = 2007-12-31}}</ref> operating under the ancient Alexandrian habitude, ordained [[Thomas Coke (bishop)|Rev. Thomas Coke]] a [[General Superintendent|superintendent]], although Coke embraced the title of "bishop."<ref name="Abel Stevens - Coke">{{Cite book|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=r2QFAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA544&dq=alexandria+wesley+ordination&lr=&cd=14#v=onepage&q=alexandria%20wesley%20ordination&f=false|title=A compendious history of American Methodism|quote= Wesley refers to the ordination of bishops by the presbyters of Alexandria, in justification of his ordination of Coke.|publisher =[[Scholarly Publishing Office]]|accessdate = 2007-12-31}}</ref> Today, the [[Methodist Church]] follows this ancient Alexandrian practice as bishops are elected from and by the order of the [[presbyterate]]:<ref name="UMC - Election of a Bishop">{{Cite web|url = http://www.gbhem.org/site/c.lsKSL3POLvF/b.3743777/k.7320/The_Ministry_of_the_Elder.htm|title=The Ministry of the Elder|publisher =[[United Methodist Church]]|accessdate = 2007-12-31}}</ref> the ''[[Book of Discipline (United Methodist)|Discipline of the Methodist Church]]'', in ¶303, affirms that "ordination to this ministry is a gift from God to the Church. In ordination, the Church affirms and continues the apostolic ministry through persons empowered by the [[Holy Spirit]]."<ref name="Alexander W. McLeod, Charles J. Shreve - Church Fathers">{{Cite web|url = http://www.gbhem.org/atf/cf/%7B0BCEF929-BDBA-4AA0-968F-D1986A8EEF80%7D/DOM7DaysofPreparation.pdf|title=

Most Methodists view apostolic succession as outside the Methodist system. This is because [[John Wesley|Rev. John Wesley]] believed that [[bishops]] and [[presbyters]] constituted one [[Holy Orders|order]],<ref name="John McClintock, James Strong ">{{Cite book|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=NBAMAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA170&dq=alexandria+wesley+ordination&lr =&cd=21#v=onepage&q=alexandria%20wesley%20ordination&f=false|title=Cyclopædia of Biblical, theological, and ecclesiastical literature, Volume 6|quote= Wesley had believed that bishops and presbyters constituted but one order, with the same right to ordain. He knew that for two centuries the succession of bishops in the Church of Alexandria was preserved through ordination by presbyters alone. "I firmly believe," he said, "I am a scriptural ἐπίσκοπος, as much as any man in England or in Europe; for the uninterrupted succession I know to be a fable which no man ever did or can prove;" but he also held that "Neither Christ nor his apostles prescrive any particular form of Church government." He was a true bishop of the flock which God had given to his care. He had hitherto refused "to exercise this right" of ordaining, because he would not come into needless conflict with the order of the English Church to which he belonged. But after the Revolution, his ordaining for America would violate no law of the Church; and when the necessity was clearly apparent, his hesitation ceased. "There does not appear," he said, "any other way of supplying them with ministers." Having formed his purpose, in February, 1784, he invited Dr. Coke to his study in City Road, laid the case before him, and proposed to ordain and send him to America.|accessdate = 2007-12-31}}</ref> citing an ancient opinion from the [[Church of Alexandria]].<ref name="John McClintock, James Strong ">{{Cite book|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=NBAMAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA170&dq=alexandria+wesley+ordination&lr=&cd=21#v=onepage&q=alexandria%20wesley%20ordination&f=false|title=Cyclopædia of Biblical, theological, and ecclesiastical literature, Volume 6|quote= Wesley had believed that bishops and presbyters constituted but one order, with the same right to ordain. He knew that for two centuries the succession of bishops in the Church of Alexandria was preserved through ordination by presbyters alone. "I firmly believe," he said, "I am a scriptural ἐπίσκοπος, as much as any man in England or in Europe; for the uninterrupted succession I know to be a fable which no man ever did or can prove;" but he also held that "Neither Christ nor his apostles prescrbve any particular form of Church government." He was a true bishop of the flock which God had given to his care. He had hitherto refused "to exercise this right" of ordaining, because he would not come into needless conflict with the order of the English Church to which he belonged. But after the Revolution, his ordaining for America would violate no law of the Church; and when the necessity was clearly apparent, his hesitation ceased. "There does not appear," he said, "any other way of supplying them with ministers." Having formed his purpose, in February, 1784, he invited Dr. Coke to his study in City Road, laid the case before him, and proposed to ordain and send him to America.|publisher=[[Harper & Brothers]]|accessdate = 2007-12-31}}</ref> Since the [[Bishop of London]] refused to ordain [[Anglican ministry|ministers]] in the [[British colonization of the Americas|British American colonies]],<ref name="William Joseph Whalen - Beginnings of Methodism"/> this constituted an emergency, and as a result, on 2 September 1784,<ref name="James Grant Wilson, John Fiske - Ordination of Dr. Coke">{{Cite book|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=takoAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA438&dq=Thomas+Coke+bishop+1780&cd=1#v=onepage&q=Thomas%20Coke%20bishop%201780&f=false|title=Appleton's cyclopædia of American biography, Volume 6|quote= Being refused, he conferred with Thomas Coke, a presbyter of the Church of England, and with others, and on 2 Sept., 1784, he ordained Coke bishop, after ordaining Thomas Vasey and Richard Whatcoat as presbyters, with his assistance and that of another presbyter. |publisher =[[D. Appleton & Company]]|accessdate = 2007-12-31}}</ref> Rev. John Wesley, along with a priest from the Anglican Church and two other elders,<ref name="Richard Joseph Cooke - Ordination of Dr. Coke">{{Cite book|url = https://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= IN September, 1784, the Rev. John Wesley, assisted by a presbyter of the Church of England and two other elders, ordained by solemn imposition of the hands of the Rev. Dr. Thomas Coke to the episcopal office.|publisher = Eaton & Mains |accessdate = 2007-12-31}}</ref> operating under the ancient Alexandrian habitude, ordained [[Thomas Coke (bishop)|Rev. Thomas Coke]] a [[General Superintendent|superintendent]], although Coke embraced the title of "bishop."<ref name="Abel Stevens - Coke">{{Cite book|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=r2QFAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA544&dq=alexandria+wesley+ordination&lr=&cd=14#v=onepage&q=alexandria%20wesley%20ordination&f=false|title=A compendious history of American Methodism|quote= Wesley refers to the ordination of bishops by the presbyters of Alexandria, in justification of his ordination of Coke.|publisher =[[Scholarly Publishing Office]]|accessdate = 2007-12-31}}</ref> Today, the [[Methodist Church]] follows this ancient Alexandrian practice as bishops are elected from and by the order of the [[presbyterate]]:<ref name="UMC - Election of a Bishop">{{Cite web|url = http://www.gbhem.org/site/c.lsKSL3POLvF/b.3743777/k.7320/The_Ministry_of_the_Elder.htm|title=The Ministry of the Elder|publisher =[[United Methodist Church]]|accessdate = 2007-12-31}}</ref> the ''[[Book of Discipline (United Methodist)|Discipline of the Methodist Church]]'', in ¶303, affirms that "ordination to this ministry is a gift from God to the Church. In ordination, the Church affirms and continues the apostolic ministry through persons empowered by the [[Holy Spirit]]."<ref name="Alexander W. McLeod, Charles J. Shreve - Church Fathers">{{Cite web|url = http://www.gbhem.org/atf/cf/%7B0BCEF929-BDBA-4AA0-968F-D1986A8EEF80%7D/DOM7DaysofPreparation.pdf|title=