@BreadOfLife @Marymog @jaybird @Backlit
BOL & Marymog, the both of you have done nothing more than proven that in
theory alone, the principle of Apostolic succession is valid. Which, in a sense, I believe that practically speaking, this is an invariable result of the Great Commission. So, although it has never been a mandate from the 1st century Apostles (despite your 'keys of heaven' theories), it is in practice a legitimate concept. But, only as far as continuing the teaching of the Apostles go,
not in regard to the successors having the same endowment as they had. And your entire argumentation has been centered around this notion that simply the principle applies, and not in what history has undeniably proven.
That is, even if one were to concede the point that handing down the tradition of the Apostles was always the intent of the early Church, which I categorically do, the question lies as to whom exactly was this lineage preserved? This has always been my contention from the start. The Roman Catholic Church, The Holy Roman Empire, no matter what the appellation or governance (Emperor or Bishop, state or ecclesiastical), the entire hierarchy, precepts and actions of these entities, patently display the corruption that both infiltrated and permeated this
particular pedigree of successors. These accusations are not, which all of your rebuttals have fail to recognize, at the individual or laity level, but rather, at the official level. The indictments are leveled at the supreme leaders, at the promulgations, bulls and decrees, at the doctrines and sacraments, and at the longevity and perpetuity of some of these pronouncements. All the crimes and heresies committed by this entity that you both hold in such high regard and blind allegiance, were approved at some point by those that you claim were given the keys of Peter.
Neither one of you can keep your stories straight, and have in the most ignoble manner given praise to a heritage that has done more harm to the Church, than good. So that again, you have done nothing more this entire thread, than to prove that in theory, Christ promised to preserve his Word, and that the Apostles have passed it in faithfully to their next generation. But, you have irrefutably, erroneously and disgracefully failed to prove with wisdom and understanding, as to whom and where this tradition has prevailed.