[rickomatic]

Why then did those who were called out by God directly as Apostles find the authority to call out replacements? Why did the early Fathers of Christianity agree that such authority existed and was supported by the teachings of Our Lord even before the Canon of the Bible was collected or even written down yet?
The granting or passing on of "authority" was based on adherence to proper teachings as set for by our Lord. Not by some geneology or hierarchical framework. And certainly not by any teachings of man that was not in line with our Lord's message.The Gospels are replete with admonishments to stick to the truth of the original good news and to flee from rules and regulations set up by man.

[narses]

Of course.

Since that Authority comes from God and since He gave that authority — what we can call governing authority - over the Church He founded - ONE Church, Universal and Apostolic, that we are all called to belong to, why do so many choose instead to rebel?

[Titus Quinctius Cincinnatus]

The granting or passing on of "authority" was based on adherence to proper teachings as set for by our Lord. Not by some geneology or hierarchical framework. And certainly not by any teachings of man that was not in line with our Lord's message.The Gospels are replete with admonishments to stick to the truth of the original good news and to flee from rules and regulations set up by man.

Exactly. In fact, in Scripture, the only requirements for a pastor involve his adherence to sound biblical doctrine and to have a personal life of holiness that is blameless before the world. It is never said that a pastor has to be ordained by another pastor, who had to be ordained by another one, on and on back to the original Apostles. That is purely the invention of a later century.

Indeed, there's nothing that says that a church that assembled together autochthonously after its members have been born again and call a pastor from among their membership who meets the scriptural qualifications isn't a scriptural church and pastor. Indeed, look at the example of the Ethiopian eunuch. Even the history that Catholics claim as their own says that the church in Ethiopia was founded by this man.

But here's the kicker - Philip never ordained him. Indeed, Philip was a deacon, and couldn't have ordained him. Yet, Ethiopia somehow managed to get pastors and churches regardless.