It has been called the structural law of biblical salvation history: the principle of substitution. Even the New Apostolic Church’s understanding of salvation for the departed is founded upon this. Following is the story of where the fundamental model originates—and where it ultimately leads.

This is about an object of faith so great that it does not fit into a single divine service. Good thing October has five Sundays. There will be plenty of opportunity to contemplate God’s creation, and from five different angles to boot.

Is the divine service for the departed some sort of spiritualistic practice? Hardly! Anyone who claims such a thing would be contradicting the facts! After all, scholarship sees these two as polar opposites in several decisive points.

Sacraments can also be of help to the departed. This is not only professed by the New Apostolic faith, but is also taught in the Catholic Church and in Orthodox Christianity. Following is a look at the bigger picture.

It looks no different than usual: Apostles dispense the sacraments—this time to two designated ministers—and the congregation stands and prays along silently. And yet, this is a highly solemn moment that has touched the faithful for generations.

Things got off to a turbulent start. But step by step the New Apostolic Church has put order into its sacraments for the departed. Once the practical part had been brought into line, the theory followed suit. Here is the history in fast-forward mode.

Can the departed receive salvation too? The question is as old as Christianity itself. The answer of the New Apostolic Church is not even all that new—and nevertheless, it is unusual. Here is the story of how the sacraments for the departed came to be dispensed.

Vicarious baptism is a biblical pillar that supports the New Apostolic Church’s conception of salvation for the departed. An episcopal council is said to have forbidden it. This is how the story usually goes, but it is not quite correct. Here is the background and how it came to the decision.

There is one particular Bible verse that has been giving interpreters a lot of headaches—and for the last 1,800 years to boot. And yet it is precisely this passage that constitutes the third pillar supporting the New Apostolic Church’s conception of salvation for the departed. Ultimately it boils down to a question of the power of a sacrament.

God wants to help all human beings, both the living and the dead. This conviction can already be found among the earliest Christians and is confirmed by the biblical motif of Christ’s descent into the realm of the dead—and corroborates the New Apostolic concept of the departed.

Friendships need to be cultivated, especially when they span the Atlantic. And this is why a Swiss national, a well-known figure, dropped in on the Youth Symphony Orchestra Argentina just a few days ago.

The liturgical calendar for June is distinguished by two celebrations: one of them is well known, the other one deserves more attention. Here is what we can look forward to on the four Sundays in June.

There are three pillars that support the New Apostolic Church’s understanding of salvation for the departed. The first one is the answer to the question: “What does God desire?” — The Bible has a great deal to say on that subject, namely that all human beings are to be saved.

How can we be close to someone without being together? Opening new horizons for our annual motto “Together in Christ”. A new perspective from District Apostle John Kriel of South Africa.

Sacraments for the departed? That only makes sense if people can still change in death. Judging by the teachings of their church, the majority of Christians believe in a chance in the afterlife. But there are big differences between the churches.

Sacraments for the dead? It would be unthinkable without the immortality of the soul. Yet this notion is only beginning to evolve in the Bible. Here is how today’s understanding of an afterlife came into being.

The dead are not truly dead—at least not for God. For God there is no dividing line between life on earth and life in the hereafter. That is what Christians believe, and that is also what the Bible states. Here is an overview of how sacramental acts are dispensed for the dead.

Jesus the good shepherd, various folds in different stables, and the search for the lost sheep… The Chief Apostle recently developed this old and well-known biblical image in a surprising new way.