apostolicity

Apostolicity is a theological term used to describe the quality of being connected to the apostles of Jesus and to the apostolic witness. In Christian ecclesiology, it denotes that the church and its teaching derive their authority from the apostles and preserve the apostolic deposit of faith.

A key element is apostolic succession—the belief that authority is transmitted through the laying on of hands in an unbroken chain from the apostles to current bishops, ensuring continuity of governance and doctrine. Another element is apostolic teaching, maintained through sacred scripture and apostolic tradition, which together constitute the deposit of faith. The term is also used in reference to the New Testament books as apostolic in origin or affiliation, either authored by the apostles themselves or by close associates under their inspiration or guidance.

Different traditions articulate apostolicity in distinct ways. In the Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and many Anglican frameworks, the church is apostolic because it preserves both the teaching and the episcopal succession of the apostles. In many Protestant contexts, apostolicity is emphasized more through fidelity to the apostolic gospel as contained in the Scriptures and creeds, rather than through an uninterrupted episcopal lineage. Across traditions, apostolicity serves as a criterion for church identity and doctrinal authority.