apostolic succession

[mj330]

Hi everyone,
When speaking to a friend about the apostolic succession as it relates to the church, he told me that it was not true dpending on which line of successors that you chose to believe (I assume he was talking about the eastern church). Any one able to clarify this for me? thanks.

 

[marineboy]

you need to be more specific in your wording—what is not true??–

 

[mj330]

my apologies, the line of succession, he claims, was broken at the time of the eastern and western churches. he stated that both now claim true lineage to the early church.

 

[e-catholic]

Both east and west have true lineage to the early church. Only west has true lineage to Peter. The Patriarchate of Canstantinople existed long before the schism. There are many lines of apostolic succession, after all there were 12 apostles, and 5 sees in the early church.

Another possiblity is that he is talking about the western schism. The western schism occured when there were two Popes elected. Two different groups of bishops elected Popes, there were actually two lines of succession here, it was eventually sorted out, and the line we refer to now is the one that was declared to be true. One of the Popes (or lines) was not properly elected. You can find more on this here. newadvent.org/cathen/13539a.htm

A list of popes is here.newadvent.org/cathen/12272b.htm

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

mj330:

Hi everyone,
When speaking to a friend about the apostolic succession as it relates to the church, he told me that it was not true dpending on which line of successors that you chose to believe (I assume he was talking about the eastern church). Any one able to clarify this for me? thanks.

Apostolic Succesion was very important for the Church that we find several instances of lists being maintained in the churches from the beginning. Each church would have maintained their records, especially of Bishops and if any question was raised the person would have been Conditionally Ordained. I’m not exactly sure but for many centuries as it is now Bishops associate with themselves other Bishops to Ordain priests and the Church requires three Bishops, Ordain a new Bishop. This is to insure that the line of succession in Ordaination in not broken.

Also remember that when we are speaking of Apostolic Succession there is two meanings, one pertains to the Sacrament of Holy Orders, the other of the office. Such as John Paul II is not the successor of John Paul I or Paul VI but of Peter.