How far back can we trace the popes?

[GonzoMonk89]

I recently read through Letters from a Skeptic, a question-and-answer apologetics book by Evangelical Christian Dr. Gregory Boyd. Though a good and informing book, on page 142 he states:

In fact, if one defines the Catholic Church by the line of popes which head it, it’s very hard to argue that there even was an official Catholic Church before the sixth century (and probably even later).

So I am curious, how does the Catholic respond to that?

 

[Michelle_Arnold]

By challenging Dr. Boyd to prove his assertion. The Catholic can point to lists of popes compiled by Church historians as early as the second century (e.g., Irenaeus). Can he disprove their testimony? I would also point out to Dr. Boyd that the argument he uses is very similar to one that skeptics use to attempt to disprove the historicity of the New Testament. The same early Christians who compiled the New Testament and preserved the completed Bible that Protestants cherish also testify to the fact that the line of popes go back to St. Peter (see link above).