United Reformed Synod: Joint Declaration of Principles: Art. 4: Apostoli...

ARTICLE IV - Apostolic Succession Preface :The tendency to corruption in doctrine, discipline and conduct as a result of erroneous claims to Apostolic succession, is a matter of historical record and a pressing issue again today in many churches where the decisions of a few in higher ranks of office wield a proportionally greater force and influence. In setting forth a scriptural view of Apostolic succession, we affirm and deny the following : 1. We affirm the form of Apostolic succession exclusively understood as the passing down of Apostolic teaching and doctrine to succeeding generations and of faithful men to teach and uphold it, together with the continuation of the commission given by Christ to make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit and teaching them to observe all that He has commanded them. We deny the form of Apostolic succession which teaches that Christ through the Apostles instituted a separate and superior order of Bishops (or Apostle-Bishops), as successors to the Apostles in lineal succession through laying on of hands or that Apostolic succession entails only the passing on of correct teaching and doctrine (orthodoxy) apart from correct practice (orthopraxis). 2. We affirm that the supreme authority for all Apostolic teaching, doctrine, and christian practice is the scriptures onto which nothing is to be added, whether by new revelations of the Spirit, or the traditions of men. We deny that tradition, historical development, expediency, creeds, councils and declarations have Apostolic authority greater than or equal to the authority of the Bible or that the Scriptures receive their authority from the church or any other human source. 3. We affirm that Apostolic succession as set forth (orthodoxy and orthopraxis), is an essential mark and aim of a true church, and is continued by Christ in all ages through Word and Spirit in the faith and life of the faithful, which He alone endows with all spiritual gifts including that of order, the communion of saints, and the ordinary means of grace. Notwithstanding, we acknowledge a true church to be more or less pure according as Apostolic succession (orthodoxy and orthopraxis) is embraced, but that others have so degenerated as to become no churches at all. We deny that Apostolic succession, as set forth (orthodoxy and orthopraxis) and the authority of Christ to which it points, may be formally rejected while still remaining a true church, or that Apostolic teaching, doctrine and christian practice is vested pre-eminently or exclusively in an ordained order of the clergy. 4. We affirm that Apostolic succession, as set forth, is vested in the whole body, (the rulers and those ruled) as a local company of the faithful, and therefore it has the right of calling and selecting its officers, of judging their fitness, of ordaining and sending them forth into the field, and of recalling and deposing them when unfaithful. We deny that Apostolic succession, as set forth, is vested exclusively or pre-eminently in a separate or higher order of Bishops (or Apostle Bishops) and that they alone can ordain and have power of jurisdiction. 5. We affirm that authority is Apostolic and from Christ, only if it is in agreement with Divine revelation, the sole infallible rule of faith and practice. We deny that a church judicatory or individual, may presume to bind the conscience by making laws pertaining to faith and practice on the basis of its own authority apart from the scriptures. 6. We affirm, since the Holy Scriptures are the only infallible rule of faith and practice, that all church power is only ministerial and declarative, and therefore all its decisions are to be founded upon the Word of God, and since God alone is Lord of the conscience, He has left it free from the doctrines and commandments of men, which are, in anything, contrary to his Word; or beside it, in matters of faith, or worship" We deny that church power is magisterial and legislative, or that Jesus Christ has invested the church with a deposit of tradition that stands alongside the bible, that the church has the authority to legislate and establish new doctrines outside of what the Scriptures teach, or that the church may enter into a legislative arrangement with another body which binds its members to obedience in matters of faith and worship beyond what the bible teaches.