[Cronos]

yet, TP, take the cases of divorce or contraception. Is there a "firm" viewpoint on these, in your opinion?

The Anglicans didn't think so in the 1930s and once the little step was taken, here we are 80 years later with the Anglican church sadly in near total apostasy

That being said -- as you point out there is no direct scriptural evidence for or against. If you are to leave it at that, so be it.

[Turtlepower]

There is strong scriptural support to condemn divorce; although there is some dispute if it's allowed in the sole case of sexual immorality. Contraception, on the other hand, is not condemned explicitly in scripture, IMO. Abortion is condemned in scripture because it's equivalent to murder.

I don't think the reason Anglicans are headed (or are already in apostasy) is because they slowly rejected more and more of the Catholic church's teaching. I think their problem, like many other liberal churches, is their approach to scripture. They don't treat scripture interpretation carefully but allow the culture of the day to bias their positions. They have become too connected to the world's philosophies rather than relying on the unchanging truth of the Bible.

"That being said -- as you point out there is no direct scriptural evidence for or against. If you are to leave it at that, so be it."

That is where I personally am it - I don't see direct scriptural support for or against perpetual virginity, so to me it's a non-issue. As I mentioned earlier, if I did see strong support for the tradition that those close to Mary told others she was a virgin, then I would consider that evidence as well.