“The sins you forgive are forgiven, the sins you retain are retained.” The idea here is that ON BEHALF OF GOD, the apostles, then bishops, and priests can act “in the person of Christ” to absolve sin. This is to avoid having to do public confessions of sin. (“Confess your sins, one to another.”)
It’s not sad - it’s what the early church did up until Luther.
Yes - but not until he went to be ordained. Do you remember the story? Jesus appeared to him as light on the road to damascus and told him to go to a specific house. It was there that he was given his authority and ordination as a bishop (obviously they did not use the english word bishop but that was the position he occupied - people didn’t “plant churches” without being approved and laid hands on by those who came before).
“The sins you forgive are forgiven, the sins you retain are retained.” The idea here is that ON BEHALF OF GOD, the apostles, then bishops, and priests can act “in the person of Christ” to absolve sin. This is to avoid having to do public confessions of sin. (“Confess your sins, one to another.”)
It’s not sad - it’s what the early church did up until Luther.
Yes, they did, according to Paul (“the imposition of my hands”)
Yes - but not until he went to be ordained. Do you remember the story? Jesus appeared to him as light on the road to damascus and told him to go to a specific house. It was there that he was given his authority and ordination as a bishop (obviously they did not use the english word bishop but that was the position he occupied - people didn’t “plant churches” without being approved and laid hands on by those who came before).