Ecumenical Aspects of the Apostolicity of Church in the grasp of „Sister Churches”

Abstract

The apostolicity in the grasp of “Sister Churches” (Roman-Catholic Church and Orthodox Church) belongs to the crucial features of Christ Church. Therefore, the apostolicity cannot be analyzed without “unicity, sancticity and catholicity/ universality”. The above notions are interdependent and mutually clarified. Although both of the confessional traditions act on the basis of their own hermeneutical principles relative to understanding and justification of this important quality of Christ Church, they are united by the common fact of the evident recognition of the apostolicity exemplifying the authentication of the Church as such, including the ecclesiastical regime and structure of the Church of Apostolic era. Both “Sister Churches” own also a common supporting point of ecclesiological reflection concerning the apostolicity, namely the true essence of the apostolicity of Church is not to comprehend without reporting to the Christ’s mission as well as the mission of Holy Spirit. However there still exist difficult questions connected with the notion of the apostolicity of Church, the recent documents which relate to the Catholic – Orthodox dialogue raise our hope and the Finnish document from Uusi Valamo (1988) is its attestation.