I was preparing a review of this one and found that it's already got a thread. So, to keep from cluttering up the subforum with copycat threads, I'll post here.
How Did Polygamy Become a Sin
by Daniel Eshun
This one makes some of the same standard-issue points that are sort of basic fare for those of us who understand the Biblical Freedom of covenantal marriage (the absence of any condemnation of polygyny anywhere in the Bible, Levirate Marriage, "why would God regulate it in Exodus 21:10 if it was a sin to do it at all?," etc.), and it makes them with enough space between them that a reader who isn't already comfortable with polygyny (such as most of those in Christendom under the deceiving shroud of the Roman Catholic Empire) can chew on one point before biting into the next. The trade-off for this is, of course, that by putting some space in between salient points without greatly increasing the page count compared to other volumes (such as the J. A. Farmer one I reviewed two days go, which is kind of the starting point I'm measuring from), there's not as many of those points made in this book. Considering this appears to have been written for newcomers to the subject, this appears to have been an intentional move on Pastor Eshun's part.
In short, whereas Farmer's book was a deep-dive for those of us who have already seen the legitimacy of plural marriages and are seeking deeper knowledge to strengthen our ability to defend our position in a debate, this one is more of a primer for newbies. On that score, I have to say it's never going to replace Pilkington's The Great Omission (which is widely regarded as the essential manifesto of the Christian Patriarchal Polygynist), but it is worth having on the shelf.
One thing I noticed about the book, and I wonder if this was intentional or not, is that a lot of it is specifically geared toward Christians in Africa in particular, rather than Christendom in general. There are entire chapters whose relevance is specific to the unique situations and considerations there, where "Anti-Catholicism" and "Anti-Colonialism" are often viewed as being one and the same. Another that I noticed was that Pastor Eshun is not afraid to admit when he does not feel like he has all the answers, such as in the chapter where he describes the various interpretations of 1 Timothy 3:2, though he seems to have settled somewhere on the "preachers shouldn't do poly" side of that debate, which I have to say I disagree with.
The book is not flawless. But again, while it doesn't really offer a lot in the way of meat and potatoes for those of us who are already familiar with the Biblical justification for polygyny, it makes a great "here's something to get you started" for those who are less certain. For a man with one wife who is courting an uncertain second (who isn't sure whether the Bible allows that or not), this is a nice, easy book to start her on the path toward realizing that God made you capable of being the man for your current wife and her as well.
