The Apostolic Church Order

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The Apostolic Church Order is the name most commonly given to a pseudonymous document claiming to be the work of the apostles, found in most canonical collections, which sets out the manner in which a church should be organized. Although this church-orderwas much studied in the nineteenth century the twentieth century saw it neglected, its light eclipsed by that of the Didache. In 2006 thepresent author published an entirely new Greek text, the first to take full account of ancient Syriac and Latin versions accompanied by thefirst translation of the entire document into a modern language. This edition rapidly went out of print. The text and translation are nowrepublished with some minor revisions and with a revised introduction.Whereas the author previously suggested that the work was ante-Nicene, he has reconsidered the matter, and now suggests thatthe work is probably from the fourth century, but that the redactor has employed much earlier sources in compiling this church order. Arenewed argument for a Cappadocian provenance is offered. The document is of historical interest particularly because of thelight which it sheds on the development of church order and most especially on the role of women in the ministries of early Christiancommunities. This church order is a polemical discourse employing apostolic precept to downgrade the role and influence of women in the church's ministry, subordinating female ministers to a male presbyterate.