What is New Apostolic Formation and who founded it?
Executive summary
The phrase "New Apostolic Formation" does not appear in the supplied reporting; however two similarly named phenomena are well documented: the New Apostolic Reformation (a late‑20th/21st‑century charismatic movement associated with self‑styled apostles and prophets) and the New Apostolic Church (a distinct 19th‑century denomination rooted in a Hamburg schism). The contemporary movement commonly linked to the name was popularized — if not strictly "founded" — by C. Peter Wagner, who coined the term and acted as its chief promoter, while the New Apostolic Church traces institutional origins to the 1863 Hamburg split [1] [2] [3] [4].
1. What the user likely means: two very different traditions behind similar names
Reporting shows the biggest source of confusion is nomenclature: "New Apostolic Reformation" (NAR) is a loosely networked charismatic/prosperity/dominionist movement described in contemporary political and religious reporting, whereas "New Apostolic Church" (NAC) is a formal denomination founded out of a 19th‑century schism in Germany; the supplied sources treat both but make clear they are separate phenomena [1] [3] [4].
2. The New Apostolic Reformation: what it is and who popularized it
The New Apostolic Reformation is best described in sources as a non‑denominational, international charismatic movement that elevates modern "apostles" and "prophets," emphasizes spiritual warfare and signs and wonders, and has developed political wings and networks seeking cultural influence; the label was coined and popularized by C. Peter Wagner in the 1990s, and many analysts and journalists treat him as the movement’s chief architect or "father figure," though he framed the term as naming an existing phenomenon rather than formally founding a centralized organization [1] [5] [2] [6].
3. C. Peter Wagner: coinage, leadership, and competing accounts of origin
Multiple sources identify C. Peter Wagner as the man most associated with the movement: he coined "New Apostolic Reformation," ran leadership networks and courses promoting apostolic ministry, and used the label to describe historical "waves" of apostolic renewal; some outlets and scholars call him the founder while others point out his own framing that he named rather than invented the phenomenon — a distinction that matters because NAR lacks formal founding documents or membership rolls [1] [5] [7] [8].
4. The New Apostolic Church: a distinct historical denomination, not the same as NAR
By contrast, the New Apostolic Church is an organized denomination whose roots trace to an 1863 Hamburg schism of the Catholic Apostolic movement, later institutionalized with a chief apostle and an international structure; this body has a documented history, sacraments, and leadership succession that is separate from the charismatic networks labeled NAR [3] [4] [9] [10].
5. Why the distinction matters: theology, organization and political stakes
Conflating the two obscures key differences: NAR functions as a diffuse network of self‑designated apostles with political ambitions and contested extra‑biblical practices — a movement various critics link to dominionist aims and right‑wing politics — while NAC is a denominational, institutional church with liturgy, sacraments and a historical lineage; reporting stresses both the political implications of NAR activism (e.g., prayer rallies and political engagement) and the contested nature of its claims to apostolic authority [2] [6] [1].
6. Bottom line and limits of the reporting
If "New Apostolic Formation" is intended to mean the contemporary New Apostolic Reformation, the movement was named and promoted by C. Peter Wagner though scholars debate whether he "founded" it in an organizational sense [1] [7]; if the question instead refers to the New Apostolic Church, its institutional origin lies in the 1863 Hamburg split and subsequent establishment of apostolic leadership [3] [4]. The supplied sources do not define a movement called "New Apostolic Formation" explicitly, so this answer maps the most likely referents and exposes the conflicting claims in the record [1] [3].