JOSEPH MARTINKA
Writing on spirituality, growth, and healing
Apostolic Succession, the Independent Sacramental Movement, and the Catholic Apostolic Church of Antioch (CACA)
This list is curated to help students, inquirers, and visitors understand the historical, theological, and spiritual dimensions of apostolic succession and the contemporary Independent Sacramental Movement (ISM). The following texts explore traditional Catholic theology, independent lines of succession, mysticism, and the inclusive vision embodied by the Catholic Apostolic Church of Antioch and its sister jurisdictions.
I. Apostolic Succession and Sacramental Theology
Classical and Historical Foundations
- Francis A. Sullivan, S.J. — From Apostles to Bishops: The Development of the Episcopacy in the Early Church
A foundational work tracing how apostolic authority evolved into episcopal structures. - Henry Chadwick — The Early Church
A concise introduction to the Church’s earliest centuries and the development of ministry. - Yves Congar, O.P. — Lay People in the Church and The Meaning of Tradition
Key Catholic theological reflections on continuity, authority, and the life of the Spirit in the Church. - John Zizioulas — Being as Communion: Studies in Personhood and the Church
An Orthodox theological masterpiece exploring communion as the heart of ecclesial identity. - Louis Bouyer — The Church of God: Body of Christ and Temple of the Spirit
A deeply mystical interpretation of the Church’s sacramental and communal nature.
Ecclesiology and Validity
- Edward Schillebeeckx — Christ the Sacrament of the Encounter with God
A modern Catholic sacramental theology that emphasizes experience and grace. - Paul F. Bradshaw — The Search for the Origins of Christian Worship
Academic yet accessible; connects liturgy, apostolic practice, and early community life.
II. The Independent Sacramental Movement (ISM)
Histories and Overviews
- John P. Plummer — The Many Paths of the Independent Sacramental Movement: A Guide for the Perplexed
The most comprehensive modern overview of the ISM, covering its history, diversity, and challenges. - John P. Plummer — The Book of Common Gnostic Prayer and Ordaining Women in the Independent Sacramental Movement
Practical resources reflecting ISM inclusivity and spirituality. - Julie Byrn — The Independent Sacramental Movement: The Other Catholics
Scholarly insight into the ISM as a “third stream” of Catholicism beyond Rome and Orthodoxy. - Richard Alston Gundrey — The Inclusive Church: The Catholic Apostolic Church of Antioch and Its Vision
Written by the former Patriarch of CACA, this text explores inclusivity and sacramental theology within the church’s own context.
Personal and Mystical Perspectives
- Bishop Herman Adrian Spruit — The Way, The Truth, and The Life: A Study in Mystical Christianity
Spruit’s seminal text, integrating Christian mysticism with sacramental life. - Matriarch Meri Louise Spruit — The Spirit in the Church of Tomorrow
A vision of inclusivity, mysticism, and the feminine aspects of the Divine in the modern church. - Bishop Mark Elliott Newman — The Sacramental Mystery of Christ in All Things
Reflections on the theology and spirituality of CACA in the twenty-first century.
III. Related Theological and Spiritual Texts
Mysticism and Contemplative Christianity
- Evelyn Underhill — Mysticism: The Nature and Development of Spiritual Consciousness
A classic introduction to Christian mystical life and experience. - Thomas Merton — New Seeds of Contemplation and The Inner Experience
Deep reflections on the contemplative journey within the Christian tradition. - Meister Eckhart — Selected Writings
Mystical insights that shaped both Western and independent Christian spirituality. - The Cloud of Unknowing (Anonymous, 14th century)
Foundational text for contemplative prayer in the Christian mystical tradition.
Sacramental and Mystical Renewal
- Hans Urs von Balthasar — The Glory of the Lord, Vol. I: Seeing the Form
Integrates beauty, theology, and the mystery of incarnation. - Teilhard de Chardin — The Divine Milieu
A cosmic vision of Christ’s presence in creation that resonates deeply with ISM theology. - Neil Douglas-Klotz — The Hidden Gospel: Decoding the Spiritual Message of the Aramaic Jesus
A vital bridge between mysticism, inclusive spirituality, and early Christian language.
IV. Sources on the Catholic Apostolic Church of Antioch
- Official Website of the CACA — www.churchofantioch.org
Contains detailed lineage, history, leadership, and theological statements. - The Ascension Alliance — www.ascensionalliance.org
Offers resources for formation, ordination, and spiritual study within the CACA lineage. - Shrine of Holy Wisdom (Tempe, AZ) — www.theshrineofholywisdom.org
A living example of the contemplative and inclusive spirit of the CACA. (My spiritual home.)
V. Suggested Media and Online Study
- YouTube Lecture Series: “Apostolic Succession: Beyond Rome and Canterbury” (Bishop Mark Newman, 2017)
- Archived Writings of Bishop Herman and Matriarch Meri Spruit — hosted via the CACA Archive Project.
VI. Closing Reflection
“The Independent Sacramental Movement reminds us that grace cannot be confined to the boundaries of institution. Wherever Christ is invoked and the sacraments are celebrated in love, there the Church is alive and radiant.”
— Adapted from Bishop Herman Spruit