General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Burning people to death. Didn't Christians do that a few years back? [View all]MADem
(135,425 posts)As for the shi'a methodology of religious jurisprudence, you are demanding that they follow western criteria and that's not going to happen because that's not their way. That said, the Pope also consults with the college of cardinals and they do argue with him. We don't hear an awful lot about that but we do hear from the occasional cardinal on his way out the door after Francis has demoted him.
Usually, in Shi'a Islam, one ayatullah will be the spokesperson, but there are many and they operate in a consensus fashion. What comes out of their deliberations has the same effect as a Papal edict. If you want the One Name, that would be Ali Khamenei--he's "the" Grand Ayatullah and he will speak to the decisions made, but they won't be made in a vacuum.