What Orthodox writers have generally failed to acknowledge is that the promotion of the ecumenical title by the Eastern Church during the sixth century, whether intentionally or not, led Gregory to rely more fully on the rhetoric of
apostolicity and thereby contributed to the subsequent development of papal authority.
34) Viorel Ionita, therefore, points out, "that Baptism cannot be considered independently or cut off from its ecclesiological context, that means neither from the other sacraments nor from the
apostolicity of the Church.
Robeck's "The Apostolic Faith Study and the Holy Spirit" (which Mecera tells us received standing applause) reminded listeners of the approach to
apostolicity that comes out of the Anabaptist tradition; it speaks of "a 'Constantinian' or 'post-Constantinian fall' of the church" (p.
This is a central implication of affirming the
apostolicity of the Church, which is inseparable from the other three attributes of the Church--unity, holiness and catholicity.
First, although faith always comes as a gift from God through the church, this graciousness is mediated not only through episcopal
apostolicity but also through the faithful generations in parishes where believers are raised and received into the faith.
the Church's unity and
apostolicity rest upon the whole redeeming work of Christ--past, present and future....
I will examine "catholicity" as it has been treated by Faith and Order and draw a parallel between an ecumenical articulation of catholicity and the ecumenical articulation of "
apostolicity" in baptism, eucharist and ministry (BEM).
And, as he later recounted in his Apologia, the battle lines were drawn between "the Anglican Via Media and the popular religion of Rome," the first standing on
apostolicity, the second on catholicity.
It argues instead for the notion that
apostolicity and mission are theologically rooted in the processions and missions of the Trinity itself; meet a deep, universal, and perennial longing for spiritual depth; and are expressed in genuine sharing of one's Christian convictions with others while addressing their concrete human needs.
This means that theological education is taking seriously the basic nature of the catholicity and
apostolicity, oneness and holiness of the church universal.
James Hawkey, "'Excavating
Apostolicity: Christian Communities and Secular Cultures," pp.
In the paper that Metropolitan Geervarghese Coorilos gave at Crete, James recognized a challenge from an "ecclesiology from below" in the particular Indian context with its call to holiness and
apostolicity in action.