An Anglican Case for Apostolic Succession 

Apostolic Succession is the best explanation of how your pastor gets the authority to pastor. Does anyone have a better explanation? The congregationalists have two options: the authority comes from below via the congregation, or from above via mysterious, disembodied means. The former fails because it assumes that just anybody has the authority to make a pastor; the latter fails because it relies on a very piously articulated "just trust me, bro." Apostolic Succession, on the other hand, can explain it thusly: the authority comes from above. How did it get here? From Christ Himself, who made the apostles. How did it get all the way to us? By the laying on of hands (the passing on of the authority from Christ) generation after generation from the apostles down to our present-day holy orders.

The thumbnail cracked me up ... thought it was Gavin putting out a video of his conversion to Anglicanism at first.

Thanks for engaging Sean. You mentioned surprise I didn't explain Ignatius: I mentioned Ignatius twice in my video, just summarizing what I've argued for elsewhere. I love the restorative heart reflected in your comments about the Reformation, and I agree in principle, but I see the exclusivity of apostolic succession proper (e.g., negation of valid sacraments apart from episcopal ordination) as one of those points requiring reform, as much as you would see something like papal infallibility. Just think about what it entails for, say, Muslim communities converting to Christ. We disagree on the early data (Ignatius, Shepherd, Clement, Irenaeus, etc.) but that would be too much to delve into here (I've done some videos on that stuff too). I appreciate how you defend presbyteral models as potentially legitimate with respect to apostolic succession. I'm not sure the episcopate would present a visible unity as much as you think (wouldn't we still have the same institutional/doctrinal ruptures?). Would need to hear more on that. Thanks again, always appreciate dialoguing with you.

What a fascinating video. Thank you for sharing. Much love from a fellow papist.

Very helpful and well presented. Thank you.

There is a misconception that the LCMS does not believe in apostolic succession. We actually do but in a more nuanced way. Also, our President and District Presidents are interchangeable with Archbishop and Bishops (same office, same duties) Our President is often called Archbishop by our foreign Lutheran Archbishops (who hold to a hard Apostolic Succession and installs our Presidents) and viewed as the same. Some of our DPs even go by Bishop. We started with bishops with the great German migration but changed the names due to certain historical events that happened after the church migrated from Germany to the US. We are Synodical which plays out as a Episcopal Congregational hybrid model which I believe is more similar to the early church as bishops were appointed by the congregation and the leadership. Anyways just wanted to clarify. I appreciate this video, while I’m not in total agreement it was very charitable and I learned a lot. Thanks brother

Another helpful presentation.

As soon as I saw Gavin put up a video on Apostolic Succession, I hoped you would chime in and further the conversation.

Thanks for this enlightening video as it's quite helpful as someone with a Presbytian background.

Additional point of order , Methodists have followed the episcopal model of succession since their inception. They only has a presbyter ordination of a bishop when there was No valid bishop in the USA after the revolution. It about the same time the episcopal church of America also voted one of their own to be bishop, they just sought the non jurors of Scotland after the fact. Wesley cited the Alexandrian model - which Gavin cites as well- but only for this emergency case. It did not remain the practice of Methodists after that infamous Christmas Day .

Hi thank you for an interesting video. Could you please post a link to the video about presbyterial succession. Thank you.

Question here

My biggest concern with priests ordaining priests is that they should maintain a record of succession to prove the validity of any future priests, but most denominations which have done this have severely neglected to do so. Pentecostal pastors may very well have an invisible line that could theoretically be traced back to the apostles, but they don't care to show it to us to prove their validity as priests.

Hey Sean!! Appreciate your content.

I realize that you are in a more conservative Anglican province and when you refer to Lutherans you are probably thinking of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod. But I would point out that the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America has bishops ordained in apostolic succession and is currently in a full communion relationship with the Episcopal Church. Scandinavian Lutherans also have bishops in apostolic succession and are similarly in communion with the Church of England via the Porvoo Communion. So no need to “re-ordain” clergy moving from one of these churches to another. These churches surely have problems that are beyond the scope of this video, but within them you will find many faithful Christians.

Solid thumbnail!

Thank you for this video, Sean, I really appreciate your channel. This is a topic I've been laboring over a lot recently.

Sean, I hope you respond to my comment. As Gavin Ortlund said in the comment section he dealt with the quotations that you brought up in regards to Iranaeus and Ignatius. The title of the video is ,A Protestant Take on Ignatius." I wonder if you read my comment when you appeared with Gavin and Pastor Schooping, I became an instant fan of you and you really helped my faith in regards to these issues. Please type the title of the video Ortlund made and make a response about it if you can. I would love to see your reply. When I first watched his video 2 years ago I couldn't understand it because his videos were highly academic but watching them again I see the validity of the points he makes and I would love to see your perspective. It's just 16 minutes please watch it if you can. God bless you Sean!

It’s content like this that makes me say, Oh how I wish there were conservative Anglican communities/churches where I live lol.

What does it take for the apostolic succession to be valid?