No, of course not. Priests do not carry apostolic succession; bishops do. Priests have no authority without a bishop. Since no bishop joined Luther, and since Luther was excommunicated (and his bishop consented to it), Luther and his "church" (and all the offshoots of that movement) has no apostolic authority. In contrast neither did the Latin nor Greek Church lose that authority.
Our theological disagreement is within the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church, the one that was founded by Christ in 33 AD and passed on to his Apostles and their successors. It's not some home-grown variety of 33,000 subspecies all claiming to be the 'true church' of Christ..
I don't think you have a clue what apostolic succession is and you call it a myth. Amazing.
If the keys are handed to Peter and the Vatican traces its succession of Popes to Peter, then it seems to me the Orthodox are not following the line of Peter, now are they? Where is the apostolic succession in all of this?
Which proves my point. The Church was not "ruled" by the Bishop of Rome. You got that all wrong. The Church operated and (the Orthodox Church still operates the same way it did for the past 2,000 years: by councils (apostolic gatherings); it's conciliar. It's the collective wisdom of the Church that carries the day.
While the Church was undivided, the Bishop of Rome gets to bless and his legates usually psuched for those agenda the successor of Peter wnated, but didn't always get. He is a senior bishop, the way Peter was the senior Apostle, but Peter did not have legal authority over other Apostles.
Now, after the East and the West stopped communing, the Latin side went on a limb and re-invented papacy in terms of primacy being equal to supremacy. Our issue with the Pope is not whether he is a legitimate Bishop of Rome or the successor of +Peter, but over the nature and the extent of his primacy (seniority) in the Church. And, contrary to your shooting with your eyes close, the Orthodox recognize the Bishop of Rome as the first among equals in honor and privileges.
Are you saying that not ONE bishop has left the Church to become a Protestant? I find that rather difficult to believe.
Our theological disagreement is within the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church, the one that was founded by Christ in 33 AD and passed on to his Apostles and their successors. It's not some home-grown variety
Oh, here comes that old chestnut again. "Our theology don't match, but, hey, that's OK. We still have the same boss, I think." Please.
The Church was not "ruled" by the Bishop of Rome. You got that all wrong. The Church operated and (the Orthodox Church still operates the same way it did for the past 2,000 years: by councils (apostolic gatherings); it's conciliar.
That's very nice but our Catholic friends make quite a point in reminding us the Pope is the head. You first tell us that Peter was the head of the Church and now you say its a council. Make up your minds. You're confusing us slow witted Protestants.