The member churches of the United Apostolic Church ( Vereinigung Apostolischer Gemeinden, Vereniging van Apostolische Gemeenten) are independent communities in the tradition of the catholic-apostolic revival movement which started in the beginning of the 19th century from England and Scotland.

The goal of their faith is the reconciliation of mankind with God and the union with Jesus Christ at his return. They want to spread and promote the Christian faith on the basis of Holy Scripture.

Organization

Actually nine churches are members of the United Apostolic Church which has been founded in Düsseldorf, Germany in 1956:

• Apostolic Church of Queensland (Australia)
• Apostolic Church of South Africa - Apostle Unity (South-Africa)
• Apostolische Gemeinschaft (Germany)
• Gemeente van Apostolische Christenen (Netherlands)
• Igreja Evangelica Apostolica (Brazil)
• Union des Chrétiens Apostoliques (France)
• United Apostolic Church (India)
• United Apostolic Church (Philippines)
• Vereinigung Apostolischer Christen (Switzerland)

Since 1994 the Apostolische Gemeinschaft in Germany incorporates also the Reformiert-Apostolischer Gemeindebund of the former German Democratic Republic.

The United Apostolic Churches are currently led by ten apostles:

• Ap. Baron, Knauth, Lieberth und Volkmer - Germany
• Ap. Den Haan - Netherlands
• Ap. Schaeffer - France
• Ap. Baltisberger - Switzerland

- India

• Ap. Erasmus - South Africa
• Ap. Flor und Dargusch - Australia

The Brazilian congregations are administered by Apostel Schaeffer from France. The Philippine congregations were founded and are administered by the Australian apostles.

The European members including India are very close in theological and organizational matters whereas there are more or less loose contacts as well as theological differences to Australia and South Africa.

History

Roots

The history of the denomination starts with the spiritual revival movement in the beginning of the 19th century. Scholars have listed many reasons for this movement, sociological as well as religious. In small circles where theologians and laymen of various churches and social classes, belonged to activities developed out of zeal of faith and longing for salvation.

One of the most important circles was that of the London banker and member of parliament Henry Drummond (1786-1860). In 1826 he invited about 30 clergymen and laymen for a conference in Albury Park to clear various interpretations of prophecies concerning the apocalypse under

When some members of the Albury-circle were excommunicated from their churches they gathered in new congregations which were called later Catholic-apostolic. Besides the enthusiast element the new congregations looked for order, too. Through foretelling and prophecy apostles were called and after further callings men were set to various ministries. Within two years prophets called 12 apostles equivalent to the 12 apostles of the new testament.

These new apostles travelled throughout the Christian countries in 1837 and 1838 to watch and learn about the situation of the churches. Afterwards they set up a liturgy for their congregations. Their first aim was not the foundation of new congregations but to fight for the unity of all denominations which form the one and only church. Because of excommunications from the established churches, congregations were founded in several countries. In 1836 the apostles wrote a manifest, called the Testimonium, to all church and state leaders of theChristian countries.

Splits

From 1855 onwards the first apostles died and it was decided that no further apostles should be called and ordained. This decision was controversial and the German prophet Geyer called a new apostle in 1863. This was not recognized by the leaders of the Catholic-Apostolic Church and led to the excommunication of Geyer and the congregation of Hamburg, Germany. Now, new churches developed in the Netherlands which were called the Hersteld Apostolische Zendingskerk and Allgemeine christlich-apostolische Mission in Germany, from whom the New Apostolic Church evolved since 1907. The latter formed a central ruling ministry in form of the Chief Apostle. Parallel to the progress of the new apostolic denomination there occurred splittings throughoutthe 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 ministry of a Chief Apostle cannot be proved by the Bible as well as no other church leader can derive his absolute power from the special position of Peter among the diciples.

The new apostolic Chief Apostle Niehaus was led more and more by emotions, dreams and visions after 1914. The Saxonian Apostle Brueckner 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 Brueckner and some thousand believers in 1921.

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 J.G. Bischoff. This teaching presumed that he would not die before Jesus Christ returns and takes the predestined into his kingdom (First Resurrection). In 1954 this teaching 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 rehabiblitation of the excommunicated ministries to this day. Although there have been first steps of reconciliation in Zwitserland in 2005.

Teaching

In the 1950s and early 1960s the teaching and the belief was mainly that of the New Apostolic Church. Starting in the 1970s the member churches of the United Apostolic Church made important new orientations and reforms in structural and in theological questions, respectively concerning the question of church, sacraments and ministries. They tried returning back to the roots of the Catholic-Apostolic Church.

The first sort of catechism of 1956 was completely revised and in 1984 und 1991 a new catechism "Book of Faith" was edited in 2 editions. The parts concerning the sacraments have been updated in July 2005. Also the creed has been changed then again. From 1956 to 1984 a modified new-apostolic creed with 9 articles has been in use. Then it was shortened to six articles and actually the ecumenical version of the Apostles' Creed is in use, without any specific denominational amendments.

Nature of the Church

The members of the United Apostolic Church consider themselves as a part of the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church. Membership is acquired with baptism only and does not depend on the sealing anymore. Baptism of other churches is fully recognized as well as the apostolic baptism is normally recognized as it has been procured in the name of trinity. The European members of the church are highly involved in ecumenical cooperation an try to join ecumenical organisations and institutions locally and regionally.

Understanding of the Apostle's ministry

The word "apostolic" refers to the sending from Jesus Christ, as the word "apostle" comes from the Greek apostelos, which means "one sent with a message." As one should not understand the word "Catholic" (universal) only in a denominational sense, so it is with the word "apostolic" (sent). Jesus Christ sent his disciples into the world to preach his gospel. "Apostolic" does not mean separation from other denominations, but correlation with the teaching of the apostles (see gospel, Acts of the Apostles).

The United Apostolic Church recogns the ministry of apostle as highest authority of responsability and teaching. It is not considered as necessary for salvation. This unsual title in free churches does not intend any thinking of exclusivity but only describes a service ordained by christ. It is not understood as only existing in the own church but potentially everywhere in the church of Christ even if this specific title is not used. All other ministries are supposed to be ordained by Christ directly and do not depend on the apostle's office. The general priesthood of all believers is becoming more and more popular. Besides the apostles there are bishops, elders, pastors, evangelists, priests and deacons. In 2003 the European apostles decided on female ordination and in 2004 the first three female deacons were ordained in Germany. Actually there are seven female deacons working in Germany and one in the Netherlands.

Sacraments

The United Apostolic Church knows and celebrates three sacraments: baptism, sealing and communion. These three are considered as different images of the one godly salvation.

Baptism is the rite of inition and the participation in the church of Christ. It is considered as rebirth with water and spirit. It is conducted with floating water and children can be baptized on the faith of their parents.

Communion is celebrated in a commemorative sense and as salvation from sin and reconciliation with God.

Sealing is the celebration of the Holy Spirit which came into the world on Pentecost. Through this spirit man is able to recognize Christ as his saviour and to grow in faith. It is not conducted on children before their confirmation at the age of 14 anymore. And - as a novelty among apostolic churches - it is not necessarily bound to the office of the apostle.

A monthly magazine, called The Herald is published since 1954, first of the Swiss Vereinigung Apostolischer Christen, nowadays the editorial is with the Apostolische Gemeinschaft in Düsseldorf, Germany.

External links

• United Apostolic Church Europe (UAC)

• Apostolic Church of Queensland (Australia)
• Vereinigung Apostolischer Christen (Switzerland)
• Apostolische Gemeinschaft (Germany)
• Gemeente van apostolische Christenen (Netherlands)

Vereniging van Apostolische Gemeenten Vereinigung Apostolischer Gemeinden Unión de comunidades apostólicas en Europa Union des Communautés Apostoliques