Protestants: is apostolic succession important to you?

Answer 1

I think if it were important to them, most of them would be Catholics.

And many protestants aren't even familiar with the term "apostolic succession" or the concept.

Answer 2

Itis important to traditional Anglicans as at least "for the benefit" or even fulness or even being (esse) of the Church. Some Lutherans value it ,but it is not essential yet the Swedish and Finnish Lutheran Churches use their claim to it.

Most other Protestant groups dismiss it. Even groups with episcopal(bishop) structure like Methodists don't "fuss over" apostolic succession for historic episcopate. Some groups like the Church of South India have bishops with (I think) West Syrian Indian JacobiteSuccession.

Answer 3

the only thing important to protestants is Jesus. they dont like to be bothered with details, and they especially dont like the complicated nature of catholic doctrine. things must be plain as day to them. I think if they lived during the time of jesus, they would have been pissed about the parables ,asking jesus to cut to the chase!

protestants are understandably suspicious of human authority in any realm. Though i trust in the wisdom of the apostles and their successors, i understand the need for christians to want to go straight to the source. At times , I do the same!

Answer 4

If you mean the Protestant church is not a apostolic succession, that's not true. it was formed as a result of the failed attempt to reform the Roman Catholic church.

Roman Catholic theology is a system of earning salvation by cooperating with grace held out to men, who then respond with their faith, and then salvation is merited to them.

The protestant church was founded on the five sola's of reformation:

1 Sola gratia ("by grace alone")
2 Sola fide ("by faith alone")
3 Sola scriptura ("by Scripture alone")
4 Solus Christus ("Christ alone")
5 Soli Deo gloria ("Glory to God alone")

i.e., we are saved by “grace alone”, by “faith alone” and by “Christ alone”. We are saved to “glorify God alone” by applying “Scripture alone” to every sphere of our life.

Answer 5

Apostolic succession was a device used by the early church to ensure that the Roman party was kept in the ascend ency. Thus they claimed they were the only ones who had a diretc chain of authority right back to Peter. Other parties however maintained that John was the favoured disciple and that authority should have descended from him. The Synod of Whitby in the UK (7th cent.) decided in favour of Peter. However, you can take your choice as both figures are mythical and not ever meant to be historical.

Answer 6

let me guess

1)most don't know what the term means
2)many will give an answer based on misconceptions from protestant bias.

hopefully when they find out the rcia classes will be more alive and kicking. god bless.

Answer 7

What is apostolic succession??

Answer 8

The word "apostle" in the original Greek text means "one sent forth" that is the mission that Jesus gave to all Christians, to go forth into all the world with the gospel

And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.

"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,

teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

Matthew 28:28-30.

Answer 9

The way I look at it, thanks to modern technology, such as the printing press and internet, we are all taught by the early church fathers. We can all read their teachings if we choose to do so. I can, and have, read the teachings of the early church fathers for myself. So it is a concept that has been made irrelevant by technology.

Answer 10

Based on the wording of the question, I assume that you are a Cathoholic. Therefore I ask you this;

Are you certain that the apostolic succession you use is correct? Are you certain that the "Ministry of Jesus" was supposed to pass to Peter (original name Shimon, Bishop of Rome), and not to James (original name Ya'akov, Bishop of Jerusalem), who was a relative of Jesus?