However, some Protestants deny the need for this type of continuity, and the historical claims involved have been severely questioned by them; Eric G. Jay comments that the account given of the emergence of the episcopate in chapter III of the encyclical Lumen Gentium (1964) "is very sketchy, and many ambiguities in the early history of the Christian ministry are passed over".
Meskipun demikian, beberapa kalangan Protestan menyangkal perlunya kontinuitas semacam ini, dan klaim sejarah yang terkait sangat dipertanyakan oleh mereka; Eric G. Jay berkomentar bahwa cerita mengenai kehadiran para uskup tersebut pada ensiklik Lumen Gentium (1964) bab III "adalah sangat kabur, dan banyak kerancuan dalam sejarah awal pelayanan Kristen yang diabaikan".