What is the Protestant defense of monogamy?

[Pellman]

I am not trying to point out a flaw or start an argument. Really, I am just curious. Luther and Melancthon both maintained that the monogamy limitation was unbiblical. It seems fairly straightforward to me. Polygyny is practiced widely throughout the Old Testament and is never condemned in either Testament that I know of.

So if the earliest Protestants recognized this, how did the standard denominations come to hold to strict monogamy?

So really it is two questions. How do they defend it today? And how did it historically develop from the time of Luther and Melancthon? (these two might have different answers)

 

[jen69]

I have belonged to both Baptist and Evangelical churches. I have attended others including Catholic (I was baptized Catholic) and Anglican, reformed etc.
Most non-Catholic churches I have attended believe that the bible is the bottom line. Therefore the biblical argument that I have heard points out Timothy 3:12. Though the requirement is for a leader- the general requirements (with exception of teaching ability) are ones that all Christians are required to strive towards. Therefore we assume God would have us to have one wife (or one husband, in my case). In addition biblical examples of multiple wives ended in negative consequences (fighting between Rachel and Leah etc). So polygamy, like divorce is most likely something God allowed but was not his “perfect will”. Lastly, we know the bible says “the two shall become one” Mk 10:8
Not the 2 or 3 or 4.

*editI should clarify that the defense of monogamy based on the negative consequences in the old testament is the defense I most commonly have heard.
The overall feeling seems to be that by the very nature of marriage we can see that anything other than 1 on 1 produces bad fruit.*end edit
I don’t know the history of the doctrine. I hope this helps.

 

[Pellman]

Thank you, Jen, and welcome to the board.

No other responses yet? I gotta come up with snappier topic titles.