The creed professes that the Church is “apostolic.” The meaning of this qualification must be sought in the sense of the words “apostle” (>Apostles) and >”apostolic succession”. In a broad sense, it can be said that apostolicity consists in harmony and communion with the primitive apostolic Church. For some churches this will mean no more than acceptance of the Scriptures and the forms of ministry described in them; for others, on the other hand, the tradition of faith and structures, especially in relation to ministries, will be an essential characteristic implied in the notion of apostolicity 1. Historically, this last conception has been associated with Anglicans, the old Catholics, Orthodox, other Eastern and Catholics; the other has been typical of the rest of the Churches. In recent decades, ecumenical discussions have ended the narrow conception of apostolicity as a “note” of the Church, to adopt a dynamic conception that includes growth and also contemplates the possibility of decline. In a joint document, drawn up by members of the Orthodox Church and the Catholic Church, the following consensus is reached: “”The Church is apostolic” is not only a statement of fact, but also an object of faith (I think… ). Like the event of Christ, this apostolicity is a gift of God given once for all; its content does not depend on what we do” 2. It has a historical and an eschatological dimension 3, both based on the role assigned by Christ to the apostles. For this reason, apostolicity, as manifested in the Eucharist…, belongs to the Church in its present reality 4. The apostolic deposit is not an inert object, but a living confession, by which each Christian appropriates life in baptism. apostolic succession and the faith of the Church 5. On the other hand, apostolic succession must be seen within the continuity of the community as a whole in apostolic life and faith; “Apostolicity seems to consist more in fidelity to the proclamation and mission of the apostles than in any form of the apostolic office” 6. Finally, the Petrine office is reflected both in the local Church (Orthodox emphasis) and in the Church universal (emphasis of the Catholics), but “there is no intrinsic contradiction between these two aspects” 7.
These advances in the understanding of apostolicity can be found in other discussions between different Churches: some put more emphasis on the missionary dimension of the apostolic Church, which participates in the universal mission entrusted by Christ to his apostles (Mt 28:18-20) ; others place greater emphasis on the pneumatological dimension 8. Among the dialogue documents, the Declaration of Lima Baptism, Eucharist and Ministry (1982) stands out for the authority of its participants 9. The fourth chapter on the ministry, Succession in the apostolic tradition, affirms in paragraph 34, The apostolic tradition in the Church: “The apostolic tradition in the Church means continuity in the permanent characteristics of the Church of the apostles: testimony of the apostolic faith, proclamation and living interpretation of the gospel, celebration of baptism and the Eucharist, transmission of ministerial responsibilities, communion in prayer, love, joy and suffering, service to the sick and needy, unity among the local Churches and sharing of the gifts that the Lord has given each one” 10. It seems clear that the commission preferred to use the expression “apostolic tradition” instead of “apostolicity”, but the paragraph actually contains an element s essentials of ecclesial apostolicity 11.
Given the convergence in the understanding of the notion of apostolicity, the most thorny problem remains in the apostolic succession. But the capacity of the two types of “Protestant” and “Catholic” Churches to see authentic apostolicity in the faith, life and ministry of the others constitutes a not insignificant achievement. The question of apostolicity remains key, because it ultimately refers to the divine plan of redemption. The ministry and the paschal mystery of Jesus must go out to meet all times through the Pentecostal gift of the Spirit 12. But apostolicity designates the way in which we access this mystery and participate in its fruits. It is part of God’s plan that we find salvation in community (LG 9): his grace is transmitted through men, particularly those to whom the episcopal ministry has been entrusted (LG 20). Therefore, at its deepest level, apostolicity designates this possibility of encountering the Mystery today through the Holy Spirit in a Church understood as a ministerial community that acts as a sacramental mediator of the divine plan in history.
GRADES:
1 Y. CONGAR, Essential properties of the Church, in Mysterium salutis IV 1, 547-609; KH SCHELKLE, Disciples and apostles, Herder, Barcelona 1965; S. PIE-NINOT, Apostolicity and ministry, Center for Liturgical Pastoral, Barcelona 1998; RE BROWN, The Churches that the apostles left us, Desclée de Brouwer, Bilbao 1986.
2 HM BIEDERMANN, Apostolizitüt als Gottes Gabe im Leben der Kirche, OstKSt 37 (1988) 38-54; T. FITZGERALD, The Eastern Orthodox-Roman Catholic Statement on Apostolicity, GrOrTR 32 (1987) 191-199.
3 JM GARRIGUES-MJ LE GUILLOU, Statut eschatologique et caractere ontologique de la succession apostolique, RThom 75 (1978) 395-417.
4 HM BIEDERMANN, Apostolizitüt als Gottes Gabe im Leben der Kirche, ac, nos 6-7.
5 Ib, not 8-9.
6 lb, no. 10
7n12.
8 Cf FA SuLLIVAN, The Church in which we believe: one, holy, catholic and apostolic, Desclée de Brouwer, Bilbao 1995, 177-240; for documentation see H. MEYER-L. VISCHER (eds.), Growth in Agreement, New York-Geneva 1982.
9 A. GONZí LEZ MONTES, Enchiridion Oecumenicum 1, Pontifical University of Salamanca, Salamanca 1986, 888-931.
10 Revised text according to Ib, 924.
11 FA SuLLIVAN, The Church We Believe In: One Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic, oc, 240.
12 Cf Y. CONGAR, Essential Properties of the Church, oc, 567ff.
Christopher O´Donell – Salvador Pié-Ninot, Dictionary of Ecclesiology, San Pablo, Madrid 1987
Source: Dictionary of Ecclesiology