Old Apostolic Church

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Old Apostolic Church Swellendam

The Old Apostolic Church is an Christian religious community, with historical roots in the Catholic Apostolic Church and the New Apostolic Church. The Old Apostolic Church is part of a branch of Christianity called Irvingism, and is separate from Protestantism.

History

The Old Apostolic Church's roots are found in the Catholic Apostolic Church, that was founded in 1832 by Henry Drummond, Edward Irving, and others.

Scheme of several Apostolic Churches inside and outside the Netherlands from 1830 until 2005. Click on the image to enlarge.

After the death of three Catholic Apostolic 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 Apostles did not agree with this calling, and therefore the larger part of the Hamburg congregation who followed their Bishop F.W. Schwartz in this schism were excommunicated. Out of this sprang 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)). This later became the New Apostolic Church.

In 1889 Evangelist Carl George Klibbe arrived in South Africa to begin mission work for the New Apostolic Church. He was ordained Apostle in 1893 by Apostle H.F. Niemeyer of Australia. At that time the office of Chief Apostle was not yet established and each Apostle functioned independently from one other. Due to the personality cult of Chief Apostle Hermann Niehaus, Niemeyer separated himself from the German branch of the Church and founded The Apostolic Church of Queensland in 1912.

The South African branch also severed all contact with the German branch, in fear of reprisal. The following reasons are given by the Old Apostolic Church for this act:

• Niehaus' ban on prophetic gifts (visions, dreams and prophecies),
• Niehaus' refusal to appoint Prophets,
• Niehaus' acceptance of the literal interpretation of the Bible,
• establishment of the office of Chief Apostle, and
• personality cult that formed around the Chief Apostle.

Niehaus tried to remove Klibbe from office and a counter-Apostle, Wilhelm Schlaphoff was appointed. In 1913 Klibbe was excommunicated from the New Apostolic Church. For some time, there were two conflicting organisations in South Africa using the name New Apostolic Church; the registered church under the leadership of Klibbe and a breakaway group under the counter-Apostle Schlaphoff.

Finally, in 1926, an agreement and settlement was reached between the two churches. The church that became independent in 1915 would change its name to the Old Apostolic Church, so that Schlaphoff could register the New Apostolic Church(Africa). The name "Old Apostolic Church" was chosen due to Klibbe's dedication to the original doctrine At the time of Klibbe's death on 22 May 1931 the Old Apostolic Church had more than 1 million adherents. Apostles Ernest Fredrick Willhelm Ninow, Carl Fredrick Willhelm Ninow and William Campbell were appointed by Klibbe as his successors before he died.

In mid 2006 three Apostles and their followers of the German church Apostelamt Jesu Christi joined the Old Apostolic Church. In the beginning of 2007 this German branch of the OAC was registered as Altapostolische Kirch e.v. (Deutschland).

At present the Old Apostolic Church is estimated to have around 2 million members in Africa (incredibly small church in comparison the Roman Catholic church which has 1000 million members worldwide) i and 30 000 in Europe. Congregations can be found in South Africa, Swaziland, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Botswana, Zambia, Malawi, USA, Canada, British Isles, Netherlands, Belgium, Australia, New Zealand and the United Arab Emirates (although nationalism and even sometimes racism are prevalent in those communities outside of Africa where they congregate, as the members are primarily former South African nationals fleeing SOuth Africa's ANC led government in fear of African leaders). The Old Apostolic Church is independent from the New Apostolic Church and the United Apostolic Church.

Schisms

The following groups broke away from the Old Apostolic Church:

• 1925 "Apostolic Church" under the leadership of Heinrich Velde, the son in law of Apostle Klibbe. This group became part of the Apostolic Church of South Africa - Apostle Unity and the United Apostolic Church.
• 1968 Twelve Apostles Church of Africa, due to doctrinal differences under the leadership of Helper-Apostle Ndlovu after he was removed from office.
• 1972 Reformed Old Apostolic Church under the leadership of Apostle Robert Lombard, broke away due to the unwillingness of the Old Apostolic Church leadership to take part in political debate concerning racial segregation, and a leadership dispute with other OAC Apostles concerning revelations received by Lombard. It was first established as the Non-White Old Apostolic Church but forced to change its name in a court case in 1975
• 1993 The Foundation of Apostles and Prophets Church, was founded by Vika, a former Helper-Apostle of the OAC who was removed from office for actively promoting politics in the church.

Organization

The leadership of the Old Apostolic Church is a body known as the Conference of Apostles. This body is responsible for all temporal and spiritual matters relating to the church. The conference of Apostles consists of all active and retired Apostles of the church. No single Apostle has a leadership role over other Apostles and the office of Chief Apostle or any other equivalent as is found in the New Apostolic Church or the Twelve Apostles' Church in Christ, is not recognized by the church. A Chairman is elected for a period of two years and do not have a vote, except in case of a tie.

The OAC is divided in districts for administrative purposes. There are currently nine districts, (Western Cape, Eastern Cape, Kwazulu-Natal, Free State/Northern Cape, Gauteng, Northern Districts, Botswana/Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Germany. Each district is under the control of the Forum of Apostles, which consists of the Apostles working out of that District Office.

The District Office is under the administrative leadership of the District Secretary, who is usually a Fourfold Officer (Overseer, Prophet, or Evangelist). The District Office also has welfare officers(minimal as the Church is not a charity - according to a four-fold officer) and staff to administer the church's funeral fund.

Each Apostle is responsible for a specific area known as an Apostleship. An Apostleship consists of several Overseerships.

An Overseership is led by a troika of an Overseer, Evangelist and Prophet. An Overseership is divided in several Elderships.

An Eldeship, under the leadership of an Elder might be one or several congregations, and consists of several Priests and Underdeacons. The Priest is responsible for the spiritual welfare of the congregants and is assisted by the Underdeacon who leads Bible study and evangelistic testimony.

Some Elders and Priests may receive specific responsibilities such as Evangelistic, Prophetic, Youth, Senior Citizens, Hospital Chaplaincy or Military and Police Chaplaincy.

Ministers in the OAC are appointed and ordained by the Apostle through the laying on of hands. They are chosen through the discernment of spiritual gifts given by God, and though they do not receive any theological training, doctrine and scriptures are taught through the breaking of bread within the Church, and by teachings which are inspired by the Holy Spirit and by the Scriptures. All ministers are lay persons, and do not receive any salaries.

Views

Ecumenism

The Old Apostolic Church is an exclusivist church and believe that it is the only path to salvation. According to the New Catechism of the Old Apostolic Church, there is no salvation outside of the church. Salvation may be taken away from members via an officer, if the officer believes they do not conform to the same values as the right-wing of the Church. Salvation is only obtained and maintained by being an active member within the body of Christ (the church). Members are taken up in the church after receiving testimony and is sealed by the laying of the hands of the Apostle which serves as confirmation of receiving the Holy Spirit. God electing new apostles in the modern times.

According to Question and Answer 10 in the New Catechism, not everyone that calls the name of the Lord will enter heaven. In Question and Answer 11, the authority to preach the Kingdom of Heaven was given only to the Apostles (of the Old Apostolic Church.

Other churches are not able to give salvation as it places human interests before the interests of God. Because of this human interests (also called the flesh), other churches are not willing to listen to the Spirit of God (officers of the OAC).

For some years, a relationship was maintained with the German Apostelamt Jesu Christi (AJC), a church with similar views. This relationship was broken when three AJC Apostles and several congregations formed the German branch of the Old Apostolic Church in 2006.

Politics

There have been a series of court cases, including schisms, racism, fraud (see Adams). The Old Apostolic Church is a free church. It is intrinsically separated from government (as opposed to a theocracy, or an "established" or state church). The Old Apostolic Church does not define government policy, nor have governments define church policy or theology, nor seek or receive government endorsement or funding for its general mission.

Members of the Old Apostolic Church are not allowed to become registered members of any political parties, stand for election, or openly declare their political views. The OAC do not support any political parties. Members are however allowed to vote.

Members must obey all laws of the countries in which they reside.

The leadership of the Old Apostolic Church did make some submissions to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (South Africa), and was the only Apostolic (Irvingist) Church to do so. The church policy stipulates that all assistance will be given to government.

The Old Apostolic Church's view on non-participation in politics has led to two schisms. In 1972 several coloured members formed the Reformed Old Apostolic Church, and in 1968 several black members formed the Twelve Apostles Church of Africa.

Bible

The Church believes the Bible being the works of men, and believes that it should be used allegorically and eisegetically (for their own benefit in an applied manner). The Old Apostolic Church recognises and uses the Authorised King James Version from 1611 (1580 years after Jesus died) as primary text. All Bibles used must be comparable to the Authorised King James Version. The Afrikaanse Ou Vertaling (Hersiene Uitgawe) is used in Afrikaans speaking congregations. In Germany the 1912 Luther Bible is used.

Before the introduction of the first Bible in Afrikaans in 1933, the Dutch Bible was used mostly among Afrikaans speaking members.

The Old Apostolic Church does not believe in the literal interpretation of the Bible and that the natural needs to be considered to understand the spiritual. The Bible should be interpreted spiritually or allegorical. The Bible is understood in a Natural and Spiritual way and Spiritual interpretation is preferred. The stories in the Bible are not historical events, but are lessons that have to be interpreted in the same way as the parables in the Gospels.

The Bible is not a source of authority, it must go hand in hand with the subjective views of an officer of the Church Holy Spirit to interpret the text. The Bible cannot give salvation but can lead the way to salvation which is by the grace of any officer or apostle within the Church. According to OAC beliefs no more texts can be added to the Bible, although some officers accept the Apocrypha, including the controversial book of Thomas and Gospel of Judas, which paint Jesus as an aggressor. Focus is placed on the fact that the Bible states that it is the prophecy of the book to which nothing can be added or removed rather than the more commonly followed view that it is the changing of the written text itself. The importance being mostly on the fact that it is the prophecy of the book that is of highest importance.

Salvation is by the grace of the Apostle, then the officers, then God, which is according to the OAC is in Jesus Christ and not in the Bible, though the Bible is used in teachings and testimonies to motivate the church. The church is not founded on the Bible, but on the Apostles of the Old Apostolic Church only, and Jesus Christ testifies to the Apostles piety and holiness, and the scriptures testify of Jesus Christ. Amen

Sacraments

The OAC believes that there are three sacraments; Holy Communion, Holy Baptism and Holy Sealing.

The OAC also believes that these sacraments can be given to the departed. This is performed by an Apostle by giving the sacraments to two substitutes (normally a Fourfold Officer and his wife). According to OAC belief, the dead do not enter the body of the substitute, but is a privilege giving to fourfold officers that the community may observe their high standing. Only one soul (the mind of the person) and one spirit (Holy Spirit) can be present within a body.

In popular culture

• In the novel Roepman by Jan van Tonder and the Afrikaans movie with the same name, Salmon, Erika's boyfriend is an "Old Apostle", and this is a cause of friction between Erika and her father who is a staunch member of the Dutch Reformed Church.

Sources

• Tang, M.J.: Het Apostolische Werk in Nederland.
• History of the New Apostolic Church in South East Africa
• History of the Apostolic Church of Queensland

External links

• Old Apostolic Church (Official Website)