Until the last century, Christian missionaries forced polygamous pagans to divorce if they converted to Christianity*: My study will also draw on the testimony of my friend, the professor of theology faithful to the Word of God. He passed away in May 2025. In one of his books, he describes such a divorce being imposed on a man who had converted and who had two wives, the second of which he had to dismiss. The most tragic thing about this is that this divorce was a heart-wrenching experience, involving many tears, for the whole family, including the two women. To tear families apart in the name of Jesus – had the Messiah not risen from the dead, he would surely have turned in his grave.
Furthermore, this theologian even acknowledges himself that polygamous marriages generally work well. He writes:
Furthermore, this theologian even acknowledges himself that polygamous marriages generally work well. He writes:
'... Most of the time the family members have a good relationship, insofar as the two women get along well with each other.'
*(Today, polygamous people who convert to Christianity are forbidden to exercise ministry in the Church)
Polygamy is not automatically polyamory. We know from the sisters Leah and Rachel (Jacob's two first wives) that they slept separately with their husband. To prevent rivalry, Moses later forbade taking two sisters as wives. In the same logic, the Hebrew legislator also prohibited incest.
In the Bible there are three cases of quarrels among women of polygamous men:
- In all three examples, the quarrels are explicitly attributed to infertility: The childless woman becomes jealous of the one who gives birth to children (back then, not having children was a disgrace).
- It is not the Bible that ascribes the arguments of these women to polygamy, the monogamous Christians do so.
- What these three examples have in common is the infertility of one of the women and the long delay in the birth of a great personality (Isaac, Joseph and Samuel).
- In addition and parallel to Joseph's story we read that, when Lea (Jacob’s first wife) gave her servant to her husband as the fourth spouse, God rewarded Lea by making her fruitful again. For this reason Lea also called her son Issachar (יששכר i.e. 'he is reward').
Finally, it is worth noting that the divorce rate in monogamous countries is very high, and yet no one would think of attributing relationship problems to monogamy.
By Chris Zürcher. Page updated on 14 July 2026
