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In the Jewish and Christian faiths, there’s a long and varied history concerning marriage and partnerships. In general, monogamy, marriage between one man and one woman, and polygamy, usually marriage between one man and more than one woman, in these two Abrahamic traditions has a complex background with a broad range of interpretations.
For support of the monogamous union, some practitioners of Judaism refer to this verse in the book of Genesis, in the Hebrew Bible: “Therefore, a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.”
There are references to childbearing and different spiritual values attributed to this in the different traditions, as well. In the Roman Catholic tradition that was most authoritative early in the Middle Ages, the institution of marriage was described and put forth as the union between one man and one woman.
There are, however, some Christian groups that recognize and practice polygamy. Some practitioners of Mormon fundamentalism have more than one wife in the context of what is called plural marriage. This is associated with certain ethical and spiritual commitments of the faith. With this, there is a wide range of interpretation and tolerance concerning the Church of Latter-day Saints, as well as the legal and civic recognition of the practice.
In parts of Africa with significant Muslim populations, there’s a range of interpretation and recognition with levels of tolerance to the polygamist family structure.
In North Africa, the practice of having more than one wife or husband is generally more accepted, yet it is not widespread or very common. Again, it varies a bit from country to country. In other areas of Africa, such as Kenya, where approximately 10% of the population is Muslim, polygamy was officially recognized in 2014.
Within all the religions that you’ve been looking at there has been, and continues to be, a wide range of interpretation, recognition, and acceptance of alternative family structures. Homosexuality is an example.
In the Roman Catholic Church, it is almost universally understood that marriage is a sacrament to be enjoyed by one man and one woman. However, certain Protestant denominations have approved, either officially or in principle, the right for individuals of the same gender to partake in the sacrament of marriage. There continues to be debate about this from within and between denominations.
This debate also affects civil life. It brings up ongoing questions of the separation of church and state, issues of individual freedom, and how civic life and religion are related or not.
Source: THIS TUTORIAL WAS AUTHORED BY TED FAIRCHILD FOR SOPHIA LEARNING. Please see our Terms of Use.
