Christianity: Details about 'New Apostolic Church'
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The New Apostolic Church (NAC) is an chiliastic church, existing since 1879 in Germany and since 1897 in the Netherlands. It came forth from the Hamburg schism in 1863 in the Catholic Apostolic Church, which was founded in 1847 in England and started in the 1830s as an renewal movement in among others the Anglican Church and Church of Scotland.
HistoryThrough prophecies in England in 1832 John Bate Cardale was called as the first apostle of the second sending. Until 1835 eleven more men from various Christian denominations, social positions and religious training were called to the new founded apostleministry. After a long period of combined preparation, these apostles started to travel around the world, preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. The mean point of their gospel was the presently return of Jesus Christ and spreading the sacrament of the Holy Sealing (to be compared with confirmation). After the death of three apostles in 1855 the apostolate declared that there was no reason to call new apostles. Two callings of substitutes 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 splitted up to the Allgemeine Christliche Apostolische Mission in 1863 and the Dutch branch of the Restored Apostolic Mission Church (at first known as Apostolische Zending, since 1893 officialy registered as Hersteld Apostolische Zendingkerk (HAZK)).While the English apostles were dying, the new generation of German apostles started to spread "the word" around the world. After a second schism in 1897 in the Netherlands, the number of twelve apostles was bygone and more men were ordained as apostles. In 1907 the name of the church in Germany was changed into New Apostolic Church. In the Netherlands the name Hersteld Apostolische Zendinggemeente in de Eenheid der Apostelen (HAZEA) that was adopted after the schism of 1897, was maintained until the 1960s. The New Apostolic Church formed a central ruling ministry in form of the "Chief Apostle". Parallel to the progress of the new apostolic denomination there occurred splittings throughout the world on several occasions. The reasons for these splittings were different but mainly related with the central ministry of the Chief Apostle and its claim for supremacy. The first big split occurred in Saxonia in 1921. The New Apostolic Chief Apostle Hermann Niehaus was led more and more by emotions, dreams and visions after 1914. The Saxonian Apostle Brückner became the solicitor for all those who critized the spiritual views of the Chief Apostle and the worshipping of his person. The different opinions led to the exclusion of Apostle Brückner and some thousand believers in 1921. The excluded founded the "Reformiert-Apostolischer Gemeindebund." The main reason for the great splittings of the New Apostolic Church in Switzerland 1954 and West-Germany 1955 was the new teaching in 1951 of the then reigning Chief Apostle Johann Gottfried Bischoff. This teaching presumed that he would not die before Jesus Christ returned to take the predestined into his kingdom (First Resurrection). In 1954 this teaching, called "The Botschaft," became an official dogma. Those ministries especially the apostles who did not preach this lost their office and were excluded from the New Apostolic Church. Chief Apostle Bischoff died in 1960, without his dogma being fulfilled. There was no restoration of the excommunicated ministries to this day. On May 1st, 2005 a document of first steps of reconciliation was signed by the Swiss New Apostolic Church and the United Apostolic Church in Switzerland (=Vereinigung Apostolischer Christen). The various communities and congregations which evolved out of these conflicts in different countries (Australia, Europe, South Africa) gathered 1956 in the "United Apostolic Church". DoctrineThe New Apostolic Church sees herself as the salvation work of Jesus Christ and is strongly expecting the return of Jesus Christ in the near future, aiming to be led into heaven when Jesus Christ returns on earth. The base of this faith is found in the Bible. The New Apostolic Church knows three sacraments: Holy Baptism with water
Holy Communion
Holy Sealing
OrganisationThe headoffice of the New Apostolic Chuch is located in Zurich, Switzerland. From here the worldwide church is led. The church is split up in several regional churches, covering entire countries or continents. The NAC finances herself thanks to voluntarily gifts of the churchmembers. The NAC doesn't collect taxes. The received money is used for building maintenance, social aid and aid to the developing countries. The church is politically neutral and expects her members to comply with the local laws. Worldwide the NAC has eleven million members spread over all continents. MinistriesThe ministries in the NAC are hierarchical. Only men can carry a ministry. The different ministries are: Apostles
PriestsThe different priestly ministries work in the local parishes and have responsibility for the direct spiritual care of the parishioners. Priestly ministries can carry out the holy baptism and the holy communion. Unless an apostle is present, the priests lead the service. Sometimes priests are sent out by a bishop or elder to lead divine service in a nearby parish.
Deacons
Neuapostolische Kirche Iglesia Nueva Apostólica Église néo-apostolique Nieuw-Apostolische Kerk Neuapostolische Kirche Nyapostoliska kyrkan
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