>>Should clergy be allowed to matter that much? What credibilty do they have left?
The “magisterium of the church” is probably the most dangerous illusion. God left us his word in written form and he left us the Holy Spirit to guide us. The visible church has an important role in our lives, but should never be placed on the same level as the Word and Spirit.
Christ is the Word made Flesh, and the church is the Body of Christ. It is Christ who established His Church and gave her the authority to teach via the Holy Spirit. “Whoever hears you, hears Me.”
I believe that proposition, because it is Christ who teaches it.