Polygamy is usually associated with the non-Christian world, especially with Moslems and South Sea Islanders. Christianity on the contrary has from early times fiercely resisted polygamy, and John Cairncross contends in this fascinating historical analysis that it was when the Church became centered in Rome that "polygamy" became a "sin."

Professor Cairncross shows however that there is a strong underground polygamous Christian tradition, which was persecuted and stamped out from about 1525 to 1800, with a prolongation of the case of the Mormons from 1840 to 1890.

Based on a rigorous examination of the texts both for and against polygamy, this study gives a remarkable insight into moral attitudes and particularly the status of women at the time.

Cairncross demonstrates that in addition to the two communities practicing Christian polygamy – the Munster Anabaptists and the Mormons – there were a number of prominent figures, including Milton, and probably Newton and Spinoza, who adhered to it in theory.

By going back to the original texts, the author has presented a less distorted picture of the translation that has hitherto been possible. His exposition of the material in its historical sequence and perspective reveals some interesting facts, such as the relationship between Mormon polygamy in its early stages and the private life of Joseph Smith, the founder of the Mormon Church.

The possible reasons for the emergence of the tradition and its eclipse are discussed, and each of the phases of its evolution is described, showing that they are often not causally connected but arise from the combination of certain constant ingredients at various points in time between about 1530 and 1900.

About the Author:

After serving as a WWII British Intelligence Officer, and holding a variety of positions in the British Government, John Cairncross, a Cambridge graduate, settled in Rome where he was correspondent for the Economist, the Observer, and for the Canadian Broadcasting Company. He was Head of the Department of Romance Languages at Western Reserve University (now Case/Western Reserve), Cleveland, Ohio.