@wing_str @reloadedAK @judgedread @thefinn >they all accept Church Doctrine, and are therefore part of the Universal Catholic Church.
Sure but this is where it gets weird and grey. The political aspect stepped in and amplified when counsels were challenging or impossible to properly hold. One can make a sound argument either in defense of or against Rome's actions during the medieval period. It is impossible to hold proper councils when bandits and marauders and war are at your doorstep and you need unity and all hands on deck, and it is improper to acquire power from necessity and not surrender it when necessity ends. Unfortunately a reasonable argument can once again be made for both sides of this. I'm of the opinion that Rome became the de facto leader and tradition carried that further than it should. I could be wrong; I'm ignorant on some things and not well versed in church law and its apologetics.