Saturday, March 12, 2022

Stewart Davenport Contradicting Himself on Polygamy and the Book of Mormon

In a recent publication, we read the following: 

 

Interestingly, the Book of Mormon, published in 1830, denounces polygamy in no uncertain terms. In a few episodes, taking more than one wife is actually listed more among society’s worst sins. N the book of Mosiah, for instance, the Nephite King Noah (not the Noah of the Genesis flood) “had many wives and concubines. And he did cause his people to commit sin, and do that which was abominable in the sight of the Lord.” A more comprehensive condemnation is found in the book of Jacob, where the once-righteous people “indulge themselves somewhat in wicked practices, such as like unto David of old desiring many wives and concubines.” The passage then goes on to command: “For there shall not any man among you have save it be one wife, and concubines he shall have none” (Mosiah 11:2; Jacob 2:23; 1:15; and 2:24, 27).

 

In the entire Book of Mormon, the single exception to its apparent anti-polygamy rule comes just a few verses later in the book of Jacob. “For if I will, saith the Lord of Hosts, raise up seed unto me, I will command my people; otherwise they shall hearken unto these things” (Jacob 2:30). The general rule is monogamy. This proviso, however, stipulates that in the event that God desires for His people to have more babies (to “raise up seed unto me”). He will set aside the monogamous norm and sanction polygamy. Saints would later point to this verse as scriptural justification for plural marriage, but to the casual reader it would appear that the Book of Mormon was an antipolygamous text. At the very least, no one in 1830, including Joseph Smith, thought that their restored gospel and Church authorized anything but monogamous marriages. (Stewart Davenport, Sex and Sects: The Story of Mormon Polygamy, Shaker Celibacy, and Oneida Complex Marriage [Charlottesville, Va.: University of Virginia Press, 2022], 75-76, emphasis added)

 

On plural marriage in the Book of Mormon, see, for e.g.


Polygamy, Deuteronomy 17:17, and Jacob 2:24


Rashi on Deuteronomy 17:17 and the King Having Plural Wives


Why does the Doctrine of Covenants Contradict The Book of Mormon? Should it?