[jo kus]

I would claim that the dogma preceded the study rather than vice versa.

A claim that shows you know very little about the development of doctrine. Chose ANY subject promulgated at Nicea or beyond as dogma. In EVERY case, we find Christians writing about their various opinions on topics that were not quite clear, as the Body of Christ wrestled over the meanings of the teachings of the Apostles, whether given orally or in written form. People were writing about Mary's Immaculate Conception 1000 years before it became dogma...

Regards

[xzins]

I just went through the entire writings up through Irenaeus...approximately the first 150 years of the church.

There is no hint of the immaculate conception AND there is no hint of any assumption nor of any perpetual virginity nor of any perpetual hymen.

The huge bulk of the comments about Mary are that she was a virgin when she gave birth to our Lord, thereby fulfilling the prophecy of Isaiah.

And there was one point in Justin Martyr, IIRC, where it would have been a perfect fit to mention it.

But, alas, nary a hint of any such doctrines.