The five appearances of bishop lists in the early church mark the principal points at which apostolic succession of bishops emerged and developed into a crucial and well defined doctrine. Walter Bauer long ago termed these lists, legitimately if not charitably, oliterary propaganda.o This study delves into the political struggles surrounding the lists and the doctrine they served to define. The ancient Mediterranean world established legitimacy of authority in social institutions, whether Roman, Greek, Jewish, or Christian, by citing successions of leaders. In early catholic churches,...