Condemned and Condoned: Polygynous Marriage in Christian Africa

Objective This study contributes to a better understanding of the role of Christianity in the persistence of polygyny in sub-Saharan Africa. Background Marital systems and practices are closely connected to religious norms, but these connections are often complex and contradictory. Polygynous marriage remains widespread in sub-Saharan Africa, including its heavily Christianized parts, where public opposition to it should be strongest. Methods The study analyzes a rich combination of quantitative and qualitative data from a predominantly Christian district in Mozambique. The data include a household-based survey, a census of the district's religious congregations, and focus group discussions and individual interviews with leaders and rank-and-file members of various churches. Results The multivariate statistical tests point to instructive denominational differences in the prevalence and acceptance of polygyny, with the starkest contrast being between two types of African Initiated Churches-one that is more lenient on pre-Christian practices and the other that is vehemently opposed to them. These tests also show a contrast between church leaders and rank-and-file members, the latter being generally more accepting of polygyny, and illustrate variations in acceptability of polygyny across different church membership scenarios. The analysis of the qualitative data complements the statistical tests by highlighting ideological and social mechanisms through which polygynous marriage is both rejected and legitimized in Christian communities. Conclusion Both condemnation and toleration of polygyny by Christian churches reflect the complexities of the transformation of sub-Saharan marital systems and of the role that religion plays in that process.