Apostolic Succession in the Early Church

One of the aspects lacking in my (Protestant) seminary training, before my reversion to Catholicism occurred, was a proper exposure to Patristics (the Fathers of the Church). I can only recall one course where the professor would even make mention of any of the early Fathers (it was a history of Christianity course where it really couldn’t be avoided).

When one dives (or even wades) into the writings of the early Fathers, it becomes blatantly obvious how Catholic they really were – clearly explaining many doctrines which the Church still teaches today, but which Protestants often reject. The reason why these doctrines are often rejected by Protestants is a claim that “the early Christians never believed these ‘Catholic’ teachings – they are later accretions to the Gospel which were ‘invented’ by the Church of Rome” – a claim which becomes spurious when faced with actual evidence – evidence that the successors of the Apostles themselves believed these things. They were taught these things by the Apostles, who were in turn taught them by Christ.

One such piece of evidence comes from the writings of Clement of Rome, third in the line of succession as the Bishop of Rome from Peter. And this quote from our third Pope is on just that, Apostolic Succession. This is a doctrine that is denied not only in theory but also in practice by the majority of today’s Protestants – mostly because their practice of Protestantism depends on doing just that.

“Our Apostles knew through our Lord Jesus Christ that there would be strife for the office of bishop. For this reason, therefore, having received perfect foreknowledge, they appointed those who have already been mentioned, and afterwards added the further provision that, if they should die, other approved men should succeed to their ministry.”

– St. Clement of Rome, Letter to the Corinthians, 44:1-2, c. AD 80