<P> Apostolic succession is the method whereby the ministry of the Christian Church is held to be derived from the apostles by a continuous succession , which has usually been associated with a claim that the succession is through a series of bishops . This series was seen originally as that of the bishops of a particular see founded by one or more of the apostles . According to historian Justo L. González , apostolic succession is generally understood today as meaning a series of bishops , regardless of see , each consecrated by other bishops , themselves consecrated similarly in a succession going back to the apostles . According to the Joint International Commission for Theological Dialogue Between the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church , `` apostolic succession '' means more than a mere transmission of powers . It is succession in a Church which witnesses to the apostolic faith , in communion with the other Churches , witnesses of the same apostolic faith . The `` see ( cathedra ) plays an important role in inserting the bishop into the heart of ecclesial apostolicity '' , but , once ordained , the bishop becomes in his Church the guarantor of apostolicity and becomes a successor of the apostles . </P>
<P> Apostolic succession is the method whereby the ministry of the Christian Church is held to be derived from the apostles by a continuous succession , which has usually been associated with a claim that the succession is through a series of bishops . This series was seen originally as that of the bishops of a particular see founded by one or more of the apostles . According to historian Justo L. González , apostolic succession is generally understood today as meaning a series of bishops , regardless of see , each consecrated by other bishops , themselves consecrated similarly in a succession going back to the apostles . According to the Joint International Commission for Theological Dialogue Between the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church , `` apostolic succession '' means more than a mere transmission of powers . It is succession in a Church which witnesses to the apostolic faith , in communion with the other Churches , witnesses of the same apostolic faith . The `` see ( cathedra ) plays an important role in inserting the bishop into the heart of ecclesial apostolicity '' , but , once ordained , the bishop becomes in his Church the guarantor of apostolicity and becomes a successor of the apostles . </P>
who gave the apostles the authority in the church
who gave the apostles the authority in the church
bishops
bishops