Let's not mix our history. There are two stories to consider. The first one was when Paul, Barnabas and Luke were in Antioch, And certain men came down from Judea and taught the brethren, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” (Acts 15:1). The dispute became so great that a bunch of them (including Paul and Barnabas) went to Jerusalem (not Rome) to the Apostles and elders to sort the matter out. It was there that all sides gave their testimony, including corroborating testimony from Peter. James offered a recommendation, and the apostles and elders took it.
The incident between Paul and Peter mentioned by Paul in Galatians is an entirely different story. Peter succumbed to the peer pressure of the Jews who still clung to their old ways. He behaved one way when these folks were around, and another when they weren't. He was a hypocrite. Paul confronted him directly, as the Lord advised in Matthew 18. It has nothing to do with Peter as an authority figure, but with Peter as a fellow believer in error.
Still no pope! However, I've quite enjoyed dialog. You've really brought forth some excellent Scripture.
>> However, I’ve quite enjoyed dialog. <<
Thanks. I have, too. In fact, you’ve inspired a Vanity/FAQ.
>> Peter as a fellow believer in error. <<
But Peter wasn’t a believer in the error! Paul calls him a “hypocrite” and “self-condemned” because Peter had promulgated the very doctrine Paul was asserting to him. Peter was just being weak-willed... again. He knew better, and that’s why Paul upbraids him, not James.
>> The incident between Paul and Peter mentioned by Paul in Galatians is an entirely different story. <<
I’m not sure whether it’s entirely different or not. They both are Peter going along with James’ judaizing. Whether they are two separate incidents, or merely different highlights of the same incident, I believe is unknowable. The point stands, however.
>> The dispute became so great that a bunch of them (including Paul and Barnabas) went to Jerusalem (not Rome) to the Apostles and elders to sort the matter out. <<
Did I slip and say Rome?
>> I never said that I believed James had authority beyond possibly being an elder in the church of Jerusalem (BTW, we’re not even sure that this is the same James who was an Apostle. However, I personally believe it is). <<
It would appear to be James the Lesser, brother of Juda (Luke 6:16), brother of John (Matthew 10:2), son of Zebedee (Matthew 10:2, Mathew 27:56) and of Mary (Matthew 27:56, Mark 15:40), and therefore also brother of Joses/Joseph (Matthew 27:56, Mark 15:40). This Mary was Jesus’ aunt. John says, “Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene.” (John 19:25) (King James added in “the wife of,” which does not appear in any ancient text.)
So, this James the Lesser, was therefore a cousin of Jesus.
(Yes, Jesus did have cousins named James, Juda, Joses, and Simon, who also had an aunt named Mary.)
And that makes him also, likely, the “adelphos” of Jesus who wrote the Letter of James.