A US pastor, Israel Ford, has sparked discussion after publicly introducing his second wife and challenging the belief that a man should have only one wife.
Ford, who leads LifeWorks Church in Wickliffe, Ohio, announced his marriage to Shakayla Ford in a Facebook post featuring a video recorded in church.
The video showed the pastor alongside his first wife, Lydia Ford, and his new wife as he introduced Shakayla to the public.
“I would like to introduce to the world, my second wife, Shakayla Ford!!!” he wrote.
The cleric accompanied the announcement with a statement defending polygamy and questioning the religious basis for restricting men to one wife.
“As a nation we have been taught that a man should have one wife only. This is unbiblical,” Ford said.
He revealed that he planned to publish a full sermon later in the week to explain his position and provide the biblical arguments behind his decision.
According to the pastor, many religious leaders avoid preaching about the subject because it is unpopular.
Ford said he would not abandon what he believes God had revealed to him simply to satisfy public expectations.
“I have no plans to choose pleasing man over what God has revealed,” he stated.
He also acknowledged that his announcement might lead some people to distance themselves from him.
The pastor said he understood that possibility and would accept the decision of anyone who disagreed with his position.
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His announcement has attracted attention online, particularly because Christian views on marriage and polygamy vary across denominations and communities.
Although some biblical figures had multiple wives, many contemporary Christian churches regard monogamy as the expected model for marriage.
Ford’s planned sermon is expected to explain how he interprets the relevant biblical passages.
The announcement has therefore placed renewed focus on questions about scripture, religious authority and how faith leaders apply biblical teachings to modern relationships.
