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To: annalex; HarleyD; wmfights; Forest Keeper; blue-duncan; Quix; Kolokotronis; Dr. Eckleburg
I simply don't know about Lutheran Church as a whole. I heard an expression "Continuing Lutherans"; it is possible that they retained the apostolic succession as a sub-Church even to this day

Luther could not ordain anyone. Without a bishop, he was without apostolic authority. Priests do not have autonomous authority; they are bishop's lieutenants and work under the authority of one.

His 'church' is therefore not the Church but a man-made institution. By throwing out most of the sacraments, this institution made itself expressly heretical. Some renegade Scandinavian bishops who joined his movement much later basically joined heretics. their authority then is the same as that of Arian "bishops."

This is sad because the conservative Lutheran Church retains many of the elements of the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church. Its atonment doctrine of ransom is that which is taught by the Orthodox Church from the beginning and throughout the Church until the 11th century, when Anselm's error took over in the west.

Just like the High Anglicans, the Lutherans probably stand the greatest chance of eventually rejoining the Church. That would be a great day in Christendom.

14,286 posted on 05/08/2007 4:10:17 PM PDT by kosta50 (Eastern Orthodoxy is pure Christianity)
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To: kosta50
[.. Luther could not ordain anyone. Without a bishop, he was without apostolic authority. Priests do not have autonomous authority; they are bishop's lieutenants and work under the authority of one. ..]

NO ONE on this planet can ordain anybody except as officers in a Club.. ONLY the Holy Spirit can ordain any one to/for anything spiritually.

14,291 posted on 05/08/2007 4:31:38 PM PDT by hosepipe (CAUTION: This propaganda is laced with hyperbole....)
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