The curious case of polygamy

Facebook has recently started sharing posts from a guy whose “ministry” is trying to convince everyone to do polygamy. There’s lots of ways to respond to such an appeal, but as is my way, I use a variation of The Dog Which Never Barked.

I point out that for 1,500 years after Pentecost the Church universally taught against polygamy and instead taught monogamy. Why? There were plenty of disputes in the Early Church, but never about this issue. So, either…

(1) The Apostles taught monogamy and rejected polygamy

(2) The Apostles taught polygamy but their teaching was lost immediately and without the slightest trace

Which is more likely and which nullifies the promises of Christ regarding His Church?

“For now it is possible for men and women who were once only permitted to marry many wives to be satisfied with one.”

– Justin Martyr (c. AD 100–165), Dialogue with Trypho

“One man should possess one wife, and one wife should possess one husband.”

– Clement of Alexandria (c. AD 150–215), Stromata

“We indeed are forbidden to marry more than once.”

– Tertullian (c. AD 155–220), On Exhortation to Chastity

The earliest person I’ve found to offer any kind of concession to polygamy is Martin Luther in 1522… but even then…

(a) he only allowed it in certain restricted circumstances (a rich nobleman – make of that what you will)

(b) and he still said that monogamy was the ideal