The Western Case for Monogamy over Polygamy
Published on 5. May 2015
Book
Hardback
550 pages
978-1-107-10159-3 (ISBN)
Description
For more than 2,500 years, the Western tradition has embraced monogamous marriage as an essential institution for the flourishing of men and women, parents and children, society and the state. At the same time, polygamy has been considered a serious crime that harms wives and children, correlates with sundry other crimes and abuses, and threatens good citizenship and political stability. The West has thus long punished all manner of plural marriages and denounced the polygamous teachings of selected Jews, Muslims, Anabaptists, Mormons, and others. John Witte, Jr carefully documents the Western case for monogamy over polygamy from antiquity until today. He analyzes the historical claims that polygamy is biblical, natural, and useful alongside modern claims that anti-polygamy laws violate personal and religious freedom. While giving the pro and con arguments a full hearing, Witte concludes that the Western historical case against polygamy remains compelling and urges Western nations to hold the line on monogamy.
Reviews / Votes
'By providing such an outstanding survey of the historical arguments against polygamy, Witte makes a convincing argument that at present, the focus on harms and rights in contemporary legal and constitutional discourse (not religious beliefs or practices) is likely to keep polygamy at bay in the United States for some time to come. This is essential reading for understanding debates about marriage, religion, and state interests.' A. G. Roeber, Journal of Church and StateMore details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
Cambridge
United Kingdom
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Illustrations
20 Halftones, unspecified; 3 Line drawings, unspecified
Dimensions
Height: 235 mm
Width: 157 mm
Thickness: 34 mm
Weight
938 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-107-10159-3 (9781107101593)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
John Witte, Jr
The Western Case for Monogamy over Polygamy
Book
04/2015
Cambridge University Press
€66.90
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Jr John Witte
Western Case for Monogamy over Polygamy
E-Book
04/2015
Cambridge University Press
€39.49
Available for download
John Witte, Jr
The Western Case for Monogamy over Polygamy
E-Book
04/2015
Cambridge University Press
€45.99
Available for download
Person
John Witte, Jr is Robert W. Woodruff University Professor and Director of the Center for the Study of Law and Religion at Emory University, Atlanta. A world authority in legal history, he has directed twelve major international projects on democracy, human rights, religious liberty, marriage, family, and children. He has lectured throughout the world and published twenty-seven books, including, recently, Christianity and Human Rights: An Introduction (Cambridge, 2010) and The Sins of the Fathers: The Law and Theology of Illegitimacy Reconsidered (Cambridge, 2009).
Content
1. From polygamy to monogamy in ancient Judaism; 2. Monogamy versus polygamy in the early church; 3. Polygamy in the laws of state and church in the first millennium; 4. The medieval case for monogamy over polygamy; 5. Polygamous experiments in early Protestantism; 6. The Calvinist case against polygamy and its civil law impact; 7. The English case against polygamy: theology, politics, and the early modern common law; 8. The early modern liberal case for polygamy; 9. The Enlightenment liberal case against polygamy; 10. The American case against polygamy.