Prophet Israel Ford, who recently went viral after introducing his second wife to his congregation, has defended his decision to have two wives amid criticism from Christians.
Speaking alongside his wives, the cleric addressed the biblical teaching that a church leader should be the husband of one wife, arguing that the passage is often misinterpreted.
“One, I’m not a bishop nor am I a deacon. Two, if that’s actually what that meant, then that would only pertain to those who are on that level of leadership,” he said.
Ford argued that some biblical instructions were influenced by the culture of the time and should be understood within that context.
He cited the passage instructing women to remain silent in church, questioning why Christians could accept its cultural context but not apply similar reasoning to teachings about church leaders having one wife.
The prophet added that people often dismiss his explanations as excuses, making him reluctant to continue defending his interpretation to those who disagree with him.
