The Evangelical View on Apostolic Succession and Church Leadership
> Apostolic succession—the idea that church leadership should be directly linked through an unbroken chain to the apostles of Jesus Christ—is a doctrine held by various Christian traditions, most notably the Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and Anglican churches. However, evangelical Christianity diverges from this concept, emphasizing the priesthood of all believers and the authority of Scripture in establishing and guiding church leadership.
This article will explore the evangelical justification for the absence of apostolic succession in church leadership.
The Priesthood of All Believers
A foundational belief among evangelicals is the priesthood of all believers, a doctrine derived from passages like 1 Peter 2:9, which states, “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” This verse and others affirm the idea that all Christians have direct access to God through Christ and are called to serve as priests in the spiritual sense, without the need for a special class of ecclesiastical mediators.
Evangelicals interpret this to mean that church leadership should be based on spiritual gifting and calling rather than a lineage of ordination tracing back to the apostles. They hold that the true continuity of the church is not found in an unbroken chain of human authority but in faithfulness to the teachings of Jesus and adherence to the Word of God.
Biblical Precedent for Leadership
Evangelicals often point to the New Testament model of church leadership, which emphasizes spiritual qualifications and the guidance of the Holy Spirit over genealogical or institutional succession. In passages such as Titus 1:5-9 and 1 Timothy 3:1-7, the apostle Paul sets forth criteria for church overseers and deacons that focus on character, ability to teach, and reputation rather than apostolic lineage.
John Calvin’s Perspective
The Reformation brought a renewed emphasis on the authority of Scripture and the nature of the church. John Calvin, a leading figure of the Reformation, famously stated, “The true church is not maintained by succession, but by the Word of God.” Calvin’s perspective reflects the Protestant conviction that the legitimacy of church leadership is grounded in fidelity to biblical doctrine and the transformative power of the gospel, not in the maintenance of an institutional lineage.
The Role of Tradition
While evangelicals do not dismiss the importance of church history and tradition, they do not view apostolic succession as a requirement for legitimate church leadership. Instead, they believe that the Holy Spirit has preserved the true church throughout the ages through the proclamation and teaching of the Word of God, rather than through an unbroken chain of ordination.
Resource for Further Study
For those seeking a deeper understanding of the evangelical position on church leadership and its historical development, John Calvin’s “Institutes of the Christian Religion,” Book IV, offers an insightful exploration into this topic. To summarize, Calvin argued that the church is the gathering of believers in which the Word of God is preached purely and faithfully, and the sacraments are administered according to Christ’s institution. These marks are used to distinguish true churches from false ones, which do not uphold these essential practices.
Conclusion
Evangelical Christianity justifies the absence of apostolic succession in church leadership by emphasizing the priesthood of all believers, the authority of Scripture, and the spiritual qualifications for leadership as outlined in the New Testament. This perspective is rooted in a belief that the true church is characterized by adherence to the teachings of Jesus and the apostles, the transformative power of the gospel, and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, rather than by a specific institutional lineage. Evangelicals maintain that this approach allows for a vibrant and faithful expression of the Christian faith that remains true to its apostolic foundations.
