Porvoo Communion

In Christianity, the doctrine of Apostolic Succession (or the belief that the Church is 'apostolic') maintains that the Christian Church today is the spiritual successor of the Church of the Apostles. Different Christian denominations interpret this doctrine in different ways. While in many churches it is seen as the basis for episcopacy in general, the case of St.Peter's apostolic succession as head of the church is also the basis for the specific claim of universal primate, notably in the Catholic papacy (where it implies supreme au ...

Including:

• Apostolic Succession - Mainstream Christianity
• Apostolic Succession - Apostolicity as episcopal continuity
• Apostolic Succession - Apostolicity as doctrinal continuity
• Apostolic Succession - Latter-day Saints Mormons
• Apostolic Succession - Jehovah's Witnesses

Read more here: » Apostolic Succession: Encyclopedia - Apostolic Succession

The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England, and acts as the 'mother' and senior branch of the worldwide Anglican Communion, as well as a founding member of the Porvoo Communion. Church of England - Theology and sociology. The Church of England considers itself to stand both in a reformed tradition and in a catholic (but not Roman Catholic) church tradition: Reformed insofar as many of the principles of the Protestant Reformation have influenced it, and insofar as ...

Including:

• Church of England - Theology and sociology
• Church of England - Governance and administration
• Church of England - Appointments
• Church of England - History
• Church of England - Related churches
• Church of England - Financial situation
• Church of England - External link

Read more here: » Church of England: Encyclopedia - Church of England

The Church of Norway (Den norske kirke), also known as the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Norway, is the state church of Norway, to which 86% of Norwegians are members. The Church of Norway professes the Lutheran branch of Christianity, and is a member of the Porvoo Communion. Church of Norway - Organization. The Church of Norway is established as the state church of Norway in the Constitution of Norway, and its supreme governor is the reigning monarch of Norway, who is obliged to profess hims ...

Including:

• Church of Norway - Organization
• Church of Norway - History
• Church of Norway - Current issues

Read more here: » Church of Norway: Encyclopedia - Church of Norway

Full communion is completeness of that relationship between Christian individuals and groups which is known as communion. Implying a unity unbroken by heresy or schism, it requires agreement on essential doctrine and practice and a willingness to have close relations. Absolute uniformity in theology and usage is not necessary: provided that this essential unity is maintained, different unders ...

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Lutheranism - Early history. Lutheranism as a movement traces its origin to the work of Martin Luther, a German religious scholar who sought to reform the practices of the Roman Catholic Church in the early 16th century. The symbolic beginning of the Reformation occurred on October 31, 1517, which Lutherans and other Protestants regard as Reformation Day, when Doctor Luther posted an open invitation to debate his 95 theses concerning the t ...

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Lutheranism, Lutheranism - History of Lutheranism, Lutheranism - Early history, Lutheranism - Religious war, Lutheranism - Results of the Lutheran Reformation, Lutheranism - Lutheran doctrine, Lutheranism - The Holy Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions, Lutheranism - Central doctrines, Lutheranism - Lutheran religious practices, Lutheranism - Lutheran ecumenism, Lutheranism - Lutheranism in North America, Lutheranism - Denominational organization, Lutheranism - Inter-denomination relations, Lutheranism - Lutheran publishers, Lutheranism - Modern Lutheranism in Europe, Lutheranism - Lutherans in Australia, Lutheranism - International bodies, Lutheranism - External link

Read more here: » Lutheranism: Encyclopedia II - Lutheranism - History of Lutheranism

Apostolic Succession - Apostolicity as episcopal continuity. The Catholic Church (including its Oriental and Eastern rites), Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, Assyrian, Anglican, Old Catholic, Independent Catholic, and some Lutheran Churches hold that apostolic succession is maintained through the consecration of their bishops in unbroken personal succession back to the apostles but these Churches do not necessarily interpret this "succession" identically. In Catholic and Orthodox theology, the unbrokenness of ...

See also:

Apostolic Succession, Apostolic Succession - Mainstream Christianity, Apostolic Succession - Apostolicity as episcopal continuity, Apostolic Succession - Apostolicity as doctrinal continuity, Apostolic Succession - Latter-day Saints Mormons, Apostolic Succession - Jehovah's Witnesses

Read more here: » Apostolic Succession: Encyclopedia II - Apostolic Succession - Mainstream Christianity

The Church of Norway is established as the state church of Norway in the Constitution of Norway, and its supreme governor is the reigning monarch of Norway, who is obliged to profess himself/herself to the Lutheran faith. It is subject to legislation and budgeting passed in the Norwegian parliament, Stortinget and is administered through the Department of Churches. It is subject to further governance through a synodal and episcopal structure, all based on the division of Norway into 11 dioceses, namely: Oslo, seated in Os ...

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Church of Norway, Church of Norway - Organization, Church of Norway - History, Church of Norway - Current issues

Read more here: » Church of Norway: Encyclopedia II - Church of Norway - Organization

The Church of England, although an established church, does not receive any direct government support. Donations comprise its largest source of income, though it also relies heavily on the income from its various historic endowments. As of 2005, the Church of England had estimated total outgoings of around £900 million. Historically, individual parishes both raised and spent the vast majority of the Church's funding, meaning that clergy pay depended on the wealth of the parish, and parish advowsons (the right to appoint clergy to par ...

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Church of England, Church of England - Theology and sociology, Church of England - Governance and administration, Church of England - Appointments, Church of England - History, Church of England - Related churches, Church of England - Financial situation, Church of England - External link

Read more here: » Church of England: Encyclopedia II - Church of England - Financial situation

Lutheranism - The Holy Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions. The formal principle of Lutheranism and one of the signature teachings of the Lutheran Reformation is the teaching named Sola scriptura -- "Scripture alone." Lutherans believe that the Bible is divinely inspired and is the final authority for all matters of faith and doctrine. Lutherans also hold that the Holy Scripture is explained and interpreted by the Book of Concord -- a series of Confessions of faith composed by Lutherans in ...

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Lutheranism, Lutheranism - History of Lutheranism, Lutheranism - Early history, Lutheranism - Religious war, Lutheranism - Results of the Lutheran Reformation, Lutheranism - Lutheran doctrine, Lutheranism - The Holy Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions, Lutheranism - Central doctrines, Lutheranism - Lutheran religious practices, Lutheranism - Lutheran ecumenism, Lutheranism - Lutheranism in North America, Lutheranism - Denominational organization, Lutheranism - Inter-denomination relations, Lutheranism - Lutheran publishers, Lutheranism - Modern Lutheranism in Europe, Lutheranism - Lutherans in Australia, Lutheranism - International bodies, Lutheranism - External link

Read more here: » Lutheranism: Encyclopedia II - Lutheranism - Lutheran doctrine

In the U.S., congregations are grouped into over 20 different denominations. By far the largest is the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The next largest is the more conservative Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod (LCMS). More conservative than the LCMS are two synods that are in communion with each other: the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS) and the Evangelical Lutheran Synod(ELS). These denominations provide seminaries, pastoral care, and Sunday School and liturgical materials. Local congregations contri ...

See also:

Lutheranism, Lutheranism - History of Lutheranism, Lutheranism - Early history, Lutheranism - Religious war, Lutheranism - Results of the Lutheran Reformation, Lutheranism - Lutheran doctrine, Lutheranism - The Holy Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions, Lutheranism - Central doctrines, Lutheranism - Lutheran religious practices, Lutheranism - Lutheran ecumenism, Lutheranism - Lutheranism in North America, Lutheranism - Denominational organization, Lutheranism - Inter-denomination relations, Lutheranism - Lutheran publishers, Lutheranism - Modern Lutheranism in Europe, Lutheranism - Lutherans in Australia, Lutheranism - International bodies, Lutheranism - External link

Read more here: » Lutheranism: Encyclopedia II - Lutheranism - Lutheranism in North America

The three largest international Lutheran bodies are the Lutheran World Federation (LWF), of which the ELCA is a member; the International Lutheran Council (ILC), of which the LCMS and the LCC are members; and the Confessional Evangelical Lutheran Conference(CELC), of which the WELS and ELS are members. The Lutheran World Federation supports the activities of Lutheran World Relief, a relief and development agency active in more than 50 countries. These three communions together con ...

See also:

Lutheranism, Lutheranism - History of Lutheranism, Lutheranism - Early history, Lutheranism - Religious war, Lutheranism - Results of the Lutheran Reformation, Lutheranism - Lutheran doctrine, Lutheranism - The Holy Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions, Lutheranism - Central doctrines, Lutheranism - Lutheran religious practices, Lutheranism - Lutheran ecumenism, Lutheranism - Lutheranism in North America, Lutheranism - Denominational organization, Lutheranism - Inter-denomination relations, Lutheranism - Lutheran publishers, Lutheranism - Modern Lutheranism in Europe, Lutheranism - Lutherans in Australia, Lutheranism - International bodies, Lutheranism - External link

Read more here: » Lutheranism: Encyclopedia II - Lutheranism - International bodies

At present (2005) around 9% of the Australian population call themselves Lutherans. Most Lutherans in Australia are members of congregations that form the synod Lutheran Church of Australia (LCA). At present the Lutheran Church of Australia has elected only to be an associate member of the two large world wide Lutheran fellowships, LWF and ILC. More conservative groups of Australian Lutherans exist as the Evangelical Lutheran Congregations of the Reformation ...

See also:

Lutheranism, Lutheranism - History of Lutheranism, Lutheranism - Early history, Lutheranism - Religious war, Lutheranism - Results of the Lutheran Reformation, Lutheranism - Lutheran doctrine, Lutheranism - The Holy Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions, Lutheranism - Central doctrines, Lutheranism - Lutheran religious practices, Lutheranism - Lutheran ecumenism, Lutheranism - Lutheranism in North America, Lutheranism - Denominational organization, Lutheranism - Inter-denomination relations, Lutheranism - Lutheran publishers, Lutheranism - Modern Lutheranism in Europe, Lutheranism - Lutherans in Australia, Lutheranism - International bodies, Lutheranism - External link

Read more here: » Lutheranism: Encyclopedia II - Lutheranism - Lutherans in Australia

Lutheranism is the state religion in most of the Nordic countries: Norway, Denmark, Finland, and Iceland. In these countries, the churches are supported directly by taxes. The church tax, an income tax of about 1–2%, is collected only from the members of the church, but the church also gets its share from other taxes such as the municipal corporation tax. Priests are educated at the Faculties of Theology of the state universities. With the extension of the European Union, the status of state churches is largely revised; they remain a State ...

See also:

Lutheranism, Lutheranism - History of Lutheranism, Lutheranism - Early history, Lutheranism - Religious war, Lutheranism - Results of the Lutheran Reformation, Lutheranism - Lutheran doctrine, Lutheranism - The Holy Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions, Lutheranism - Central doctrines, Lutheranism - Lutheran religious practices, Lutheranism - Lutheran ecumenism, Lutheranism - Lutheranism in North America, Lutheranism - Denominational organization, Lutheranism - Inter-denomination relations, Lutheranism - Lutheran publishers, Lutheranism - Modern Lutheranism in Europe, Lutheranism - Lutherans in Australia, Lutheranism - International bodies, Lutheranism - External link

Read more here: » Lutheranism: Encyclopedia II - Lutheranism - Modern Lutheranism in Europe

Lutherans believe in ecumenism, the idea that there is a single Christian church, and a single Christian faith. They do not believe any one church to be singularly true in its teachings. This belief is ingrained in the Lutheran confessions, and reflects the history of Lutheranism as a reform movement rather than a separatist movement. For that reason, a number of modern Lutheran denominations, now largely separated from state control, are reaching out to other Lutheran denominations as well as other Christian denominations. However, more conservative varieties of Lutheran strive to maintain historical distinctiveness, emph ...

See also:

Lutheranism, Lutheranism - History of Lutheranism, Lutheranism - Early history, Lutheranism - Religious war, Lutheranism - Results of the Lutheran Reformation, Lutheranism - Lutheran doctrine, Lutheranism - The Holy Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions, Lutheranism - Central doctrines, Lutheranism - Lutheran religious practices, Lutheranism - Lutheran ecumenism, Lutheranism - Lutheranism in North America, Lutheranism - Denominational organization, Lutheranism - Inter-denomination relations, Lutheranism - Lutheran publishers, Lutheranism - Modern Lutheranism in Europe, Lutheranism - Lutherans in Australia, Lutheranism - International bodies, Lutheranism - External link

Read more here: » Lutheranism: Encyclopedia II - Lutheranism - Lutheran ecumenism

Lutherans generally place great emphasis on a liturgical approach to worship services. Music forms a large part of a traditional Lutheran service. Lutheran hymns are sometimes known as chorales, and Luther himself composed hymns and hymn tunes, the most famous of which is "A Mighty Fortress is Our God" ("Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott"). Lutheran hymnody is reputed for its doctrinal, didactic and musical riches. Many Lutheran churches are active musically with choirs, hand-bell choirs, children's choirs and sometimes carillon societies (to ring bells in a bell tower). Johann Sebastian Bach ...

See also:

Lutheranism, Lutheranism - History of Lutheranism, Lutheranism - Early history, Lutheranism - Religious war, Lutheranism - Results of the Lutheran Reformation, Lutheranism - Lutheran doctrine, Lutheranism - The Holy Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions, Lutheranism - Central doctrines, Lutheranism - Lutheran religious practices, Lutheranism - Lutheran ecumenism, Lutheranism - Lutheranism in North America, Lutheranism - Denominational organization, Lutheranism - Inter-denomination relations, Lutheranism - Lutheran publishers, Lutheranism - Modern Lutheranism in Europe, Lutheranism - Lutherans in Australia, Lutheranism - International bodies, Lutheranism - External link

Read more here: » Lutheranism: Encyclopedia II - Lutheranism - Lutheran religious practices

Main article: History of the Church of England The Church of England traces its formal corporate history from the 597 Augustinian mission, stresses its continuity and identity with the primitive universal Western church, and notes the consolidation of its particular independent and national character in the post-Reformation events of Tudor England. Christianity arrived in Britain in the first or second centuries (probably via the tin trade route through Ireland and Spain), and existed independently of the Church of Rome, ...

See also:

Church of England, Church of England - Theology and sociology, Church of England - Governance and administration, Church of England - Appointments, Church of England - History, Church of England - Related churches, Church of England - Financial situation, Church of England - External link

Read more here: » Church of England: Encyclopedia II - Church of England - History

The Church of Norway traces its origins to the introduction of Christianity to Norway in the 800s. It took several hundred years to convert Norway to Christianity, culminating in the Battle of Stiklestad. By the end of the 1100s, the Roman Catholic archbishopric of Nidaros (in today's Trondheim) covered all of Norway, parts of Sweden, Iceland, Greenland, the Isle of Man, the Orkney Islands, the Shetland Is ...

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Church of Norway, Church of Norway - Organization, Church of Norway - History, Church of Norway - Current issues

Read more here: » Church of Norway: Encyclopedia II - Church of Norway - History

Jehovah's Witnesses teach that apostolic succession is an erroneous doctrine. They base this teaching on the accounts of the replacement of Judas Iscariot and the death of the apostle James. In Acts Chapter 1, Peter says: "Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus, because he had been numbered among us and he obtained a share in this ministry... For it is written in the book of Psalms, ‘Let his lodging place become desolate, and let there be no dweller in it,’ and, ‘H ...

See also:

Apostolic Succession, Apostolic Succession - Mainstream Christianity, Apostolic Succession - Apostolicity as episcopal continuity, Apostolic Succession - Apostolicity as doctrinal continuity, Apostolic Succession - Latter-day Saints Mormons, Apostolic Succession - Jehovah's Witnesses

Read more here: » Apostolic Succession: Encyclopedia II - Apostolic Succession - Jehovah's Witnesses

There is continuous discussion about separating church and state in Norway, and there appears to be a majority both within the Storting and the public to abolish it nowadays, while there historicly not has been majority to separate state and church. Nowadays, there are also discussions about helding an referendum about the separation-question. If State and Church should be separated, many thinks that the 200-years anniversary of the norwegian constitutuin in 2014 will be an actually time to separate state and church. While most Norwegians us ...

See also:

Church of Norway, Church of Norway - Organization, Church of Norway - History, Church of Norway - Current issues

Read more here: » Church of Norway: Encyclopedia II - Church of Norway - Current issues

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) has a similar, but unique position. The LDS claims that apostolic succession was broken during the Great Apostasy, or falling away from the teachings of Jesus Christ, and later restored in America. The LDS Church maintains that God the Father and His son, Jesus Christ, appeared to Joseph Smith, Jr. near Palmyra, New York in 1820 and called Joseph as a prophet to restore Christ's church to the earth with correct doctrines and practices. Near the time that Joseph formally organized the chur ...

See also:

Apostolic Succession, Apostolic Succession - Mainstream Christianity, Apostolic Succession - Apostolicity as episcopal continuity, Apostolic Succession - Apostolicity as doctrinal continuity, Apostolic Succession - Latter-day Saints Mormons, Apostolic Succession - Jehovah's Witnesses

Read more here: » Apostolic Succession: Encyclopedia II - Apostolic Succession - Latter-day Saints Mormons