Introduction to plural marriage:
polygamy, polygyny & polyandry

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Overview:

All known cultures have established some type of marriage ritual. A major reason has been to provide a stable family structure for the upbringing of children.

Marriage has been an amazingly flexible institution. It is, and has been, in a continuous state of flux. During various eras and within various societies, marriage has generally permitted opposite-sex adult couples of the same religion, culture, and race to marry. But it has often prohibited couples from marrying who are:

In the United States:

This series of essays deals with families which include more than two spouses. In the U.S. and Canada, most marriages are between two persons -- generally one woman and one man. However polygamous marriages (a.k.a. plural marriages) do exist, and are not actively prosecuted by some state and provincial governments -- notably Utah in the U.S. and British Columbia in Canada. However, no political jurisdiction in North America formally registers polygamous marriages.

By far the most common type of plural marriages are polygynous in nature; they consist of one man and multiple wives. Polyandrous marriages, consisting of one woman and multiple husbands, are rare.

Almost all polygamous marriages in North America fall into one of two categories:

In addition, polygyny is found among some Muslim immigrants: In Islam, Sharia law permits a man to marry up to four wives. However, he must meet a strict requirement: he must treat all wives equally. Upon immigrating to North America or Europe his family structure comes in conflict with national laws. Western countries are faced with the phenomenon of Muslim men visiting their country of origin on vacation and returning with an additional wife.

According to the Brussels Journal:

"The Islamic Cultural Center Norway (ICCN), an immigrant organisation subsidised by the Norwegian state, advises Muslims in Norway to take several wives because polygamy 'is advantageous and ought to be practiced where conditions lend themselves to such practice'....Muslim immigrants who come to live in Europe often bring along their extended families, which may contain two, three and even four wives, and all of their offspring. Such families average up to 15 people, which means that up to half a million of France’s 60 million inhabitants, a significant section of the entire population, may be living in polygamous families. There are also hundreds of polygamous families in Britain, Germany, the Netherlands and other countries." ₂

Some countries, like Norway and Britain, are making allowances for the additional wives. In the U.S., polygyny is a criminal offense and open to prosecution in all areas of the country, except perhaps in Utah where the state has a history of condoning polygyny, as long as the spouses are not too open about it. In British Columbia, Canada, where members of a fundamentalist Mormon sect have openly practiced polygyny for decades, there is a near consensus by constitutional experts that the federal law restricting marriage to two persons is probably unconstitutional. The freedom of religion clauses in the Charter of Rights and Freedom -- Canada's constitution -- are viewed as permitting polygamous relationships if they are religiously-based. More information on the legal status of polygamy in various countries

Reference used:

1. "Multiple intimate relationships: A summary of Liberated Christians' views," at: http://www.libchrist.com/bible/polygamy.html
2. Paul Belien, "Polygamy All Over the Place," The Brussels Journal, 2005-NOV-17, reprinted at: http://www.canadafreepress.com/

Copyright © 2004 to 2006 by Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance
Originally written: 2004-SEP-04
Latest update: 2006-JAN-27     
Author: B.A. Robinson