[The_Reader_David]

As a priest I once knew used to say "Who told you that?"

The removal of the ritual strictures of the Old Covenant Law was not an invention of St. Paul, but a decision of the Apostolic Council recorded in Acts, the model for all of the Holy Ecumenical Councils, whose decisions are always prefaced as was the decision of the Apostolic Council, "It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us. . ."

That council was presided over by the First Bishop of Jerusalem, St. James, the Brother of the Lord, very much part of the 'Jewish' Church at Jerusalem.

[Blogger]

The Law was made by God as a teacher to us. God knew that we could never follow it perfectly and wanted us to see that having all of the privileges in the world and all of the rules laid out plainly for us would not change the fact that we are all miserable sinners and utterly unable to save ourselves. The law showed us our need for a Savior. When that Savior came, he was the fulfillment of that law. No longer were we bound to it. Rather, we were now followers of the law of faith.

[kosta50]

Everyone, even +Barnabas, was opposed to +Paul's assertions. The "Council" did not deal with heresies, but with reality on the ground, and +Paul was a realist. He knew that the Church would not survive (the Church of Jerusalem, in fact, was closed in 69 AD). +Paul knew the gentiles will not follow the Law and will not follow dietary restrictions and circumcision. It was the reality of being kicked out of synagogues that forced the Church change the faith. Until that time, Christianity and Judaism were considered one and the same by the followers of Christ (later on given pejorative title of Judaizers, among which +Peter stood out for a long time).