[malakhi]

angelo: I'm assuming you mean that the name change did not give Peter the ability to forgive sins? Because he and the other apostles were, elsewhere in the gospels, certainly given this authority by Jesus.

allend: Proddies don't believe that.

Protestants (and other and sundry non-Catholics), is this true? If so, how do you interpret

[22] And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit.
[23] If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained." (John 20:22-23)

[SoothingDave]

Just a few threads ago I was told that that only referred to forgiving personal sins done to our fellow men. This forgiveness didn't include sins against God, which only God can forgive.

I asked why they were allowed to separate sins into two categories, when Catholics get hell for doing such things.

I also asked why Jesus would bother restating the obvious. If you sin against me and I forgive you, then your sin is forgiven (by me). This has Jesus talking to no apparent purpose than to re-state the bleeding obvious.

There was no response.

SD