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Originally Posted by Adam
I like the topic, but the question as poised is impossible for me to answer--the nuances go on forever.
I believe that a line of authority by the laying on of hands can be found in the Catholic church (and Orthodox churches) back to Peter. But they clearly "went astray" along the way and lost doctrines and practices as taught and instituted by the Savior.
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The line of authority cannot be even agreed upon as to Pope Leo or Clement. Now I know the Catholic Church has designated one of the traditions for sake of convenience, but it seems rather unconvincing to me.
It is interesting that somebody such as Talmadge whom I generally like and respect would pen his "Great Apostasy". Even by his day, there was plenty of German research disabusing of the silly notion that Christianity had anything in bulk that was pure.
It seems to me that Christ spent the bulk of his adult life preaching faith, repentance, baptism for the remission of sins and the gift of the Holy Ghost. As no bureaucratic structure existed, it appears odd he would have spent much time delineating a future organizational structure, when the apostles couldn't even understand a physical resurrection. Agnostics believe Christ was more a failed apocalyptic Jewish preacher whom others held up to be the Messiah in light of political and social concerns.
These past three or four years I've spent not an inconsiderable time reading research into early Christianity, and discovered the traditional notions often purveyed within the Church to be misplaced or untrue. It seems we continue this false message because it creates a better contrast for our message, "you're wrong, we're right," because "they lost it all, and we got it all back" is the simple message we'd prefer to convey.