Apostolic succession is held in the highest esteem among the Churches of Christendom. In fact, like many traditional formulae, apostolic succession is apprehended by most Christians and Christian scholars as magical: inasmuch as it's "believed to have supernatural power over natural forces;" [see "magic," in Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary (ca. 1979)] and truly divine in that, without it, a given church's sacraments are considered invalid.
To borrow a figure from Revelation 13, this belief is beastly insofar as the presence of Christ (that is to say, the Holy Ghost) is not acknowledged as the only legitimizing element in the sacramental observance. On the other hand, the imprimatur of a long- dead apostle-- placed on a given man by the laying on that man of that apostle's hands, and subsequently passed from that man to other men by the laying on of that man's hands on those other men, and further passed from them to other men by the same 'handy' utility, and so on-- is counted so efficacious. In other words: apostolic succession is-- in practice-- a superstitious attempt to supplant Christ with (or by) his own disciples. Remember: the apostles chose Matthias to replace Judas; but Jesus' choice was Saul of Tarsus.
Saul of Tarsus is not the only case on record of the Holy Ghost superseding apostolic succession. In Acts 10, the apostle Peter has a vision. While praying, he sees "a great sheet knit at the four corners," full of unclean animals. This "vessel" descends from heaven to him three times, once for each time he denied Jesus; each time accompanied by a voice which tells him, "Rise, Peter; kill, and eat." Each time, Peter corrects the Lord, saying, "Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean." And each time, the Lord responds, "What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common," indicating the synonymous nature of common and unclean, as Peter uses the terms.
"While Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit said unto him, Behold, three men seek thee. Arise therefore, and get thee down, and go with them, doubting nothing: for I have sent them." (Acts 10:19 & 20) Here's the number three, again: one Gentile for each time the Lord told Peter "Feed my sheep [and/or "lambs"]" as recorded in John 21. These three are emissaries sent from another Gentile, named Cornelius, who'd also had a vision which had instructed him to send for Peter to hear of him the gospel of Christ.
Peter obediently goes with these "common" folk, and dutifully expounds the gospel to Cornelius and the Gentiles assembled in his house for the occasion. While he is thus holding forth, the Holy Ghost again supersedes apostolic succession: this time, by falling on the assembly before Pete or any member of his entourage has a chance to "give" them the Holy Ghost by laying their hands on them (as was done to the Samaritans in Acts chapter 8, for instance.) At this point, Pete shows us the true value of apostolic succession.
"And [Peter] commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord..." (Acts 10:48) Do you see the lack of integrity apparent in Pete's baptizing of Cornelius and his household? The Lord had already baptized (that is to say, washed) them in his Spirit-- the Holy Ghost. How then were they in need of Peter's cleansing? Remember what the Lord told Peter in his vision on the housetop: "What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common." Somehow, Peter thought that his baptism-- in the name-- was more efficacious than the baptism of the Holy Ghost. He washed those whom God had already cleansed-- as if they were still unclean commoners.
"Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts." (Zechariah 4:6)
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