[tenn2005]

Since you are so adament lets take a look at what you said. In post #333 to which you now refer you said: He was Pope from 80-96 AD. They didn't keep current records because their papers were burned and they were tortured to death for professing the Christian faith, which happened to include the perpetual virginity of Mary and apostolic succession. I pointed out to you that many records, including the scriptures, did survive that period, so now you say: No, proper records of the sort that would be produced today, did not survive. There are plenty of records to substantiate Clement's succession to the episcopacy of Rome. I pointed out to you the qualifications for a successor to an Apostle in Acts 1:21-22. You were unable to respond to the question concerning whether the men you want to claim are successors to the Apostles can meet these qualifications. You then claimed that those qualifications were changed. The requirements were set by Peter and the other Apostles. With time, they were changed, by the same authority. I asked you to show where in scripture the "same authority" (Apostles) changed the requirements and you responded with: 2 Thess. 2:15. By letter means letter of Paul. Word of mouth means what Paul did not write down. At that time Champion attempted to come to your rescue. Now you are stating: You have not responded to this, so I reiterate the point. In the beginning of the church all of the Apostles taught orally. Some, but not all, later reduced their teachings to writing. That writing is what we now call the Bible. Paul made it clear that whether by writing or by word of mouth their teachings were to be accepted. In the first century Christians received teachings from the Apostles both orally and by word of mouth. Today we still have what they wrote but what they spoke we have no way of knowing. Thus today all we have to go by is the written word; Sola Scriptura. Now you need to do more Bible study so Champion and others do not have to try to come to your rescue when you dig yourself into a hole.