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"Apostolic succession" has become a term which many seem to delight in using, but few attempt to understand. In short, "apostolic succession refers to the line of bishops stretching back to the original twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ. Or, put another way, it refers to those who have succeeded those same Apostles. It is the understanding that each and every deacon, priest and bishop ordained within the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church shares in the same unbroken heritage. Sadly, in many continuing Anglican, independent Catholic, and autocephalous Orthodox jurisdictions, "apostolic succession" has come to mean "my papa is bigger than your papa". Within these jurisdictions, much more emphasis is placed upon form rather than substance. There seems to be an inverse proportion between their pre-occupation with their definition of apostolic succession and their commitment to Christian ministry. The apostolic succession detailed within the documents below is within the apostolic succession by way of lines from the Patriarch of Constantinople, the Patriarch of Moscow and the Bishop of Rome, as well as from the Archbishop of Utrecht. We cherish this tradition of apostolic succession and take comfort in the knowledge that these multiple lines of apostolic succession reflect our commitment to ecumenism.
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