[notigar]

Polygamy was regulated, not forbidden.

Exodus 21:10: "If he takes to himself another woman", :Deuteronomy 21:15-17 "If a man have two wives".

The rights of the firstborn went to whatever son was born first, regardless of which woman bore this child (Deuteronomy 21:15-17).

Each wife was to be treated equally. Equal food, clothing, and affection. (Exodus 21:10).

If a man died without children then his brother was obliged to marry the widow. (Deuteronomy 25 vv 7-10). There is nothing to suggest that this was limited to unmarried brothers, is there?

I don't see a prohibition in the NT. Rather, a nudging toward monogamy.

Now, you can argue things changed. Socially, they did. The economic benifits of polygamy have been shattered. That, and only that, accounts for its present demise. Believe me, the New Testament would come under some reinterpretation on the matter should the need arise.

[Wallace T.]

It would be more accurate to state that the Old Testament "nudged towards monogamy". However, the statements of Jesus and Paul in the New Testament clearly indicate a prohibition of any sexual practice other than heterosexual monogamy. The statement in I Corinthians 7 implies an exclusive relationship between one man and one woman, as does Jesus' statement in Matthew 19 that what God has joined together is not to be put asunder by man. As with the case of other Christian doctrines, such as the Trinity and the Substitutionary Atonement, polygamy is forbidden even though the term is not used. The practices and teachings of orthodox Christianity from the second century to the present day on the matter are evidence that the Christian churches have forbidden polygamy based on their interpretation of the whole counsel of Scripture.

As for whether polygamy is permitted at some future time by some churches that style themselves Christian, it is indeed possible. Who would have thought 100 years ago that the Episcopalian Church would select an unrepentant homosexual as a bishop, or that mainline Protestant denominations would be pro-abortion? However, when the doctrines and practices of a church deviate from Biblical teachings, said churches are "synagogues of Satan."