WetCatechumen
Elder
CONTEXT NOTE: The following thread split off from here: http://www.orthodoxchristianity.net/forum/index.php/topic,11764.0.html -PtA
The four churches you listed all share a belief in the seven sacraments, and they have a clear line of descent to the apostles. Now, while there are doctrinal differences between them, they have all retained a belief in a real priesthood, a real Eucharist, and a real, continuing, visible church. The Anglicans forsook the idea of a sacrificial priesthood, and that really separates them from apostolic Christianity. I personally consider Anglican ministers to have Holy Orders with a defect, because in some places the intent has been retained, and the line of succession is unbroken, although the intent of ordination was radically altered.
However, the four you listed are what I would consider the four churches most consistent with apostolic Christianity.
I got in trouble on Sunday at a wedding when I was discussing the four ancient churches with an Orthodox catechumen. I told him I would be ecstatic if he joined any apostolic church, but that the Anglicans did not count. I offended two nearby Anglicans inadvertently. There are various splinter sects, like the Old Catholics, the Polish National Church, and other ones that have received ordinations from vagante bishops, but typically, they die out rather quickly and begin to behave in a very unapostolic fashion.deusveritasest said:If you set doctrinal issues aside like that, there are at least 4 basic Apostolic faith traditions: the Roman (the "Catholic Church"), the Byzantine (the "Orthodox Church"), the Oriental (the "Oriental Orthodox Church"), and the East Assyrian (the "Assyrian Church of the East"). The "Old Catholic Church" (primarily within the Union of Utrecht) and the Anglican Communion would both be additional possibilities, however.BrotherAidan said:I would like to see the conditions occur for shared communion, not only with Roman Catholics, but also non-Calcedonian Orthodox. My opinion is that there are three Apostolic Churches - the three just mentioned.
The four churches you listed all share a belief in the seven sacraments, and they have a clear line of descent to the apostles. Now, while there are doctrinal differences between them, they have all retained a belief in a real priesthood, a real Eucharist, and a real, continuing, visible church. The Anglicans forsook the idea of a sacrificial priesthood, and that really separates them from apostolic Christianity. I personally consider Anglican ministers to have Holy Orders with a defect, because in some places the intent has been retained, and the line of succession is unbroken, although the intent of ordination was radically altered.
However, the four you listed are what I would consider the four churches most consistent with apostolic Christianity.