Where Do Evangelicals Get Their Authority? (Similarities Between Mormon and Catholic Views of Apostolic Authority)

"And I say to you, that you are Peter, and upon this Rock, I will build my church, and the gates of hell, will not prevail against it"

Matthew 16:18

After being in Utah for a few weeks, I see that there are similarities in the way Mormons and Catholic Apologists view Authority.

The Catholic Church believes in the concept of Successio Personarum, or a continual succession of Popes stemming all the way back to the Apostle Peter, whom the Catholic Church believes was the first pope. Roman Catholicism argues that Christ bestowed His authority upon Peter and His papal successors and that this authority gives the Catholic Church the unique capacity to interpret the Bible for the Christian Church.

Similarly, the Mormon Church argues that it alone (vested in the President and Apostles of the LDS Church) possesses the authority of Jesus Christ since the Church in their view, was restored through the calling of Joseph Smith. The LDS believe that their church alone has the authority to interpret the Bible and administer the sacraments of communion and baptism.

However, the Protestant Church rejects this concept of Successio Personarum. or contemporary apostolic authority and argues for Successio Doctrinare, that is that the true Evangelical and Biblical doctrine has been passed down throughout the ages since the time of the apostles without fail or interruption.