Tony Dungy responds to Ohio pastor’s defense of polygamy

Former NFL coach and Christian commentator Tony Dungy has publicly challenged Ohio pastor Israel Ford, who recently announced to his congregation at LifeWorks Church that he has been married to two women simultaneously for nearly three years. Ford, a co-founder of the church, argued that the traditional Christian doctrine of monogamy is unbiblical.

In a series of social media exchanges, Dungy cited several biblical passages to support the view that marriage is intended to be a union between two people. He pointed to Ephesians 5:31-32, which describes the marriage union as an illustration of the relationship between Christ and the church, noting that Christ has only one bride. Additionally, Dungy referenced Mark 10:11 regarding divorce and adultery to argue against the legitimacy of multiple concurrent marriages.

While some social media users have requested explicit scriptural prohibitions against polygamy, Dungy maintained that the biblical model of marriage is exclusive. The controversy has prompted broader discussion regarding church leadership standards, with some apologetics organizations noting that such marital arrangements would disqualify an individual from pastoral ministry.