Religion, Polygamy, and Non-Traditional Families: Disparate Views on the Evolution of Marriage in History and in the Debate Over Same-Sex Unions

Abstract:     
This article looks at the legal aspects of various family units through the prism of history, noting that concepts of marriage and family have changed though the centuries. Using the current debate over same-sex marriage, the author asks if the current discussion of the legal status of marital unions is merely a minor footnote in the development of family law or if it is in fact a significant event which promises to revolutionize how the law looks at families. The author asks that we look at the same-sex debate in light of historical developments and work to develop a better understanding how cultural and religious differences affect a debate of this kind.

Keywords: Marriage, Non-traditional Families, Same-sex Unions, Religion, Polygamy, Informal Unions, Historical views of Marriage, Children of Same-sex unions

Accepted Paper Series