Britannica Sources used in this answer

What does apostolic succession mean for Anglican bishops?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

Anglicanism The stately Canterbury Cathedral in Kent, England. The cathedral is the seat of the archbishop of Canterbury, the mother church of the Church of England and the worldwide Anglican Communion, and part of a UNESCO World Heritage site.

In Anglicanism, apostolic succession refers to the belief that bishops represent a direct, uninterrupted line of continuity from the original Apostles of Jesus Christ. This doctrine holds that the authority and ministry of the church are transmitted through successive ordinations of bishops, which is considered necessary for a valid ministry and the administration of sacraments.123

While Anglicans maintain this historic succession, they generally do not commit to any specific theological theory regarding how that ministry is conveyed. Furthermore, interpretations of its necessity vary within the tradition:4
* Some Anglicans view the episcopacy as essential to the "being" of the church.1
* Others consider it necessary only to the "well-being" of the church, which allows for more flexible ecumenical relationships with Protestant groups that may not share the same view of apostolic succession.1

The "historic episcopate" remains one of the four foundational points of the Lambeth Quadrilateral, serving as a basis for the Anglican Communion's discussions regarding unity with other Christian denominations.5