I don’t think there is any room for “independence” in the Church hierarchy; Luther was the logical extension of that mindset. While these disputes go on, people are dying and souls are lost; what could justify that? When Jesus told the rich man to give up his possessions and follow Him, and the man sadly turned away, Jesus didn’t run after him and say, “How about half the possessions?”. There is truth, and Satan’s deceit, and no reason to permit the latter because of diplomacy or the like.
acting independently is what’s happening and has happened