The Pope didn’t say anything about who’s going to Heaven and who isn’t. He simply said that the only legitimate apostolic succession rests with the Roman Catholic Church. And in that, he is stating the simple truth. You don’t even have to be Catholic, or believe that that matters, to acknowledge that.
Sorry if that offends anybody, but it’s the fact.
And I didn't accuse the Pope of saying that either...
He simply said that the only legitimate apostolic succession rests with the Roman Catholic Church. And in that, he is stating the simple truth. You don’t even have to be Catholic, or believe that that matters, to acknowledge that.
If you're only referring to an unbroken line of bishops beginning with the original Apostles, ok, sure. However, I'm not sure how that causes a non-Catholic to be "improper"...
Sorry if that offends anybody, but it’s the fact.
Not offended...just don't agree...
Where in Scripture do we have a practice of Apostles directly appointing bishops of churches? I know that Paul writes of the qualities that an individual should have to be an elder, but the practice was for the congregation to select their elders and bishops. The monobishophoric hierarchy did not develop until after the end of the Apostolic era.
Huh.
You mean it did not end with the death of St. Peter, to be later restored by Joseph Smith?
I don't think that's what he said. The charge against the Orthodox & Oriental Churches isn't their lack of legitimate apostolic succession.
+Mark wasn't one of the 12 Apostles, but he is named as the founder of the Church in Alexandria, one of the original 5 Patriarchies. +Mark was one of the 70 or 72, actual number depends on source used. Many of the other 70 (72) were also Bishops, I believe during the Age of the Apostles.
The Oriental Churches claim descent from +Thomas & +Bartholomew, two of the original twelve. The Catholic & Orthodox Church may not like where that descent took the Oriental Church, but they've never tried to claim the Oriental Church lacks legitimate apostolic succession.
Meanwhile, many of the twelve didn't seem to have any "seat" to pass down in the way that the Catholic Church claims for +Peter's "seat". +John was the longest surviving Apostle & he never seems to have held a "seat". +Peter seems to have also held the "seat" in Antioch & Antioch isn't second in line of the hierarchy, +Andrew's "seat" in Constantinople is. We have three instances of "legit seats passed down" from exactly three of the twelve Apostles & no "legit" seats held by the other nine.
I think someone needs to open their bible.
Most ex-catholics that I’ve met, a couple within our Anglican parish tell us they became Anglicans to find Christ,to begin a true relationship with him and to finally begin to learn more about scripture.
Not my words, it is theirs.