Passing the Mantle

Some leaders in the New Apostolic Reformation define their succession of spiritual authority as “passing the mantle.” After one leader in the NAR steps down or dies, a new leader attempts to instantly assume the same level of spiritual authority by claiming that they “received the mantle” from the former person.

The movement has produced several leaders pointing to others as their source of spiritual authority. From William Branham to Kathryn Kuhlman, men such as Benny Hinn, Todd Bentley, Bill Johnson, and others claim that they should be given instant recognition because they received the “mantle”. This practice is definitely not something new. Men and women of ill intent have realized through the years that if they can claim “mantle”, the listener instantly shuts off critical thought.

One of the earliest examples of this “passing the mantle” came in William Branham’s own ministry. Branham, leader of the Post WWII Healing Revival, insinuated that cult leader and “Eliah prophet” John Alexander Dowie predicted Branham’s ministry and died the day before Branham’s birth as a clear transition. Branham later claimed to be this “Elijah prophet” and worked with Dowie cult members F. F. Bosworth and Gordon Lindsay.

As Branham’s ministry began to suffer in later years, and others were starting to claim his own mantle, Branham rebuked them. According to Branham, who had successfully convinced people of his claiming Dowie’s “Elijah mantle”, the “Elijah” of 1965 was Christ in the form of a human — in other words, himself. Branham tried to stop others from “stealing the mantle”, but after he died, many others claimed the “mantle of Branham".

You can learn this and more on william-branham.org