/lit/ - Literature

A different way to phrase this question:

Regardless of the accuracy of the belief, why does our salvation hinge on believing it? Given that disbelieving a dogma constitutes a mortal sin. It has no bearing on Christ's message whatsoever.

Again, this is not a troll post, I'm asking the question because I want to understand the position better from the Church's perspective

Can any Catholic anons explain to me why the Perpetual Virginity of Mary was codified as dogma?

I understand that for the purposes of the Virgin Birth, it follows that she was a virgin *prior* to Christ's birth, but what's the reason for thinking she was afterwards? The story seems to originate in the Protoevangelium of James which isn't even canonical.

More to the point, even if it was a long-held tradition of the Church, why was it necessary (or even fitting) to dogmatise it? It has absolutely nothing to do with Christ's message or mission.

Also, for any Protestant anons, why was this doctrine upheld by Luther? I don't understand why it was considered so convincing and essential, it just seems irrelevant. It's fine as tradition but I don't get the purpose of forcing people to believe it on pain of excommunication.

Inb4
>bluh bluh because they're heretics

I'm asking for the logic behind it from their perspective