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. We are talking about the divine service for the departed that is celebrated in the New Apostolic Church. […]

One earth, many people; one Christianity, many denominations; one congregation, many hands. There are many ways to foster fellowship and in the process profess one’s beliefs, whether in cleaning up the environment, ecumenism, or putting women in the spotlight. Photo: Volker Kühnle Photo: Volker Kühnle Photo: Volker Kühnle Photo: Volker Kühnle Photo: Volker Kühnle Photo: […]

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. Construction work on the temple Obviously, Pentecost, the birthday of the church of Christ, is number one—the descent of […]

It began with positive steps towards one another that developed into a common path forward. Much has happened since the ecumenical work of the New Apostolic Church started 22 years ago. One of the initiators who has done a lot of work in this area has now stepped down. String quartet Photo: Jessica Kraemer Dr. […]

Sealing is a sacrament with a history. And its roots can be traced back to the early Christian centuries. Here is an overview of the ten articles in our series on this topic and a look ahead on what is up next. It is a must. Jesus Himself made this clear: “Most assuredly, I say […]

Whether it is considered a rite, a sacrament, or merely a side effect of baptism, the churches have very different ways of understanding how a Christian receives the Holy Spirit. And this diversity of perspectives has a tradition that goes back nearly 2,000 years. The manifesto might well have looked like this: God granted Christendom […]

What distinguishes the New Apostolic doctrine from that of other faiths? This question and others like it come up time and again. Depending on the context, the answer to this question can be longer or shorter. But most often it involves one key concept: Holy Sealing. The New Apostolic Church acknowledges three sacraments. And just […]

A menu in twenty courses—that’s what the nac.today series on the history and theology of Holy Communion has served up. Following is an overview of what has been covered—before we move on to Holy Sealing. The Lord’s Supper, Holy Communion, the Eucharist—these are the most familiar designations . Yet Jesus Christ did not provide a […]

Some call it the Eucharist, others the Lord’s Supper. For some it is ministers acting in Christ’s stead, for others it is the universal priesthood. For some it is a transformation, for others the body and blood of Christ are joined to the substance. Here it is Christ, there it is a symbol. Although Holy […]

Now that we have answered the what, how, where, and when, we still have to ask the question of who: who is permitted to dispense Holy Communion? And this time, the Christian churches actually all seem to have very similar answers—albeit with differing justifications. In the New Apostolic Church, the case is clear: only ordained […]

When is the table of the Lord prepared? And how often should believers come to the table? In the past and present of the various denominations, the gamut of when to partake in the Lord’s Supper runs from once a day to once a year—let’s take a tour through some of the churches. “Every day!” […]

Suddenly in charge and in trouble. This is what Hendra Tansahsami experienced time and again. As District Apostle he merged the two New Apostolic sister churches in Indonesia. Here is a look back in tribute to a man who would have been 100 years old today. 5 August 1951: The 30-year-old District Apostle Tan Bian […]

Are you serious, Leonardo? Dinner rolls? The bread on the menu of Da Vinci’s famous painting of Jesus’ Last Supper does not quite correspond to the historical reality. And the whole question of what kind of bread was served at the Last Supper is already tricky enough. Nevertheless, let us attempt a foray… This much […]

USA, Japan, Germany: these are the stages in Shawn Beasley’s life. His path of faith is even a little longer. Join us on a journey of faith and discovery. Shawn Beasley as an Operations Specialist on a ship of the US Navy Photo: private/privat/privé/privada On the ship Photo: private/privat/privé/privada Shawn Beasley from the congregation of […]

The Council of Christian Churches (CCC) in Luxembourg is the official name of the round table at which the ecumenical churches of the Grand Duchy gather together to discuss Christian issues in the country. The CCC has recently appointed a new chairman: Clément Haeck, a retired Apostle. Photo: NAK Luxemburg/privat Photo: NAK Luxemburg/privat Photo: NAK […]

A farewell dinner among friends—with some far-reaching implications: for 2,000 years, Christians of all denominations have been celebrating this festive meal over and over again. Here is what the New Testament has to tell us about the last supper of Jesus Christ. He was not averse to a pleasant meal with companions, this Jesus of […]

So far in our series on the sacraments in the church of Christ we have explored Holy Baptism. Now we are moving on to take a closer look at Holy Communion. What is the position of the New Apostolic Church? Holy Communion, as Holy Baptism, is a sacrament that all Christian Churches share in common. […]

Naturally the churches acknowledge each other’s baptisms, even though this step has taken centuries to achieve. After all, the question of sacraments is intimately linked to the respective understanding each one has of what constitutes church. And yet they have all managed to approve sound papers on the subject. In the meantime, such things have […]