medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Bill East wrote:
>
> Episcopal bigamy is forbidden by 1 Timothy 3:2 "Now a bishop must be
> above reproach, the husband of one wife." I know of no scriptural
> warrant for forbidding a priest or deacon from having as many wives as
> he liked. Of course, clerical stipends have always been rather small,
> which militates against keeping a large harem.
>
Bill East has failed to read on to verse 12: "Let the deacons be the
husbands of one wife..." (I think that means one each!). It is interesting
that Tyndale's 1534 marginal note is "The wives of priests and deacons." -
he has failed to consider the glaring absence of the word 'priest' in the
text! He is more circumspect in his marginal note to 3:1 "A bishop or an
overseer what he ought to be".
John Briggs
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