ping. good point about James as first head of the “Christian Church”, not Peter.
James did speak last at the debate. Tradition records him as being the first Bishop of the See of Jerusalem. Tradition also puts Peter as the head of the Church at Antioch, which came to supplant Jerusalem as the main Church, which was later supplanted by Rome.
True, James was the settled leader in Jerusalem. The Apostles were traveling missionaries. James and others maintained that Gentiles had to be circumcised and charged to keep the Law of Moses before they could be Christians. Paul and Barnabas disagreed with that doctrine. The church at Antioch sent Paul and Barnabas to Jerusalem to discuss this issue with the Apostles and Elders. Peter spoke first, in favor of not requiring Gentile converts to become Jews. Next, Barnabas and Paul described the results of their work among Gentiles. Finally, James expressed his judgment, which was a compromise that yielded on the main points, and so it was James who had the last word and decided the issue.
..”good point about James as first head of the “Christian Church”, not Peter...”
James was the first bishop of Jerusalem. I don’t think that translates into the first head of the “Christian Church”. Scripture repreatedly speaks of Peter as the head (both in the Gospels through the words of Jesus, and in Acts.), and the one to whom disputes were brought in the early church. Certainly Paul respected Peter as the head.
Both Peter and Paul were martyred in Rome where a large group of Christians, both Jews and Gentiles has emerged.