Polygamy

[Ziggamafu]

I can't seem to find any reference to polygamy in the Apostolic Fathers. There are a few brief references from post-Apostolic Fathers (such as St. Augustine), but even they seem a bit confused. Can someone provide a quote condemning polygamy?

Thanks!

[CatherineM]

I'm not sure you are going to really find any. Having more than one wife in a time of high deaths due to child birth, wasn't unusual. How about the stuff from Paul's letters talking about one man and one woman, his marriage symbolism with the church.

[tinytherese]

Has anyone else ever wondered how Jacob in the book of Genesis had two wives and concubines and yet never seemed to be corrected for it?

[CatherineM]

[quote name='tinytherese' post='1776968' date='Feb 9 2009, 03:17 PM']Has anyone else ever wondered how Jacob in the book of Genesis had two wives and concubines and yet never seemed to be corrected for it?[/quote]

I realize I'll probably get stomped on mightedly for saying this, but I have often thought that Abraham was corrected for his laying with Hagar, and it comes down to us as a consequence. When we think about the fact that Ishmael is considered one of the fathers of Islam, and he is the product of what our faith would consider adultery. We are the ones dealing with the fruit of his misdeeds, not only in lying with a woman who was not his wife, but also in the cruel treatment he displayed by sending his son out into the desert with his mother.