The Catholic Apostolic Church, a millenarian religious community often called Irvingites, though it was never actually founded nor anticipated by Edward Irving. It came forth from an ecumenical prayer movement in Great Britain and was led by apostles since 1832. The last apostle died in 1901, after which the church gradually became extinct.

Previous history

The impulse to the prayer movement in the twenties of the 19th century was given by the Anglican priest James Haldane Stewart. He made an appeal to this by means of more than half a million pamphlets which were spread throughout Great Britain, the U.S.A. and on the Continent. They longed for renewed spiritual power, as had been visible in the first century after the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the young church.

In the same period the Presbyterian John McLeod Campbell preached in Scotland that Christ died in principle for all believers and not only for a small group of 'elected people.' Besides, Edward Irving, also a reverend in the Church of Scotland and supporter of Campbell, preached in his church at Regent Square in London the speedy return of the Lord Jesus Christ. He attracted thousands of listeners, even from the highest circles, and during his summer tours in Scotland (1827, 1828) believers came to listen to him with ten thousands in attendance.

Edward Irving

Irving's relation to this community was, according to its members, somewhat similar to that of John the Baptist to the early Christian Church, i.e. he was the forerunner and prophet of the coming dispensation, not the founder of a new sect; and indeed the only connection which Irving seems to have had with the existing organization of the Catholic Apostolic body was in fostering spiritual persons who had been driven out of other congregations for the exercise of their spiritual gifts. Shortly after Irving's trial and deposition (1831), certain persons were, at some meetings held for prayer, designated as called to be apostles of the Lord by certain others claiming prophetic gifts.

Separation of the Apostles

In the year 1835, six months after Irving's death, six others were similarly designated as called to complete the number of the twelve, who were then formally separated, by the pastors of the local congregations to which they belonged, to their higher office in the universal church on July 14, 1835.

This separation is understood by the community not as in any sense being a schism or separation from the one Catholic Church, but a separation to a special work of blessing and intercession on behalf of it. The twelve apostles were afterwards guided to ordain twelve prophets, twelve evangelists, and twelve pastors, and

The apostles were the channels of the Holy Spirit and the mysteries of God, and the authoritative interpreters of prophetic utterance; their teaching was brought home to the people by the evangelists. The function of the prophets was to explain Scripture and exhort to holiness; that of the pastors is explained by their title. The central episcopacy of forty-eight was regarded as indicated by prophecy, being foreshown in the forty-eight boards of the Mosaic tabernacle.

Twelve Tribes

For ecclesiastical purposes the church universal was under their charge in twelve tribes; for Christendom is considered to be divided into twelve portions or tribes, each tribe being under the special charge of an apostle and his coministers. The seat of the Apostolic College was at Albury, near Guildford. The apostles always held the supreme authority, though, as their number dwindled, coadjutors were appointed to assist the survivors, and to exercise the functions of the apostolate. The last apostle, Francis Valentine Woodhouse, died on February 3, 1901.

Schisms

After the death of three apostles in 1855 the apostolate declared that there was no reason to call new apostles. Two callings of substitutes ("Jesus calleth thee Apostolic Messenger. He would use thee Coadjutor for him whom He hath gathered to Himself.") were explained by the apostolate in 1860 as Coadjutors to the remaining apostles. After this event another apostle was called in Germany in 1862 by the prophet Heinrich Geyer. The English apostles didn't agree with this calling, and therefore the Hamburg congregation with its 'angel' F.W. Schwartz were excommunicated and founded the Allgemeine Christliche Apostolische Mission (ACAM) in 1863 and the Dutch branch of the Restored Apostolic Mission Church (at first known as Apostolische Zending, since 1893 officially registered as Hersteld Apostolische Zendingkerk (HAZK)). By means of another schism in the ACAM in 1879 in Germany and in the Dutch HAZK in 1897, the New Apostolic Church was founded (until the 1960's registered as Hersteld Apostolische Zendinggemeente in de Eenheid der Apostelen. The name New Apostolic Church was used in Germany since 1907).

Liturgy

For the service of the church a comprehensive book of liturgies and offices was provided by the apostles. The first impression dates from 1842 and is based on the Anglican, Roman and Greek liturgies. Lights, incense, vestments, holy water, chrism, and other adjuncts of worship were in constant use. The complete ceremony could be seen in the church in Gordon Square, London, and elsewhere. The daily worship consisted of matins with proposition (or exposition) of the sacrament at 6 AM, prayers at 9 AM and 3 PM, and vespers at 5 PM. On all Sundays and holy days there was a solemn celebration of the eucharist at the high altar; on Sundays this was at 10 AM. On other days low celebrations were held in the side-chapels, which with the chancel in all churches correctly built after apostolic directions are separated or marked off from the nave by open screens with gates. The community has always laid great stress on symbolism, and in the Eucharist, while rejecting both transubstantiation and consubstantiation, held

Ministry

Each congregation was presided over by its angel or bishop; under him were twenty-four priests at most, divided into the four ministries of elders, prophets, evangelists, and pastors, and with these were the deacons, seven of whom regulated the temporal affairs of the church; moreover there were also underdeacons, acolytes, singers, and doorkeepers. The understanding was that each elder, with his co-presbyters and deacons, should have charge of 500 adult communicants in his district; but this had been only partially carried into practice. This was the full constitution of each particular church or congregation as founded by the restored apostles, each local church thus reflecting in its government the government of the Catholic church by the angel or high priest Jesus Christ, and His twenty-four apostles.

The priesthood was supported by tithes; it was deemed a duty on the part of all members of the church who received yearly incomes to offer a tithe of their income every week, besides the free-will offering for the support of the place of worship, and for the relief of distress. Each local church sent a tithe of its tithes to the Temple, by which the ministers of the Universal Church were supported and its administrative expenses defrayed; by these offerings, too, the needs of poorer churches were supplied.

The Catholic Apostolic Church claimed to have had among its clergy many clerics of the Roman, Anglican and other churches, the orders of those ordained by Greek, Roman and Anglican bishops being recognized by it with the simple confirmation of an apostolic act.

Number of congregations and members

Estimated membership at the beginning of the 20th century was 200.000, in almost 1000 congregations worldwide, spread as follows: England: 315, Scotland 28, Ireland: 6, Germany: 348, Netherlands: 17, Austria/Hungary: 8, Switzerland: 41, Norway: 10, Sweden: 15, Danmark: 59, Russia, Finland, Poland en de Baltic States: 18, France: 7, Belgium: 3, Italy: 2, USA: 29, Canada: 13, Australia: 15, New Zealand: 5.

Adventist Theology

John S. Davenport explained their theology by saying that the changes which attend the Coming of the Lord will not be such as will attract the attention or the gaze of men.

The pending judgments, such as are announced by the seven trumpets - the political, ecclesiastical, and social changes which they involve, will seem to come about as ordinary events in human history, produced by the changes that were working in society.

The rising up of the Antichrist and his full revelation will appear as the outcome of changes of opinion that have been going on for a long time, and will be upon men before they are aware of it.

It is only they who are looking for the Lord's appearing, who have received with faith and reverence the warnings of the great event, who will recognize its tokens and not be taken by surprise.

The Seven Signs of the Apocalypse:

• The Great Tribulation-the seven year global conflict described in the Book of Revelation; Armageddon;
• The Abomination - a great holocaust prophesied in the Book of Daniel which will be inflicted upon God's chosen people;
• The Particle Bomb - the ultimate weapon, described in the Bible, to be unleashed on mankind;
• The Wolf of the Apocalypse - the beast of Revelation, the Antichrist, who will plunge humanity into great darkness;
• The Lamb of God - the second incarnation of the Son of Man, the Light of the world;
• The Great Mourning - a period when all nations will mourn as they see the Son of Man in clouds of glory, described in the Gospel of Matthew;
• The Dry Bones Prophecy - the restoration of Israel, as prophesied in the Books of Ezekiel and Isaiah.

Inspired by outbreaks of glossolalia (speaking in tongues), agalliasis (manifestations of the Spirit), and miraculous healing, they grew at an alarming rate. When the last apostle died in 1901 without an appearance of the 'Light of the World', the Catholic Apostolic Church merely vanished, because without apostles no more priests could be consecrated.

Recent Developments

Actually there are still existing communities in Germany and other countries.

The Catholic Apostolic Church obviously still attracts people a lot as there are some new foundations in Germany and Switzerland. But there are no contacts between the "old" and "new" communities.

For the first time ever a member of the Catholic Apostolic Church gathered with representatives of other apostolic groups on the occasion of a study day at the University of Halle-Wittenberg, Germany in June 2005.

Internal literature

For further details of doctrines, ritual, etc., see amongst others:

• Robert Norton: Restoration of Apostles and Prophets, (Bosworth) London.
• John Bate Cardale Readings on the Liturgy,
• The Church and Tabernacle
• The Purpose of God in Creation and Redemption (6th ed., 1888)

Other literature

• G.C. Flegg: Gathered Under Apostles; A Study of the Catholic Apostolic Church; Oxford, 1992. - ISBN 019826335X
• Edward Miller: The History and Doctrines of Irvingism or of the so-called Catholic Apostolic Church in two vols. - Vol. I & II; (C. Kegan Paul & Co.) London, 1878; reprinted by in 2004. - ISBN 1402116527 (paperback - Vol. I) or ISBN 1402116519 (hardcover - Vol. I) & ISBN 1402116543 (paperback Vol. II) or ISBN 1402116535 (hardcover Vol. II).
• A.L. Drummond: Edward Irving and his Circle; London, 1934.
• P.E. Shaw: The Catholic Apostolic Church, sometimes called Irvingite (A Historical Study); New York, 1946.
• Rowland A. Davenport: Albury Apostles; London, 1973; translated as Albury Apostel; (Oculi Verlag) Hannover, 2004. – ISBN 3-0806418-X.
• J.A. Schröter: Die katholisch-apostolischen Gemeinden in Deutschland und der Fall Geyer / The Catholic-Apostolic Church in Germany and the "Geyer" case; 2. edition, Marburg, 1998 - ISBN 3-8288-9014-8
• Johannes Albrecht Schröter: Bilder zur Geschichte der Katholisch-apostolischen Gemeinden / Images Of The History Of The Catholic Apostolic Church; (Glaux Verlag Christine Jäger KG) Jena, 2001. - ISBN 3-931743-42-X

Katholisch-Apostolische Kirche Katholiek Apostolische Kerk Église catholique apostolique