Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!hellgate.utah.edu!cs.utexas.edu!rutgers!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: mike@turing.cs.unm.edu (Michael I. Bushnell) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: Is Apostolic Succession found in the NT? Message-ID: Date: 19 Mar 90 05:42:49 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Organization: University of No Money, Albuquerque, New Mexico Lines: 24 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu How interesting. It seems in churches with apostolic succession, the bishop is the ordained office, with the priest a sort of stand-in. In the Reformed tradition, there is a similar situation. We have the one office (called elder in older references). The difference is that there are at most a few hundred bishops in this country...and there are untold hundreds of thousands of Presbyterian Elders....hmmm... In any case, I think it is an important point...the Reformed tradition has always held that the people are all the recipients of the priesthood...and that some are ordained for special work in the church. The intention is that *all* those participating in special work in the church be ordained as elder, minister, or deacon, at some time. Quite a difference. -- Michael I. Bushnell \ This above all; to thine own self be true LIBERTE, EGALITE, FRATERNITE \ And it must follow, as the night the day, mike@unmvax.cs.unm.edu /\ Thou canst not be false to any man. CARPE DIEM / \ Farewell: my blessing season this in thee! [That comment was specifically about the Eastern Orthodox tradition. Priests have a much more important role for Roman Catholics. Of course the Reformed tradition also has deacons as an ordained order. Ruling elders and ministers are both types of elder, but deacons are not. --clh]