…Ohio cleric Israel Ford introduces new bride in church, sparks heated debate online
WICKLIFFE, Ohio — An Ohio-based cleric, Pastor Israel Ford, has sparked intense public debate after announcing his marriage to a second wife and declaring strict monogamy as “unbiblical.”
Ford, who leads LifeWorks Church in Wickliffe, announced the marriage via his official Facebook page alongside video footage recorded inside the church auditorium.In the post, he introduced his new bride, Shakayla Ford, standing beside her and his first wife, Lydia Ford, during a Sunday service.
Defending his decision, Ford argued that the societal norm of one-man, one-wife is cultural and not scriptural.
“As a nation we have been taught that a man should have one wife only. This is unbiblical,” Ford wrote. “I encourage you to watch today’s sermon in its entirety. I understand that this is an unpopular truth that we have gotten away from and many Pastors will not preach.”
The cleric said he was aware his position on polygyny would draw sharp criticism from mainstream Christian circles but insisted he would not compromise his theological convictions to please critics or preserve popularity.
The cleric said he was aware his position on polygyny would draw sharp criticism from mainstream Christian circles but insisted he would not compromise his theological convictions to please critics or preserve popularity.
He said the full sermon explaining his doctrinal position on plural marriage will be published online later this week.
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