Catholic Apologetics Online

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The Religion of the Bible

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A Definite Christian Faith

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Comparative Study of Non-Catholic Denominations

To and From Rome

Catholic Apostolic Church or Irvingites

1308. Do you recognise the "Catholic ApostolicChurch" of the Irvingites?

We recognize it merely as a comparatively new Protestant sectwhich really commenced its existence in 1835.

1309. How did this Church originate?

Its history must begin with the Rev. Edward Irving who was bornin 1792. Irving became a Presbyterian minister who preached withgreat success in Glasgow and London. He was of a mystical turn of mind, and got deeplyinterested in Biblical prophecies. As a result he began to preachthe imminent coming of Christ, enkindling considerable excitement.In 1833 he was deposed and expelled from the Presbyterian Churchfor heretical teachings about Christ, but the majority of hiscongregation adhered to him, and a new form of Protestantism wasdeveloped. Irving thought that the special gifts of the Holy Ghostto the early Christians, and even the Apostolate itself, wererestored to him and to his followers as a preparation for theSecond Coming of Christ. He died in 1834. In the following year hisfollowers organized what they called the "Catholic andApostolic Church," under the fond delusion that the meretaking of these names would indeed render them Catholic andApostolic. In reality, as I have said, they but formed a newProtestant sect.

1310. What are their main doctrines?

The Irvingites accept the Bible as the inspired Word of God, andthe Apostles', Nicene, and Athanasian Creeds. They believe alsoin the gift of tongues and the spirit of prophecy in their midst,and live in expectation of the early coming of Christ. Tithing ispart of their religion, or the giving to the Church by every memberof one-tenth of his earthly goods. Their worship is based on theEucharist, but they deny the Catholic doctrine ofTransubstantiation. In 1842 they drew up a liturgy based on Greek,Roman, and Anglican rites, making use of Catholic Massvestments.

1311. If it is an Episcopal Church, are its Ordersvalid?

The Irvingites are vaguely episcopal, though they have noBishops in the ordinary sense of the word. They believe in afourfold ministry of prophets, apostles, evangelists, and pastors.According to them, their apostles alone can minister the Holy Ghostby the laying on of hands, and alone have final doctrinalauthority. Their apostles, therefore, would be equivalent in theirview to Bishops. They claim that this ministry is valid if only byvirtue of the direct communication of the Holy Spirit,independently of any need of uninterrupted transmission from theApostles. But the whole thing is a structure of religiousimagination opposed to the teachings of the New Testament. And theCatholic Church certainly rejects their Orders as invalid, and thesect as but another peculiar form of Protestantism.

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MORE FROM VOLUME 2

• About the Author
• Introduction
  - Rev. Charles Mortimer Carty
• Preface
  - John Gregory Murray
  Archbishop of Saint Paul
• Forward
  - Dr Leslie Rumble, MSC

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