(Excellent! I agree with that wholeheartedly!)
From nearly the beginning, the Church has made reliable declarations of matters of faith and morals under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. We think this is at least part of what John 20:21-23 is about.
Hmmm...and was it only the Apostels and the Elders in the church, or did it include the whole church in Acts 15 account? In the RCC, do any of the dogmas and doctrines have the votes of the whole membership, or is it just the Hierarchy of the church - especially knowing that the majority (almost all members) haven't the faintest idea of how the dogmas and doctrines came about?
Concerning John 20, all believers have the Holy Spirit of God within them. And any believer can forgive anyone who sins against him. No one can forgive the sin one commits against another other than the one sinned against - i.e., a priest forgiving a person who sinned against another person who is not involved in the forgiving process. Naw, there is no sense saying more on this...neither of us would get anywhere :-( (It would take a dedicated thread to just start the issue!)
and was it only the Apostels and the Elders in the church, or did it include the whole church in Acts 15 account?
Acts15:6 seems to say it was a meeting of Apostles and elders. Sounds like a council to me.
In the RCC, do any of the dogmas and doctrines have the votes of the whole membership, or is it just the Hierarchy of the church
The laity have influence but no franchise. For example the Marian dogmata were taken under consideration partially because lay people wanted them to be considered.
Concerning John 20, all believers have the Holy Spirit of God within them.
Clearly. And there are diversities of gifts.
And any believer can forgive anyone who sins against him.
So far so good.
No one can forgive the sin one commits against another other than the one sinned against - i.e., a priest forgiving a person who sinned against another person who is not involved in the forgiving process.
It seems to me unlikely that this episode and the words would be reported if Jesus was just saying what nearly everybody thinks. I guess your studies lead you to call onto question the entire concept of Apostolicity.