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• apostolic succession
  apostolic succession

  noun

  the unbroken line of succession beginning with the apostles and perpetuated through bishops, considered essential for orders and sacraments to be valid.
• Apostolic succession
  Apostolic succession

  noun

  the doctrine that the authority of Christian bishops derives from the Apostles through an unbroken line of consecration

apostolic succession

American  

noun

Roman Catholic Church, Orthodox Church, Anglican Church.

1. the unbroken line of succession beginning with the apostles and perpetuated through bishops, considered essential for orders and sacraments to be valid.

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Apostolic succession British  

noun

1. the doctrine that the authority of Christian bishops derives from the Apostles through an unbroken line of consecration

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Etymology

Origin of apostolic succession

First recorded in 1830–40

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

apostolic succession Apostolic succession

The blessing the Holy Father brings to us – and the reason why we salute him so joyfully – is the reaffirmation of our Catholic faith, grounded in the apostolic succession and tradition.

From Washington Post ● Mar. 14, 2013

This made him wonder how many bishops a space colony would have to take along to uphold apostolic succession.

From Slate ● Oct. 5, 2011

The cultlike nature of Straussianism is evident from the pride that many Straussian intellectuals take in delineating the apostolic succession that links them to the prophet himself.

From Salon ● Jun. 15, 2010

The Inquisition meets the Supreme Court, the apostolic succession meets the clapboard Congregationalist Church, the Sacred Roman Rota meets Reno.

From Time Magazine Archive

Both have controverted the Baptists' views of immersion, and all have denied the Episcopalians' doctrine of apostolic succession.

From Americanism Contrasted with Foreignism, Romanism, and Bogus Democracy in the Light of Reason, History, and Scripture; In which Certain Demagogues in Tennessee, and Elsewhere, are Shown Up in Their True Colors by Brownlow, William Gannaway

There may be some who have never given any study to the Apostolic succession of ministers in the church founded by Christ.

From Twentieth Century Negro Literature Or, A Cyclopedia of Thought on the Vital Topics Relating to the American Negro by Culp, Daniel Wallace

There were people who could trace the Apostolic succession of the old Cornish bishops, and people who could pronounce authoritatively upon the exact distinction between justification and remission of sins.

From Philistia by Allen, Grant

The natural result of this changed organization was the doctrine of Apostolic succession.

From The Next Step in Religion An Essay toward the Coming Renaissance by Sellars, Roy Wood

When he was asked once whether he believed in the Apostolic succession, he replied that he had never thought of it, and aimed only to become a "real Christian."

From A Life of Gen. Robert E. Lee by Cooke, John Esten

The Clementines were composed later in the century, when Pauline Christianity was giving way to the new school, and the dogma of an Apostolic succession had taken possession of the church.

From The Christ Of Paul Or, The Enigmas of Christianity by Reber, George