The Lambeth Conference brings together Anglican Bishops from all over the world, and is convened by the Archbishop of Canterbury in Canterbury, England, every ten years to discuss church and world issues.
During the 1988, Conference the late Archbishop David Gitari raised a very contentious issue . He criticised the Church for failing to recognise what he called a tolerable custom to Africans. That of allowing a man to marry more than one wife.
Gitari argued that there was nothing in the Bible that prevented a man from having several wives, adding that it was therefore wrong for the church to limit men and demonise polygamists.
Gitari in his argument, pointed out that in 1 Timothy 3:2 Apostle Paul only talked about Bishops and Deacons having only one wife. Therefore, the instructions did not apply to the flock. He also asked the church to baptise polygamists.
Gitari’s argument on multiple wives was however rule out, but the church agreed to cede some ground on the baptism of polygamists. The final resolution stated:
“This Conference upholds monogamy as God’s plan, and as the ideal relationship of love between husband and wife; nevertheless recommends that a polygamist who responds to the Gospel and wishes to join the Anglican Church may be baptized and confirmed with his believing wives and children on the following conditions:
(1) that the polygamist shall promise not to marry again as long as any of his wives at the time of his conversion are alive;
(2) that the receiving of such a polygamist has the consent of the local Anglican community;
(3) that such a polygamist shall not be compelled to put away any of his wives, on account of the social deprivation they would suffer;
(4) and recommends that provinces where the Churches face problems of polygamy are encouraged to share information of their pastoral approach to Christians who become polygamists so that the most appropriate way of disciplining and pastoring them can be found, and that the ACC be requested to facilitate the sharing of that information.”
At times some of these rules apply only to the poor. I have seen rich divorcees marrying again in the Anglican Church despite the Church’s stand on the issue.
Nevertheless, diverse cultures and how they relate with Anglican doctrines, has always been a contentious issue among the clergy in the global South and those in the West. While the mother church in the West detest polygamy, it has embraced same sex marriages, and anointed gays and Lesbians to serve as priests.
This has never gone down well with the church in Africa which view it as a corruption of Anglican doctrines. For example when Cherry Vanns, an open Lesbian cleric was anointed as the Archbishop of the Anglican Church of Wales in August 2025, the Anglican Church of Nigeria announced that it was officially cutting all ties with the Anglican Church of Wales following the move.
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