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Ordination in the Apostolic Fathers

Ordination as a direct topic does not occur in the Apostolic Fathers. Early Christian literature from the first to second century, however, discusses the rise of the tradition for appointing a single bishop in a given city, and includes language which may presuppose some kind of ordination rite, perhaps featuring the laying on of hands—a gesture which had been incorporated into the practice of ordination of rabbis in post-70 ad Judaism. The practice of laying on hands in the ordination of rabbis fell out of use in the fourth century ad (Neusner, “Hands”, 274), which is also when Christian ordination to the church offices of bishop, presbyter, and deacon is first attested (e.g., Apostolic Constitutions, 2.1).

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