Are there any modern apostles and prophets?
I'm looking for examples of genuine, authentic modern apostles and prophets. It could be anyone from the last few centuries, but it would be even better if they are alive today.
What would be a list of, say, the top 5 people who you are highly confident are (or were) authentic modern apostles? Same question for modern prophets.
Another related question:
what criteria should we use to discern the authenticity of an apostle and a prophet?
2 Corinthians 12:12 says the following about true apostles:
12 The signs of a true apostle were performed among you with utmost patience, with signs and wonders and mighty works.
What about true prophets?
The last Apostle who lived was, as far as we know, St. John, one of the Twelve. He was the only one of the Twelve who, according to ancient Christian tradition, died of old age rather than as a martyr.
Our Lord appointed no new apostles, if He had then we'd know who they were. Rather the Apostles left their charge to the churches, and so in churches around the ancient world there were appointed bishops and presbyters--pastors--to continue in the Apostles' work. So that apostolic authority is vested in those whom the Church ordains as Christ's ministers. So that whenever the word is faithfully preached and the Sacraments are faithfully administered there is the ministry and work of Christ in and through His Church.
This is why St. Ignatius of Antioch, who succeeded the ministry of Sts Paul and Peter in Antioch as bishop, instructs the churches he writes to (around 107 AD) to abide in their pastors who represent Christ and His Apostles for us.
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For, since you are subject to the bishop as to Jesus Christ, you appear to me to live not after the manner of men, but according to Jesus Christ, who died for us, in order, by believing in His death, you may escape from death. It is therefore necessary that, as you indeed do, so without the bishop you should do nothing, but should also be subject to the presbytery, as to the apostle of Jesus Christ, who is our hope, in whom, if we live, we shall [at last] be found. It is fitting also that the deacons, as being [the ministers] of the mysteries of Jesus Christ, should in every respect be pleasing to all. For they are not ministers of meat and drink, but servants of the Church of God. They are bound, therefore, to avoid all grounds of accusation [against them], as they would do fire." - Ignatius of Antioch, Epistle to the Trallians, Chapter 2
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See that you all follow the bishop, even as Jesus Christ does the Father, and the presbytery as you would the apostles; and reverence the deacons, as being the institution of God. Let no man do anything connected with the Church without the bishop. Let that be deemed a proper Eucharist, which is [administered] either by the bishop, or by one to whom he has entrusted it. Wherever the bishop shall appear, there let the multitude [of the people] also be; even as, wherever Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic Church. It is not lawful without the bishop either to baptize or to celebrate an agape-feast; but whatsoever he shall approve of, that is also pleasing to God, so that everything that is done may be secure and valid." - Ignatius of Antioch, Epistle to the Smyrnaeans, Chapter 8
While pastors are not apostles, they do sit in the seat of the Apostles for the sake of the good order of the Church, to minister to the Church with God's Word and Sacraments.
As far as prophets go, the age of the ancient vocation of prophet ended with Christ, the last of the Old Testament prophets was St. John the Baptist; and Christ Himself the long-awaited Prophet in the manner of Moses, who comes bringing His New Covenant.
But there is a spiritual charism of prophecy and a prophetic ministry that belongs to the Church. The Scriptures speak of these things. The distinction between preacher and prophet seems fairly weak in the New Testament, and we see in other early Christian writings, such as the Didache of the existence of traveling, itinerant preachers/prophets (and therefore the necessity of knowing the difference between true and false prophets/preachers).
The general, ordinary exercise of the gift of prophecy seems to be, given what the Apostle says in places such as 1 Corinthians 14, an act of preaching in the Church, of proclaiming, of prophecy. Speaking the word of God. Which, of course, is exactly what happens whenever a homily or sermon is preached. The Scriptures are read, and their exposition through preaching and instruction is the ordinary ministry of the Church in Word and Sacrament. Now, this does not mean that there may not be "prophets" in perhaps more special senses. There is a fairly long history of this throughout the history of the Church. For example in the historic "holy fools" aka fools-for-Christ. Examples of holy fools include St. Francis of Assisi.
While Martin Luther is not regarded as a prophet by Lutherans, you will still find Lutherans saying Luther was a "prophet" in a kind of sense. Not as someone with visions, dreams, or who claims to speak on behalf of God; but rather as someone who was speaking God's word in truth at a time when that was very much needed.
Likewise, I--and I'm not alone--consider MLK to be a prophet. Again, not as someone claiming to speak on behalf of God, or any of that kind of thing. But rather as someone boldly speaking the truth of God's word, speaking truth to power. I regard Pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer in a similar light.
And to that end, the prophetic ministry of the Church is both profoundly, and quite simply, the Church's honest and faithful confession and proclamation of Jesus Christ in the midst of the world. It is the defiant stance of the Church, in Christ, against the principalities and powers of the world; but which is for the world in love, grace, and the saving Gospel of Jesus Christ. To take hold of lost sinners and reconcile them to God, to be in the dark and hidden places and so shine our light--loving the least of these, standing up for the oppressed, clothing the naked, caring for the orphan and the widow. To take the stand of unshakeable conviction in the word of Jesus Christ.
To those ends, when I encounter someone who claims to be either an apostle or a prophet; or when someone tells me that some modern so-and-so claims to be an apostle or a prophet I can very safely say that they aren't.
Someone who claims such a thing shouldn't be taken seriously. Because we already know where God's works and gifts are: It's in His Church. And we know where His Church is because it's where the word is being preached and the Sacraments are administered.
This becomes quite obvious when you start listening to what these self-claimed apostles and prophets say, because the words that come out of their mouth are the words of men, not the word of God. They speak contrary to the word of God, they introduce false doctrines, they teach contrary to the faith and confession of the Church, and they teach others to do the same. And by the fruit of their own words we can easily discern that this isn't the milk and honey of the Gospel, but the devil's poison.
-CryptoLutheran
