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Recent commentators use the term polyamory to refer to romantic or sexual relationships involving multiple partners at once which do not necessarily involve marriage.
Bigamy or two marriage is polygamy with a person having two partners (not more). Many countries have specific statutes outlawing a bigamous marriage as a crime. It can also refer to the practice of marrying a second time without informing the spouses of each other.
Historically, both practices have been found, but polygyny appears far more commonly than polyandry. Truly polygamous combinations such as multiple men officially married to multiple women ( group marriage), or a man with two wives, one of whom has also another husband, are even more rare or nonexistent. Currently no official polygamous same-sex marriage exists.
Polygynous societies are about four times more numerous than monogamous ones. In 1994, Theodore C. Bergstrom noted in his paper "On the Economics of Polygyny" [1] (U. Mich. Center for Research on Economic and Social Theory, Working Paper Series 94-11) that "Although overt polygamy is rare in our own society, it is a very common mode of family organization around the world. Of 1170 societies recorded in Murdock's Ethnographic Atlas, polygyny (some men having more than one wife) is prevalent in 850.
At the same time, even within societies which allow polygamy, the actual practice of polygamy often occurs only rarely. To take on more than one wife often requires considerable financial resources: this may put polygamy beyond the means of the vast majority of people within those societies. Such appears the case in many traditional Islamic societies, and in Imperial China
Within polygamous societies, multiple wives often become a status symbol denoting wealth and power. Conversely, within societies which formally prohibit polygamy, social opinion may look favorably on persons maintaining mistresses or engaging in serial monogamy.
Some observers detect a social preference for polygyny in disease-prone (especially tropical) climates, and speculate that (from a potential mother's viewpoint) perceived quality of paternal genes may favour the practice there. The countervailing situation allegedly prevails in harsher climates, where (once again from a potential mother's viewpoint) reliable paternal care as exhibited in monogamous pair-bonding outweighs the importance of paternal genes.
The Greco-Roman society in which early ChristianityChristian cross and its many variations are widely recognized as an ancient Christian symbol. Christianity is an Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as described in the New Testament. Although Christians generally chara developed was at least formally monogamous, yet the Old TestamentThe Old Testament or the Hebrew Scriptures constitutes the first major part of the Christian Bible, usually divided into the categories law, history, poetry (or wisdom books) and prophecy. All of those books were written before the birth of Jesus. Canon o clearly demonstrates polygamy among the Biblical patriarch s. Saint AugustineAurelius Augustinus Augustine of Hippo ( 354 430) is a saint and the pre-eminent Doctor of the Church according to Roman Catholicism; he was the eldest son of Saint Monica. In the Eastern Orthodox Church, which does not accept all of his teachings, he is demonstrates this conflict in his consideration of the polygamy practiced in the time of the Old Testament patriarchSee Patriarchs (Bible) for details about Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob of the Book of Genesis in the Hebrew Bible. Originally a patriarch is a man who exercises autocratic authority over an extended family. Abraham, Isaac and Jacob are referred to as the thres when he writes in The Good of Marriage (chapter 15, paragraph 17) that though it "was lawful among the ancient fathers: whether it be lawful now also, I would not hastily pronounce. For there is not now necessity of begetting children, as there then was, when, even when wives bear children, it was allowed, in order to a more numerous posterity, to marry other wives in addition, which now is certainly not lawful." He declines to judge the patriarchs, but he certainly makes the current illegality relatively clear. In another place, he wrote, "Now indeed in our time, and in keeping with Roman custom, it is no longer allowed to take another wife, so as to have more than one wife living [emphasis added]."
Periodically, Christian reform movements that have aimed at rebuilding Christian doctrine based on the Bible alone ( sola scripturaSola scriptura ( Latin by Scripture alone is one of five important slogans of the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century. It meant that Scripture is the Church's only infallible rule for deciding issues of faith and practices that involve doctrines.) have at least temporarily accepted polygamy as a Biblical practice. During the Protestant Reformation, Martin Luther advised Philip of Hesse that although he found nothing unbiblical about polygamy, he should keep his second marriage a secret to avoid public scandal. The radical Anabaptists of Münster also practiced polygamy, but they had little influence after the defeat of the Münster Rebellion in 1535. Other Protestant leaders including John Calvin condemned polygamy, and at any rate sanctioned polygamy did not survive long within Protestant morality.
Similarly, polygamy and even group marriage was practiced in the United States among several Restorationist groups during the Second Great Awakening. Of these, the polygamy of the early Latter Day Saints is the most famous example.
The Catholic Church clearly condemns polygamy; the Catechism of the Catholic Church lists it in paragraph 2387 under the head "Other offenses against the dignity of marriage" and states that it "is not in accord with the moral law." Also in paragraph 1645 under the head "The Goods and Requirements of Conjugal Love" states "The unity of marriage, distinctly recognized by our Lord, is made clear in the equal personal dignity which must be accorded to man and wife in mutual and unreserved affection. Polygamy is contrary to conjugal love which is undivided and exclusive." Most Christian churches of any denomination condemn polygamy.
Like the Christian Bible and Jewish Torah, the Islamic Qur'an does not prohibit polygamy. According to Qur'an verses 4:3 and 4:139, a man is allowed up to four wives, as long as he treats them perfectly fairly -- but the text also states that perfect fairness is impossible. Polygamy is also allowed in special situations, such as during a shortage of male adults after a war. However, the Qur'an strongly encourages monogamy for most Muslims.
In Hinduism, polygamy was practiced since ancient times. Hinduism does not prohibit polygamy but does not encourage it. Historically, only kings, in practice, were polygamous. For example, the Vijanagar emperor, Krishnadevaraya had multiple wives. In modern times, polygamy is prohibited under Indian law, specically under those provisions which relate to Hindu marriage. However, Muslims in India are allowed to have multiple wives. Currently, in India, (as of October 2004), accordingly, the law concerning marriage is not a uniform one and is based on religion. There have been efforts to propose an uniform marital law, that would treat all Indians, irrespective of religion, all the same.
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