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→Protestantism: add NAR viewpoint and majority viewpoint
==Protestantism==
==Protestantism==
The majority of Protestant churches do not teach apostolic succession, teaching instead that the office ceased to exist when the last Apostle (generally believed to be [[Apostle John|John the Apostle]] died). These churches believe that the Apostles existed to show the validity of Christianity (as a result, many believe that humans cannot perform miracles "on command" as the Apostles did, though they do not deny that miracles can and do occur) and to initially proclaim church doctrine; today they hold that once the Canon of Scripture was finalized (notwithstanding arguments on the inclusion of some books, notably the [[Apocrypha]]), the office is no longer needed. This view is universally held within fundamentalist and evangelical churches, and is the majority view among the others.
===Lutheran Churches===
===Lutheran Churches===
[[Martin Luther]] did not consider any one form of church government to be dictated by Holy Scripture. As a result, some Lutheran churches have continued the apostolic succession of their bishops while others have adopted a more [[presbyterian]] system, and still others are governed congregationally.
[[Martin Luther]] did not consider any one form of church government to be dictated by Holy Scripture. As a result, some Lutheran churches have continued the apostolic succession of their bishops while others have adopted a more [[presbyterian]] system, and still others are governed congregationally.
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.
===[[New Apostolic Reformation]]===
Within the [[Pentecostal]] and [[charismatic]] branches of Christianity, churches which hold to NAR teachings also accept the view that the office of apostle never ceased to exist, and still should be practiced today. However, as the NAR has no specific leadership, the office of apostle is often a self-appointed one.
==See also==
==See also==