"...The truth is that the Protoevangelium was circulated and read widely amongst Christians and formed much of the traditions that developed before NT Scripture was compiled."The TRUTH? The truth is that this was a forgery, NOT written by James. Condemned by the Church!Simply one more forgery which was read and circulated. False Tradition is still false, pious or not.
AND yet this apochryphal fabrication is BELIEVED more than the actual WORD of GOD!
So was Matthew 28:19. So was 1 John 5:7. So was Mark 16:9-20. How about the whole of John 21? And a whole raft of others. Do you admit it or not? If yes, then I admire your willingness to grasp what is. If not, then what?
AND yet this apochryphal fabrication is BELIEVED more than the actual WORD of GOD!
You haven't been paying attention, have you? The Gospels are considered the pinnacle of God's revelation to man. The rest of the NT is seen through the prism of the Gospels and OT. The OT is seen through the New. As a matter of fact, for several hundred years, the OT was thought to be spurious and not necessarily for early Christians. It took the Councils to bring them back into general acceptance.