[Claud]

The guy's argument would make more sense if Apostolic succession wasn't the very argument AGAINST Gnosticism. But let's take a little representative passage to see where he goes wrong:

Significantly, especially in the Titus passage, conformity to apostolic teaching is listed as a qualification. The implication of the pastoral epistles on the issue of apostolic succession is precisely what Protestants maintain, e.g., that succession is succession of apostolic doctrine, not of inherent personal authority.

It's not what Protestants maintain. He's confusing two things here...infallibility and apostolic succession. Apostolic succession does NOT mean that a person in the line *won't ever go wrong*. It never meant that in the early Church and doesn't mean it now. It simply refers to the validity of the *ordination*, that *this* person is invested to dispense the sacraments and teach in *this* diocese. The ordained bishop holds an *office* that comes from the Apostles...but he himself is not protected from error and can stray from Apostolic doctrine.

Infallibility is a whole nother issue. It states that the Church *as a whole* will not be led into error and will always be faithful to the Apostolic teaching. Individual bishops may go bonkers, but Church Councils under the authority of the Bishop of Rome will never ever do so.

[Bosco]

You should contact the author with your observations. I'm still digesting the content of the paper.

If you do contact him and get a response to your observation I would really like to see it.

[Cvengr]

"... the Church *as a whole* will not be led into error and will always be faithful to the Apostolic teaching. Individual bishops may go bonkers, but Church Councils under the authority of the Bishop of Rome will never ever do so. ..."

The only power which is infallible comes from God Himself. The Apostolic teaching which is pertinent is that which was revealed by God through the person of God the Holy Spirit. The body of believers, through faith in Christ, are in a place where God Himself is free to continue the sanctification of each believer.

It is not the Bishop of Rome. nor the Church Councils which are infallible, for they also have volition and may exercise even a tad little thought separate from the will of God, thereby being out of fellowship with Him, creating a situation where God is no longer free to further sanctify those people or persons until that person and group has returned to Him on His grounds. Not via another man, but only through faith in Christ.

All faith is from God, not from any man other than our Lord and Savior Christ Jesus.