Becoming Catholic #39: The Biblical Roots of Apostolic Succession, Infallibility, and the Indefectibility of the Church, Part 1—When Jesus Began to Reign as King

Becoming CatholicJoshua CharlesDecember 11, 2023Christ is King, Ascension, Kingdom, Apostolic Succession, Apostolic Authority, Infallibility, Indefectibility, The Church, Old Testament, King David, Davidic Throne, Davidic Kingdom

Becoming Catholic #38: Protestantism’s Mormonism Problem

Becoming CatholicJoshua CharlesAugust 18, 2023Catholic Church, Church Fathers, Baptismal Regeneration, Baptism, Eucharist, Sacrifice, Sacrifice of the Eucharist, Apostolic Succession, Mormonism, LDS

Becoming Catholic #26: Jewish Roots of Catholic Authority, Part 3—“Apostolic Succession” in the Old Testament

While the ancient Christians were absolutely unanimous on the doctrine of Apostolic Succession, many protestants claimed it was absent from the New Testament. However, when I realized that the principle of succession was so thoroughly established in the Old Testament for priests, tribal heads, judges, kings, and even some prophets, and that this was confirmed by extra-biblical Jewish sources, I knew this was the default.

Therefore, since Christianity does not abolish, but fulfills the Jewish religion, the burden of proof is on protestants to show that the New Testament does not speak of or exemplify the principle of succession via Apostolic Succession. In fact, given its ubiquity throughout the Old Testament, the burden is on protestants to show that the New Testament explicitly denies the principle of succession, which is the norm and default by which the government of God’s people is perpetuated through time.

Becoming Catholic Quote Archive: Apostolic Succession

This Quote Archive on Apostolic Succession is part of the Becoming Catholic series. Each archive of quotes is intended to serve as a reference source on the various topics addressed in the articles. They are periodically updated as more research is completed.

Becoming Catholic #12: Why Acts 15 Led Me to the Catholic Church

Long before I had even read a single word by a Catholic apologist or a Church Father, I read the Bible’s account of the Council of Jerusalem and simply had no way to fit it into any of a variety of protestant frameworks for a “biblical church.” Further study eventually led me to conclude that the Church, from its earliest days, was (1) Catholic; (2) Authoritative; (3) Infallible; (4) Apostolic; and (5) Hierarchical in a way that matched the Catholic Church to this very day.

I was thus faced with a fundamental question—since the Bible clearly portrays a Church of this nature, and never says those features ended, where is that Church today?

Becoming Catholic #5: Church Authority, and Saint Ignatius the Red Pill, Part 2

In short, in this one epistle to the Ephesians, we see Ignatius of Antioch articulate the basics of fundamentally Catholic ideas of hierarchical authority, Church unity, eucharistic communion, and the authority of Scripture alongside living apostolic tradition.

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