By and large, this should be a catholic thread, however, the title indicated an explanation was being proffered.
I assumed that explanation wasn't really to the faithful, but to those outside your denomination. (In other words, the title appears that the article intends to preach to outsiders and not to "the choir.")
Nonetheless, I wish to allow this thread to remain catholic after having made my contribution.
As a summary, it speaks for itself.
As a Christian, I believe that the best position to be in would be one in which the body was in both a spiritual apostolic lineage and in a successive apostolic lineage.
I have a very high view of the church universal, I think.
"I assumed that explanation wasn't really to the faithful, but to those outside your denomination."
Actually it was an essay written for a Dean of Studies at a Catholic seminary! (God bless his cotton socks).
I simply posted it because a person in process of conversion to Catholicism had expressed a need for some further information about the doctrine. As they come from an evangelical background like myself, I thought that it might help.
I wasn't intending to try and convert all you sola scriptura types!! ;)