What is the significance of apostolic succession in Anglicanism? So my understanding of the issue is as follows: the C of E says it has apostolic succession and it’s bishops can trace themselves back to the apostles.

But I thought one of the principles of the Reformation was the idea that priests are not raised above people or not separate from them?

So my question is if the second part is true, why does it matter that bishops trace themselves back to Christ?

Sorry if this a silly question. Thanks in advance!
Your question is going to be very broad indeed, due to the nature of the Anglican Communion generally and the spectrum of attitudes to Apostolic Succession, particularly, within its very wide and welcoming embrace.


  The Anglican Communion "has never officially endorsed any one particular theory of the origin of the historic episcopate, its exact relation to the apostolate, and the sense in which it should be thought of as God given, and in fact tolerates a wide variety of views on these points".


Wikipedia

This reference in the Wikipedia article is attributed to :


  Jay, Eric G. The Church John Knox Press(1980), p.291 quoting the Anglican-Methodist Unity Commission Report 1968 p.37