Goody, Jack: Jack Goody is a British anthropologist who in 1983 argued that the Church in the Early Middle Ages was trying to control the marriage system to bring in more money. Goody authored a book, The Development of the Family and Marriage in Europe. In his book he further explains his discoveries about the Church in relationship to the family and marriage.

According to Marriage and the Family in the Middle Ages, by Frances and Joseph Gies, Goody's theory was that the Church's extension of exogamy, together with its opposition to polygamy, concubinage, and divorce and remarriage, constituted a deliberate strategy designed to limit the aristocracy's ability to produce heirs. More money might then more easily fall into the hands of the Church through bequests.

Critics said Goody's theory ignore the way the Church actually functioned and shows an unwarranted capacity for secret actions by the church.

David Herlithy, a contemporary, said a more plausible theory about the attitude of the Church is that the Church wanted to prevent powerful men from having more women than other men. --Lauren Wood.