Apostolic Succession
“Moreover, if there be any bold enough to plant themselves in the midst of the apostolic age, so that they might seem to have been handed down by the Apostles because they were from the time of the Apostles, we can say to them: let them show the origins of their Churches, let them unroll the order of their bishops, running down in succession from the beginning, so that their first bishop shall have for author and predecessor some of one of the Apostles or of the apostolic men who continued steadfast with the Apostles.” -Tertullian, The Demurrer Against the Heretics, A.D. 200
Apostolic Succession in Christian theology is the doctrine asserting that the chosen successors of the Apostles enjoyed through God’s grace the same authority, power, and responsibility as was conferred upon the Apostles by Jesus through the laying of of hands. This same practice from Jesus to the Apostles was then conferred by Bishop to Bishop throughout the ages by the same laying on of hands in an unbroken historic succession.
Therefore present-day bishops, as the successors of previous bishops, going back to the Apostles, have this authority by virtue of this unbroken tactile chain. For the apostolic,liturgical, and sacramental churches like the Independent and Old Catholic, Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Celtic Catholic, Free Catholic, and Anglican churches, this link with the Apostles is what offers them their surety of validity within the spiritual administration of the sacraments.
The debate on the validity of independent sacramental holy orders is long standing and often offers nothing but confusion and suspicion. It is a belief of the Sacramental Community of the Coworkers of Christ that validity is most assuredly found through ministry within the community one is called to serve. So that, it is the very act of service that assures us of God’s grace, blessing, and authority to answer the call to ministry. It is through the natural connection of that kind of relationship, shepherd to sheep, that validity and authority are realized and made real to the world in which we live.
The Sacramental Community of the Coworkers of Christ does participate in and uphold the doctrine of Apostolic Succession and as such, all of its clergy have been validly ordained by the laying on of hands through bishops within the historic Apostolic Succession, which we hold dear.
Read more about the validity of Old Catholic ordinations/consecrations from a Roman Catholic perspective: Are Old Catholic Orders Valid? The Most Rev. Brian Ernest Brown, Abbot Bishop of the Sacramental Community of the Coworkers of Christ, possesses a valid Apostolic Succession through several different historic lines. However, if one is looking for validity through the "collection" of lines of apostolic lineage, one is approaching validity, authority, and authenticity in sacramental ministry with a dubious agenda.
On the Feast of Saint Kevin, June 3, 2006 Fr. Abbot Brian, with the consent, support, and prayers of Bishop Larry Cameron and Archbishop Karl Pruter, was consecrated to the Office of Bishop by Bishop Rodney Rickard, a bishop of the United Catholic Church, and given charge over the autocephalous and autonomous jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Free Catholic Communion which was later restructured and renamed the Sacramental Community of the Coworkers of Christ.
Bishop Brian was later consecrated sub-conditionally by Bishop Karl Prüter of blessed memory, the Presiding Archbishop of Christ Catholic Church, on the Feast of St. Ciaran of Clonmacnoise, September 9, 2007 at the Cathedral of the Prince of Peace in Highlandville Missouri. Bishop Prüter had been consecrated by Bishop Peter Zurawetsky on the Feast of St. Willibrord, November 7, 1967. Bishop Prüter then entrusted his ministry to Bishop Brian’s care and continued episcopal oversight.
Below is the apostolic succession of Bishop Brian Ernest Brown shared through Bishop Karl Prüter.
1. Andrew, the Apostle of our Lord. Founded 38
2. Stachys, the Disciple, one of the 70 Apostles. 38 – 54
3. Onesimos 54 – 68
4. Polykarpos 69 – 89
5. Ploutarchos 89 – 105
6. Sedekion 105 – 114
7. Diogenes 114 – 129
8. Eleftherios 129 – 136
9. Felix 136 – 141
10. Polykarpos II 141 – 144
11. Athenodoros 144 – 148
12. Euzoios 148 – 154
13. Laurentios 154 – 166
14. Alypios 166 – 169
15. Pertinax 169 – 187
16. Olympianos 187 – 198
17. Markos I 198 – 211
18. Philadelphos 211 – 214
19. Kyriakos I 214 – 230
20. Kastinos 230 – 237
21. Eugenios I 237 – 242
22. Titos 242 – 272
23. Dometios 272 – 303
24. Roufinos 303
25. Provos 303 – 315
26. Metrophanes I 315 – 325
27. Alexandros 325 – 340
28. Paulos I, the Confessor 340 – 41, 342 – 34, 348 – 50
29. Eusebios 341 – 342
30. Makedonios I 344 – 348, 350 – 360
31. Eudoxios 360 – 369
32. Demophilos 369 – 379
33. Evagrios 379
34. Maximos I 380
35. Gregory, the Theologian 379 – 381
36. Nectarios 381 – 397
37. John I, the Chrysostom 398 – 404
38. Arsakios 404 – 405
39. Attikos 406 – 425
40. Sisinios I 425 – 427
41. Nestorios 428 – 431
42. Maximianos 431 – 434
43. Proklos 434 – 447
44. Flavianos 447 – 449
45. Anatolios 449 – 458
46. Gennadios I 458 – 471
47. Akakios 471 – 489
48. Favritas (Fravitas) 489 – 490
49. Euphemios 490 – 496
50. Makedonios II 496 – 511
51. Timotheos I 511 – 518
52. John II, the Cappadocian 518 – 520
53. Epiphanios 520 – 536
54. Anthimos 535 – 536
55. Menas 536 – 552
56. Eutychios I 552 – 565, 577 – 582
57. John III 566 – 577
58. Eutychios II 577 – 582
59. John IV, the Faster 582 – 595
60. Kyriakos II 595 – 607
61. Thomas I 607 – 610
62. Sergios I 610 – 638
63. Pyrros I (later returned as Pyrros II) 638 – 641
64. Paulos II 641 – 652
65. Pyrros II [same as Pyrros I] 652 or 654
66. Petros 652 – 664
67. Thomas II 665 – 668
68. John V 668 – 674
69. Constantine I 674 – 676
70. Theodoros I 676 – 678, 683 – 686
71. Georgios I 678 – 683
72. Paulos III 686 – 693
73. Kallinikos I 693 – 705
74. Kyros 705 – 711
75. John VI 711 – 715
76. Germanos I, the Confessor 715 – 730
77. Anastasios 730 – 751
78. Constantine II 754 – 766
79. Niketas, the Slav 766 – 780
80. Paulos IV 780 – 784
81. Tarasios 784 – 806
82. Nikephoros I 806 – 815
83. Theodotos, Melissenos 815 – 821
84. Antonios I, Kasymatas 821 – 826
85. John VII the Grammatikos 826 – 842
86. Methodios I, the Confessor 842 – 846
87. Ignatios I, the Prince 846 – 857, 867 – 878
88. Photios I 857 – 867, 878 – 886
89. Stephanos I, the Prince 886 – 893
90. Antonios II, Kavleas 893 – 895
91. Nikolaos I, the Mystic 895 – 906, 911 – 925
92. Euthymios I 906 – 911
93. Stephanos II 925 – 928
94. Tryphon 928 – 931
95. Theophylctos, Lakapenos, the Princeling 933 – 956
96. Polyeuctos 956 – 970
97. Vasilios I, Skamandrenos 970 – 974
98. Antonios III, Skandalios, also Stoudites 974 – 980
99. Nikolaos II, Chrysoverges 984 – 995
100. Michael, the Syrian 990
101. Leontius 993
102. John 1015
103. Theopemptus 1037
104. Hilarion 1051
105. George 1072
106. John II 1080
107. John III 1089
108. Ephraim 1096
109. Nicholas 1098
110. Nicephorus 1108
111. Nicetas 1124
112. Michael II 1127
113. Clement 1197
114. Constantine 1136
115. Theodore 1160
116. John IV 1164
117. Constantine II 1167
118. Nicephorus II 1185
119. Matthew 1201
120. Kyrill I 1205
121. Joseph 1240
122. Kyrill II 1250
123. Maximus 1283
124. Peter 1308
125. Theognostes 1328
126. Alexis 1353
127. Cyprian 1380
128. Photius 1410
129. Isidore 1432
130. Jonah 1448
131. Theodosius 1462
132. Philip I 1467
133. Gerontius 1472
134. Zosimus 1491
135. Simon 1496
136. Barlaam 1511
137. Daniel 1522
138. Joasaph 1539
139. Macarius 1542
140. Athanasius 1564
141. Philip 1565
142. Cyrill III 1568
143. Anthony 1572
144. Dionysius 1582
145. Job 1587
146. Hermogenes 1606
147. Philaret 1620
148. Joasaph I 1631
149. Joseph 1642
150. Nikon 1653
151. Joasaph II 1667
152. Pitirim 1672
153. Joachim 1673
154. Adrian 1690
155. Metropolitan Stephen (Yavorsky), of Rostov, 1701
156. The Most Holy Synod 1721 – 1918
157. Patriarch Bishop Tikhon – October 19, 1897
158. Josef Kedrovsky / Kedroffsky – 1923
159. Josef Klimovicz – 1935
160. Peter A. Zurawetsky – October 15, 1950
161. Karl Hugo Prüter – Novemeber 7, 1967
162. Brian Ernest Brown – September 9, 2007
Below is the apostolic succession of Bishop Brian Ernest Brown shared through Bishop Karl Prüter.
1. Andrew, the Apostle of our Lord. Founded 38
2. Stachys, the Disciple, one of the 70 Apostles. 38 – 54
3. Onesimos 54 – 68
4. Polykarpos 69 – 89
5. Ploutarchos 89 – 105
6. Sedekion 105 – 114
7. Diogenes 114 – 129
8. Eleftherios 129 – 136
9. Felix 136 – 141
10. Polykarpos II 141 – 144
11. Athenodoros 144 – 148
12. Euzoios 148 – 154
13. Laurentios 154 – 166
14. Alypios 166 – 169
15. Pertinax 169 – 187
16. Olympianos 187 – 198
17. Markos I 198 – 211
18. Philadelphos 211 – 214
19. Kyriakos I 214 – 230
20. Kastinos 230 – 237
21. Eugenios I 237 – 242
22. Titos 242 – 272
23. Dometios 272 – 303
24. Roufinos 303
25. Provos 303 – 315
26. Metrophanes I 315 – 325
27. Alexandros 325 – 340
28. Paulos I, the Confessor 340 – 41, 342 – 34, 348 – 50
29. Eusebios 341 – 342
30. Makedonios I 344 – 348, 350 – 360
31. Eudoxios 360 – 369
32. Demophilos 369 – 379
33. Evagrios 379
34. Maximos I 380
35. Gregory, the Theologian 379 – 381
36. Nectarios 381 – 397
37. John I, the Chrysostom 398 – 404
38. Arsakios 404 – 405
39. Attikos 406 – 425
40. Sisinios I 425 – 427
41. Nestorios 428 – 431
42. Maximianos 431 – 434
43. Proklos 434 – 447
44. Flavianos 447 – 449
45. Anatolios 449 – 458
46. Gennadios I 458 – 471
47. Akakios 471 – 489
48. Favritas (Fravitas) 489 – 490
49. Euphemios 490 – 496
50. Makedonios II 496 – 511
51. Timotheos I 511 – 518
52. John II, the Cappadocian 518 – 520
53. Epiphanios 520 – 536
54. Anthimos 535 – 536
55. Menas 536 – 552
56. Eutychios I 552 – 565, 577 – 582
57. John III 566 – 577
58. Eutychios II 577 – 582
59. John IV, the Faster 582 – 595
60. Kyriakos II 595 – 607
61. Thomas I 607 – 610
62. Sergios I 610 – 638
63. Pyrros I (later returned as Pyrros II) 638 – 641
64. Paulos II 641 – 652
65. Pyrros II [same as Pyrros I] 652 or 654
66. Petros 652 – 664
67. Thomas II 665 – 668
68. John V 668 – 674
69. Constantine I 674 – 676
70. Theodoros I 676 – 678, 683 – 686
71. Georgios I 678 – 683
72. Paulos III 686 – 693
73. Kallinikos I 693 – 705
74. Kyros 705 – 711
75. John VI 711 – 715
76. Germanos I, the Confessor 715 – 730
77. Anastasios 730 – 751
78. Constantine II 754 – 766
79. Niketas, the Slav 766 – 780
80. Paulos IV 780 – 784
81. Tarasios 784 – 806
82. Nikephoros I 806 – 815
83. Theodotos, Melissenos 815 – 821
84. Antonios I, Kasymatas 821 – 826
85. John VII the Grammatikos 826 – 842
86. Methodios I, the Confessor 842 – 846
87. Ignatios I, the Prince 846 – 857, 867 – 878
88. Photios I 857 – 867, 878 – 886
89. Stephanos I, the Prince 886 – 893
90. Antonios II, Kavleas 893 – 895
91. Nikolaos I, the Mystic 895 – 906, 911 – 925
92. Euthymios I 906 – 911
93. Stephanos II 925 – 928
94. Tryphon 928 – 931
95. Theophylctos, Lakapenos, the Princeling 933 – 956
96. Polyeuctos 956 – 970
97. Vasilios I, Skamandrenos 970 – 974
98. Antonios III, Skandalios, also Stoudites 974 – 980
99. Nikolaos II, Chrysoverges 984 – 995
100. Michael, the Syrian 990
101. Leontius 993
102. John 1015
103. Theopemptus 1037
104. Hilarion 1051
105. George 1072
106. John II 1080
107. John III 1089
108. Ephraim 1096
109. Nicholas 1098
110. Nicephorus 1108
111. Nicetas 1124
112. Michael II 1127
113. Clement 1197
114. Constantine 1136
115. Theodore 1160
116. John IV 1164
117. Constantine II 1167
118. Nicephorus II 1185
119. Matthew 1201
120. Kyrill I 1205
121. Joseph 1240
122. Kyrill II 1250
123. Maximus 1283
124. Peter 1308
125. Theognostes 1328
126. Alexis 1353
127. Cyprian 1380
128. Photius 1410
129. Isidore 1432
130. Jonah 1448
131. Theodosius 1462
132. Philip I 1467
133. Gerontius 1472
134. Zosimus 1491
135. Simon 1496
136. Barlaam 1511
137. Daniel 1522
138. Joasaph 1539
139. Macarius 1542
140. Athanasius 1564
141. Philip 1565
142. Cyrill III 1568
143. Anthony 1572
144. Dionysius 1582
145. Job 1587
146. Hermogenes 1606
147. Philaret 1620
148. Joasaph I 1631
149. Joseph 1642
150. Nikon 1653
151. Joasaph II 1667
152. Pitirim 1672
153. Joachim 1673
154. Adrian 1690
155. Metropolitan Stephen (Yavorsky), of Rostov, 1701
156. The Most Holy Synod 1721 – 1918
157. Patriarch Bishop Tikhon – October 19, 1897
158. Josef Kedrovsky / Kedroffsky – 1923
159. Josef Klimovicz – 1935
160. Peter A. Zurawetsky – October 15, 1950
161. Karl Hugo Prüter – Novemeber 7, 1967
162. Brian Ernest Brown – September 9, 2007
