“Your analysis is spot-on if the apostles had lived until the middle ages.”
No, my “analysis” (I made none actually) is just spot on. Period.
“The Reformation’s Recovery of the Gospel” http://www.credomag.com/2011/11/04/the-reformations-recovery-of-the-gospel/
Mormons:
http://www.mormon.org/beliefs/restoration
“The myth of a Protestant “recovery” of the Gospel was strong in our church. “http://chnetwork.org/2012/02/a-protestant-historian-discovers-the-catholic-church-conversion-story-of-a-david-anders-ph-d/
No one, except for heretics (both to Catholics and Protestants), is claiming that the Gospel was lost after the apostles. Rather, the classic Protestant argument is that the RCC over time kept adding layers to the Gospel, and in the process lost it.
As for the teachings of the church father, the Protestants judge their teaching in light of the Bible. From what I have seen in the discussions here, the RCC judges the Bible based on the churches teaching.
Until either side can agree with the other on a proper way to view the Bible and its teachings, this squabble will continue. I tire of it, so I will say good day and God Bless to you, and leave at that.