Customer Reviews

After Polygamy Was Made a Sin: The Social History of Christian Polygamy

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This was written by a former British civil-servant and journalist who discovered an anti-polygamy book in a Paris bookstore in the 1950's. The book dated back to the eighteenth century and Mr. Cairncross set out to discover the movement to which this book had reacted. He found that polygamy was not the sole preserve of Muslims and South Sea islanders, but had a substantial recent Christian tradition.

The book presents the results of the considerable research done, and shows that polygamy has repeatedly been defended, advocated and even practised by leading figures in Christendom since around the time of the Reformation. The study does not however, penetrate any further back into history than this period, but does find more than enough evidence of Christian polygamy in relatively recent times to provide understanding to those who still consider the subject today.

Readers should be aware that the title is not a concession that polygamy is in fact sinful, but is a reference to Dryden's poem "Absalom and Ahithophel" which begins "In pious times, ere priestcraft did begin, Before Polygamy was made a sin". This poem locates the prohibition of polygamy not with God but with a false order of priesthood.

Also, reading the book leaves one with the firm impression that Mr. Cairncross is looking at Christianity from the outside. While this does make him prone to certain errors, he cannot be guilty of being a biased enthusiast for Christian polygamy.

Unfortunately, this book was written by a former Soviet spy and therefore the information contained within it must be held as suspect.