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The Apostolicity of the Church THE APOSTOLICITY OF THE CHURCH Study Document of the Lutheran–Roman Catholic Commission on Unity The Lutheran World Federation Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity Lutheran University Press Minneapolis, Minnesota The Apostolicity of the Church Study Document of the Lutheran–Roman Catholic Commission on Unity Copyright 2006 Lutheran University Press, The Lutheran World Federation, and The Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity All rights reserved. Except for brief quotations in articles or reviews, no part of this book may be reproduced in any manner without prior permission. Published by Lutheran University Press under the auspices of: The Lutheran World Federation 150, rte de Ferney, PO Box 2100 CH-1211 Geneva 2, Switzerland The Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity 00120 Vatican City, Vatican Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication data Lutheran-Roman Catholic Commission on Unity The apostolicity of the church : study document of the Lutheran-Roman Catho- lic Commission on Unity [of] The Lutheran World Federation [and] Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references. ISBN-13: 978-1-932688-22-1 ISBN-10: 1-932688-22-6 (perfect bound : alk. Paper) 1. Church—Apostolicity—History of doctrines—20th century. 2. Interdenomi- national cooperation. 3. Lutheran Church—Relations—Catholic Church. 4. Catho- lic Church—Relations—Lutheran Church. 5. Lutheran-Roman Catholic Com- mission on Unity. I. Title. BV601.2.L88 2006 262’.72—dc22 2006048678 Lutheran University Press, PO Box 390759, Minneapolis, MN 55439 Manufactured in the United States of America 2 CONTENTS Introduction ........................................................................................... 7 Part 1 The Apostolicity of the Church – New Testament Foundations 1.1 Introduction. ..................................................................................... 14 1.2 The Following of Jesus and the Mission of the Twelve ............... 15 1.3 The Commission of the Risen Christ and the Promise of ............... the Holy Spirit .................................................................................. 18 1.4 The Apostles ..................................................................................... 19 1.4.1 Terminological Observations ............................................... 19 1.4.2 The Pauline Corpus .............................................................. 20 1.4.3 Luke-Acts ............................................................................... 24 1.5 Ecclesial Structures and Patterns of Ministry ............................. 27 1.5.1 Spiritual Gifts and Ministries .............................................. 28 1.5.2 The Ministry of Episkope ..................................................... 29 1.5.3 The Emergence of a Threefold Order ................................ 31 1.5.4 Rites of Laying-on of Hands ................................................. 32 1.6 Living Tradition and Remaining in the Truth .............................. 34 Part 2 The Apostolic Gospel and the Apostolicity of the Church 2.1 Introduction ...................................................................................... 42 2.2 Biblical Orientation.......................................................................... 43 2.3 The Apostles and the Church in Early Medieval ............................... Interpretations ....................................................................... 48 2.3.1 Early Affirmations of Apostolicity........................................ 46 2.3.2 The Special Apostolicity of Rome and its Bishop ............... 47 2.3.3 Apostolicity in Lifestyle, Art, and Liturgy ......................... 49 2.3.4 Calls for Reform .................................................................... 50 2.4 Developments in the Reformation and Afterwards ...................... 50 2.4.1 The Lutheran Reformation ................................................. 50 Continuity and Critique in the Lutheran............................... Reformation ........................................................................... 52 2.4.2 Apostolicity at Trent and in Post-Tridentine ........................... Catholic Theology .................................................................. 53 2.5 Developments toward Resolution and Consensus ....................... 55 2.5.1 A Catholic Ecumenical Vision of Participated Apostolicity ............................................................................ 55 3 The Gospel and the Episcopal College ................................ 55 A Renewed Understanding of Tradition ............................. 57 The Catholic Church and the Other Churches ..................... and Ecclesial Communities .......................................... 58 2.5.2 An Ecumenical Lutheran Account of the Apostolicity of the Church .................................................................. 60 The Full Dimensions of the Word of God........................... 60 The Elements of Apostolicity and their Configuration ..... 61 The Substance of the Gospel and its Contingent Forms .. 62 Diversity and its Reconciliation .......................................... 63 Lutherans and the Roman Catholic Church ...................... 64 2.6 Conclusions on Ecclesial Apostolicity ............................................ 65 Introduction ........................................................................... 65 2.6.1 Shared Foundational Convictions of Faith ........................ 66 2.6.2 Shared Understandings Discovered.................................... 67 2.6.3 Differences Calling for Further Examination ................... 70 Part 3 Apostolic Succession and Ordained Ministry 3.1 Introduction ...................................................................................... 74 3.2 Biblical Orientation.......................................................................... 77 3.3 Ordained ministry in the Early Church and the Middle Ages ........ 83 3.4 The Ordained Ministry in the Lutheran Reformation and ............... the Council of Trent ......................................................................... 88 3.4.1 The Lutheran Reformation ................................................. 88 The Priesthood of All the Baptized ..................................... 89 The Relation between the Priesthood of All the Baptized and the Ordained Ministry ........................... 91 The Authority of the Ministry ............................................. 94 The Problematic of the Episcopate at the Time of the Reformation, and the Reaction of the Reformers ................................................................ 96 The Theological Definition of the Relationship between the Pastorate and the Episcopate ................ 97 Ordination and “Apostolic Succession” ............................. 100 3.4.2 The Threefold Ordained Ministry of Bishop, Priest, and Deacon according to the Council of Trent (1545-1563) ......................................................... 103 3.5 The Ordained Ministry according to Vatican II and in Lutheran Teaching Today .......................................... 108 3.5.1 Vatican II on the Ordained Ministry ................................. 108 The Common Priesthood of All the Baptized ................... 108 Apostolic Mission and Church Ministry ........................... 110 4 The Episcopal Office ........................................................... 111 Presbyters and Deacons ..................................................... 112 3.5.2 The Ordained Ministry in Lutheran Teaching Today ..... 116 The Ordained Ministry and the Priesthood of all the Baptized ......................................................................... 116 Differentiation of the Ministry .......................................... 119 3.6 Conclusions: Apostolic Succession and Ordained Ministry ....... 123 3.6.1 Agreements ......................................................................... 123 3.6.2 Differences ........................................................................... 127 3.6.3 An Ecumenical Perspective on These Differences.......... 130 Part 4 Church Teaching that Remains in the Truth 4.1 Introduction .................................................................................... 136 4.2 Biblical Orientation........................................................................ 137 4.3 Doctrine and Apostolic Truth in Early and Medieval Developments ...................................................................... 142 4.3.1 Early Testimonies to the Gospel, Doctrine, Teachers, and Scripture ............................................. 142 4.3.2 The Rule of Faith ................................................................ 143 4.3.3 Creeds for Professing the Apostolic Faith ........................ 144 4.3.4 The Canon of Scripture ...................................................... 145 4.3.5 The Councils of the First Eight Centuries....................... 148 4.3.6 Interpreting the Truth of Scripture for the Church: Early and Medieval Approaches ................................. 149 4.4 The Church Maintained in the Truth According to the Lutheran Reformation ................................................ 154 4.4.1 Canon, Interpretation of Scripture, and Teaching in the Lutheran Reformation .................................... 154 4.4.2 The Ministry of Teaching in Lutheran Churches ........... 164 4.5 Catholic Doctrine on the Biblical Canon, Interpretation
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