Subpoenaing Luther on Questions of Polygyny

The study discussed debatable questions of Martin Luther’s support of polygyny, which are considered perennial enough to warrant a rejoinder of curricular relevance to Biblical Christianity and theology from a contemporary African perspective. Accordingly, the study proposed that establishing an effective understanding of the debatable points against polygyny is necessary for developing Biblical theology curricular tools for deliberating on Luther’s stand in support of polygyny. The study pursued two purposes. Purpose 1: to consider the historical grounds for a contemporaneous subpoena to Luther on perennial questions of polygyny. These are the grounds upon which a proxy rejoinder can be delimited to facilitate formal learning exercises, via the curriculum of Biblical theology in Africa. Purpose 2: to address the contemporaneous submissions of the church in Africa against polygyny in support of the historical grounds for subpoenaing Luther on perennial questions of polygyny, upon which a proxy rejoinder can be delimited for treatment via the curriculum of Biblical theology in Africa. The study was facilitated by the qualitative research methodology, via which primary historical documents were examined primarily using the documentary analytical method. A key conclusion of the study is that learners and teachers, as participants in the Biblical theology course, are both responsible for the success of the curriculum. When controversial issues (such as polygyny in Christianity) arise in the teaching-learning process in a Biblical theology class, all kinds of considerations are usually engaged for and/or against it. Therefore, course participants need to be equipped with the skills of discussing these considerations, to guard the debate from getting derailed. A fundamental recommendation from the study is that there is a need to reformulate the curriculum for Biblical theology in African theological schools, with Biblical marriages (monogamy and polygyny) as one of those controversial issues to be addressed by the curriculum.