The biblical blueprint for marriage and the predicament of polygamy: A narrative review
Department of Computer Science, Federal Polytechnic, Oko Nigeria.
Review Article
World Journal of Advanced Research and Reviews, 2022, 16(01), 271–279
Article DOI: 10.30574/wjarr.2022.16.1.0902
Publication history:
Received on 15 August 2022; revised on 10 October 2022; accepted on 13 October 2022
Abstract:
Polygamy is widespread in Africa, being highest in Burkina Faso (36%), Mali (34%), Gambia (30%), Niger (29%), and Nigeria (28%). 83.39% of traditional societies in the world practice polygyny, while 16.14% practice monogamy. Significant evidence that the Bible presents monogamy as God's blueprint or original plan for marriage exists. Despite this evidence, numerous investigations revealed that the percentage of young people who find polygamy morally acceptable has risen from 9% to 34%, with about 8% of Christians in Nigeria living in polygamous households. This study calls for narrative review, analysis, and synthesis of vast works of literature to delineate important information, insights, symbolism, purpose, and characteristics of God's plan for marriage, in line with The King James Version Bible (2022) adopted as the conceptual framework for this study. The purpose of this study is to present marital monogamy, marriages involving only two people, male and female, as the biblical blueprint for marriage, and to provide a biblical platform for godly inspiration and instruction in righteousness towards adopting godly monogamous marriage as against the numerous ungodly marriages. This study delineated how the Bible can significantly and positively influence choice toward monogamous marriage while x-raying the dilemma of polygamy. The researcher extracted some documentaries from The King James Version Bible and peer-reviewed articles within the last five years from electronic databases, engaging some keywords such as "God's blueprint for marriage", "Polygamous marriages", and "Bible accounts of Polygamy Vs. Monogamy", "Choosing between Polygamy and Monogamy", etc. Results show that God's original intention or blueprint for marriage, according to the Bible was monogamy which encompasses marital monogamy, social monogamy, sexual monogamy, and genetic monogamy, all overlapping. Results also show that God allowed divorce and polygamy because of the hardness of men's hearts, although neither was part of His original plan for marriage. Results and insights from this study may have a positive social impact on marriage, research and innovations, and on the significance, symbolism, purpose, and benefits of monogamous marriage in preference to polygamy.
Keywords:
Bible; God's blueprint for marriage; Polygamy. Monogamy; Symbolism of marriage
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