Apostolic Succession and the Ante-Nicene Fathers

Since the Reformation, the ongoing question has

persisted concerning who is to carry the burden of
authority within the church and has been the subject of
numerous doctrinal debates.The various jurisdictions
within the Christian Faith possess a variety of opinions
regarding the issue of ordination and the proper
transmission of teaching authority within the church.
This is especially true of the Evangelical and Catholic
realms. Most evangelicals disregard, and often scoff at,
the concept of Apostolic Succession, preferring a neo-
gnostic calling of God to the individual to engage in
ministry. At the opposite end of the spectrum is the
Roman Catholic Church, which considers Apostolic
Succession a sign they alone are the true church and thus
have the sole authority to teach the faithful. A study of
Scripture indicates both of these doctrines are flawed.
The evangelical postion lends itself to the abuse of
pastoral authority. One need only look at Jim Bakker,
Jimmy Swaggert, Jim Jones, Bob Larson,Kenneth
Copeland,etc.,and the various heretical movements within
the evangelical community such as, Holy Laughter, the
Charismatic Movement, Latter Rain Movement, The
Vineyard Movement, Dominion Theology, Shepherding,
ad nauseum, to observe the inherent danger of rejecting
the foundation of Apostolic Succession and adherence to
Ante-Nicene doctrine as a sign of doctrinal clarity. The
Roman Catholic postion lends itself to abuse as well. The
Roman use of Apostolic Succession has led her to assume
a role not given to her. She arrogates to herself the right
to declare "new doctrines", which her members are
bound to believe under penalty of eternal damnation.
Consider the many unbiblical practices and teachings of
the Roman Church, such as, praying to the saints, the
Rosary, the Scapular, Infallibilty of the Papacy, the
Immaculate Conception, the Assumption, Indulgences,
and the Inquistion. All of these are examples of the abuse
of the precious gift of Apostolic Succession. In contrast to
these two extremes are the teachings of the Ante-Nicene
Fathers, which the Holy Celtic Church firmly adheres to
as it's only necessary commentary on all things
pertaining to the faith. The role of Apostolic Succession is
to preserve legitimate lines of ministerial authority in the
church, and to a lesser degree provide a test for whether
what is being taught is truth or heresy. Heretics have
always applied their own interpretations to Sacred
Scripture. So, as we shall see, unless one could
demonstrate Apostolic Succession and the adherence to
the faith as delivered to the church by the Apostles, then
such is best ignored. These marks of authority have been
of a historic concern to the church. The Apostle Paul told
Timothy,"What you have heard from me before many
witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach
others also." (II Tim.2:2) The Ante-Nicene Fathers
themselves were major links in the Apostolic Succession.
Let us see what they had to say on this subject, keeping in
mind that these men learned directly at the feet of the
Apostles themselves! Irenaeus writes,"It is possible, then,
for everyone in every church, who may wish to know the
truth, to contemplate the tradition of the Apostles which
has been made known to us throughout the whole world.
And we are in a position to enumerate those who were
 instituted bishops by the Apostles and their successors
down to our own times, men who neither knew nor taught
anything like what these heretics rave about." (Against
Heresies) The test for authority is made clear here. We
are to look to those given authority via Apostolic
Succession (in this case the Apostolic Fathers themselves)
and the faithful transmission of the teachings handed
down by the Apostles. He also writes," Polycarp was not
only instructed by Apostles, and conversed with many
who had seen Christ, but was also appointed,by Apostles
in Asia,bishop of the church in Smyrna, whom I also saw
in my early youth, and when a very old man...gloriously
departed this life, having always taught the things which
he had learned from the Apostles, and which the church
has handed down, and which alone are true. To these
things all the Asiatic Churches testify, as do also those
men who have succeeded Polycarp down to the present
time." We see two interesting points made here. First, we
see respect and dignity given to the Apostolic Succession.
Not simply by virtue of someone having received
authority in the church, but because these men also
 transmitted the pure teachings of Christ. So, along with
the authority of Apostolic Succession comes the duty to
teach only that which the Apostles taught, without
addition or subtraction. Irenaeus states further,that," It is
encumbant to obey the presbyters who are in the church-
those who, as I have shown, possess the succession from
the Apostles;those who together with the succession of the
episcopate, have received the infallible charism of
truth..." This "infallible charism of truth" is, as
demonstrated already, the transmission of the gospel as
taught by the Apostles of Our Lord Himself! This
adherence to the teachings of the Apostles and Christ is
clearly a necessary component of Apostolic Succession.
Tertullian writes," The Apostles founded churches in
every city, from which all the other churches, one after
another, derived the tradition of the faith, and the seeds of
doctrine, and are every day deriving them, that they may
become churches. Indeed, it is on this account only that
they will be able to deem themselves apostolic, as being
the offspring of apostolic churches." Tertullian takes the
issue one step further, making it clear that only those
churches which can be said to possess Apostolic roots(via
succession), and teaches that which the Apostles taught,
can consider itself apostolic. This does notleave much
room for the evangelical/protestant or Catholic churches
to argue their postion. For, the one does not possess any
Apostolic Succession and lends itself to heresy frequently,
and the other may possess a foundation in the succession
but departed from the faith entrusted to it by the Apostles
long ago. So, we can see that Apostolic Succession is
considered necessary in order that the authority of the
church and pure doctrines of Christ be preserved.
However, this does not mean that simply by virtue of
Apostolic Succession that someone will not fall away and
teach heresy. "They went out from us, but they did not
really belong to us." (I John 2:19) Here John refers to
false teachers who had at one time been within the
Apostolic Faith. Let us look again to Tertullian, who
writes," But if there be any (heresies)which are bold
enough to plant (their origin) in the midst of the apostolic
age, that they may thereby seem to have been handed
down to them by the Apostles....we can say; let them
produce the original records of their churches. Let them
unfold the roll of their bishops, running down in due
succession from the beginning in such a manner that
(their first) bishop shall be able to show for his ordainer
and predecessor some one of the Apostles..." Now, the
first test given to anyone who precludes to teach the
doctrine of Christ is for him to prove his Apostolic
Succession. But that is not all! Tertullian continues,"...or
of Apostolic men- a man, moreover, who continued
steadfast with the Apostles." We see here that the
legitimacy of anyone who claims to represent Christ and
His Church is Apostolic Succession, AND adherence to
the teachings received from the men of the Apostolic
age;the Ante-Nicene Fathers. Tertullian continues," But
should they even effect the contrivance (of composing a
list od succession for themselves), they will not advance
one step. For their very doctrine, after comparison with
that of the Apostles, will declare, by it's own diversity and
contrariety, that it had for it's author neither an Apostle
nor an Apostolic man, because, as the Apostles would
never have taught things which were self contradictory."
So succession itself is no guarantee of fidelity to Apostolic
doctrine. It is no magic spell which wards off heresy. But
succession along with adherence to the teachings of
Christ and His Apostles are the proofs for spiritual
authority. They are complimentary components. We can
also see in this statement by Tertullian a severe blow to
both evangelical/protestant and Catholic foundations.
Protestants, by and large, cannot prove Apostolic
Succession. And even if they could, the incredible
numerous sects and divisions within their ranks shows
such a diversity as to prove their churches highly suspect,
and in some cases, downright heretical. Catholics may be
able to prove succession, but the contrariety of their
doctrines when compared to Sacred Scripture and the
guidance of the Ante-Nicene Fathers shows them to be in
error at best, and most likely heretical. As we have seen,
only those churches which maintain purity of doctrine (a
doctrine which necessarily would have to agree with the
writings of the Ante-Nicene Fathers), and which can
prove Apostolic Succession can claim to have the
authority to teach or guide people in the faith given to us
by Our Savior. To all those other churches, which clearly
do not meet the standard, nor pass the test of Apostolicity
or authority, we say with Tertullian,"Then let all the
heresies, when challenged by these two tests by our
apostolic church, offer their proof of how they deem
themselves to be apostolic. But in truth they neither are
so, nor are they able to prove themselves to be what they
are not. Nor are they admitted to peaceful relations and
communion by such churches as are in any way
connected with the Apostles, inasmuch as they are in no
sense themselves apostolic, because of their diversity as to
the mysteries of the faith." And further, to our readers
who are even now involved in these various sects, we echo
the words of Our Lord,"Come out of her, my people, so
that you will not share in her sins..."(Rev.18:4) We urge
our readers to study this subject for yourselves. Read the
writings of the Ante-Nicene Fathers, check our facts, and
then prayerfully consider the importance of this issue to
your walk of faith.

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