[alwayslearning]

IMHO in regards to so called "spiritual authority" the question 2000+ years after the NT was written is: where does spiritual authority reside? If it resides in a certain person or select group of leaders than we are in trouble. Because this idea and practice allows this person or select handful of people to freely say and do whatever they want and everyone else is expected to submit to them regardless of what their own conscience says or what the Word of God says. The MOTA+ trumps all! And those who following their conscience speak out against some of their unsavory actions are considered rebellious, lepers, etc.

Martin Luther got this when he said at Worms the Bible and his conscience are his authority regardless of what the pope and his cohorts said or did past and present.