Ekumeniczny wymiar apostolskości Kościoła w głównych tradycjach wyznaniowych

Abstract

The ecumenical dimension of „apostolicity” is one of the crucial stamps of Christ Church. Although it tends to be perceived in different ways by various confessional traditions, the context of its elucidation, including the concepts of “unity, sanctity and catholicity/universality”, shows their strict interdependence, complementarity and coinherence, indicating its primitive source. Besides, neither apostolicity nor other Church attributes can be understood or perceived without close relationships with Christ’s mission and the mission of the Hole Spirit. Therefore, “any distortion or depreciation of at least one of the qualities deforms the reality of Church” (P. Evdokimov). No wonder that nearly all Churches and ecclesial Communions confess, following the Councils Nicaea – Constantinople, their faith in “one holy catholic and apostolic Church” Among five positions being in relation to the Apostolicity of Church, analyzed in the present article the ones assume and explain this quality (Roman-Catholic, Orthodox and Anglican positions), whereas the others, loyal to the Reformation events, only slightly touched upon this issue (Lutheran and Calvinist Traditions). It is to mention that all confessional traditions, relying on the Messages of the New Testament, refer their reflections to the “Apostolic College”, to Apostles and to the Non-Divided Church. Obviously, each of the confessions mentioned above, according to the recognized theological assumptions and hermeneutical ecumenical principles as well as in compliance with the hermeneutics of their own confessional principles (it concerns particularly Lutheran, Calvinist and Anglican Traditions) acknowledges and confesses their faith in the apostolicity of Church and in the other qualities of the Body of Christ (notae Ecclesiae). And the statement expressed by K. Barth, one of the most important XX-century Reformed theologian that “although the apostolicity is not on the same level as the other qualities, it serves as their explanation” does not contradict above. That goes without saying that the traditions of Reformation Church comprehend the Apostolic Succession in a different way Moreover, they take a different attitude towards such issues as ecclesiastical office, priestly ordinations and , particularly, primacy, papal infallibility and jurisdiction of the Bishop of Rome, which are closely connected with the apostolicity. Consequently, the problems discussed above should be the subject of further discussions and explanations within multilateral as well as bilateral ecumenical dialogues.