Bishop........... Real vs Fake......................Apostle..........Real vs Fake..................

[Bishop Allen Richardson]

I find it interesting that a Bishop must come through the sacred vehicle of consecration, He must be consecrated by Bishops with Apostolic Succession, and He must govern an assigned diocese but an Apostle (some of whom were never consecrated Bishops) does not. The fact is that there is more than one line of succession (for those who claim that succession was broken); I refer to both the Eastern and Western streams. Prelates who were granted Apostolic Succession are the only clerics who can create another Prelate in spite of what heresy is being taught. I have friends who are Apostles but they are also duly consecrated Bishops in good standing within the Episcopal community. These mighty men of God boldly speak out against those who want Prelateship without proper Episcopal dispensation. By defintion a consecration is in fact official permission to enter into the Episcopacy; this being true how can one claim the office of Bishop without a consecration? One can not be a Prelate without being consecrated into an order of Prelature. 5 of those orders are Episcopal and 1 is Potentiary. The truth is simple, one can not claim to be a Prelate if they were not properly consecrated by Prelates with Apostolic Succession. A side note: exactly how does an Apostle, who was never consecrated by Prelates with Apostolic Succecsion, see himself comparatively to a properly consecrated Bishop? Does he believe himself equal to, superior to, or subject to that Bishop?

[Pastor Rodrick Sweet,ThM]

Where in the Bible do we fine any of this that you speak of?

[Bishop Allen Richardson]

Bless you Pastor Sweet, I'm glad you asked:
The role of apostolic succession in preserving true doctrine is illustrated in the Bible. To make sure that the apostles’ teachings would be passed down after the deaths of the apostles, Paul told Timothy, "[W]hat you have heard from me before many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also" (2 Tim. 2:2). In this passage he refers to the first three generations of apostolic succession—his own generation, Timothy’s generation, and the generation Timothy will teach.

The Church Fathers, who were links in that chain of succession, regularly appealed to apostolic succession as a test for whether Catholics or heretics had correct doctrine. This was necessary because heretics simply put their own interpretations, even bizarre ones, on Scripture. Clearly, something other than Scripture had to be used as an ultimate test of doctrine in these cases.

Thus the early Church historian J. N. D. Kelly, a Protestant, writes, "[W]here in practice was [the] apostolic testimony or tradition to be found? . . . The most obvious answer was that the apostles had committed it orally to the Church, where it had been handed down from generation to generation. . . . Unlike the alleged secret tradition of the Gnostics, it was entirely public and open, having been entrusted by the apostles to their successors, and by these in turn to those who followed them, and was visible in the Church for all who cared to look for it" (Early Christian Doctrines, 37).

For the early Fathers, "the identity of the oral tradition with the original revelation is guaranteed by the unbroken succession of bishops in the great sees going back lineally to the apostles. . . . [A]n additional safeguard is supplied by the Holy Spirit, for the message committed was to the Church, and the Church is the home of the Spirit. Indeed, the Church’s bishops are . . . Spirit-endowed men who have been vouchsafed ‘an infallible charism of truth’"

[Pastor Rodrick Sweet,ThM]

Thank you for your answer but with all due respect, if we took your statements to its most logical conclusion than the Catholic Church is right in their teaching. As you well know the Catholic Church believes that Peter is the first Pope and St. Peter's successors carried on his office ie..the "Pope." So if I understand you your saying that you and other like you or that believe as you do, are the true successors of the apostles. Than that means we should all leave our churches and go back to the Catholic Church. My question is a very simple one where is that in the Bible?

[Bishop Allen Richardson]

Logic or Bible Based?..........

Bishop ADR

[Pastor Rodrick Sweet,ThM]

Both we must use logic to understand the Bible. But if the Church still needs Apostle than would you not agree that this looks like the Roman Church is right?