Bride of Christ (theology).html
 
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For other uses, see Bride of Christ (disambiguation).

The Bride of Christ is a metaphor for the Ecclesia (church), likening the relationship between Christians and Jesus to a betrothal pointing to a future wedding, when Christians are re-united with Jesus in heaven. John the Baptist talks in the Gospel of John chapter 3 verse 29 in terms of himself as a "best man" with the implication that Christ the bridegroom (see also Matthew 9:15) is coming to meet his bride, but there is nothing specific to identify the bride. It could be Israel or it could be looking forward to the Church, but Church Fathers such as Cyprian applied the image to the Church.1

The image originates from the Old Testament prophets, who described Israel as God's bride or wife, for example in Isaiah 54:5.2 In the New Testament, Saint Paul in 2 Corinthians chapter 11 verse 2 speaks of presenting the church (at Corinth) as a pure virgin to Christ as husband. In the Revelation to St John chapter 21 has been taken to reflect the relationship between Christ and his church.3 However, in Revelation 21 the bride is explicitly the New Jerusalem after the final judgment rather than the earthly church, and in its context is more likely a simple contrast between the New Jerusalem and the Whore of Babylon (a symbol for the Roman Empire).

Saint Paul used similar imagery elsewhere in his epistles. In his epistle to the Church at Ephesus Paul exhorts the men to love their wives as Christ loved the Church. After further exhortation on marriage Paul quotes Genesis 2:24, for a man to leave his father and mother and cleave to his wife to become one flesh with her. Paul calls this a mystery because marriage between a man and a women is a prophetic act of the depth of our relationship with Jesus. This love surpasses our knowledge (Ephesians 3:18).

From Patristic times and in the modern Roman Catholic church, this image of the Church as Christ's bride has been applied individually to nuns and consecrated virgins4. For some women, the image describes a more personal relationship with Jesus. Examples are Anne Catherine Emmerich, Joanna Southcott, Gertrude Morgan, Åsa Waldau.

As one metaphor for the Church, the "Bride of Christ" reflects that any relationship between humans and God can only be hinted at and poorly described using any earthly terms. Although the role of bride and bridegroom captures some aspects of our relationship with God, demonstrating the strength of God's love for us and His eternal commitment to those who chose Him, many other aspects of our relationship with God cannot be described using this metaphor (or any other human concept).

There is disagreement as to whether the image is helpful in the modern church. For example, Mickey McNew in his book "You At The Time For Love" (seen at http://www.unveilingthebride.com) argues for the image as valuable in describing an intimate relationship with Jesus, but Leon Podles believes it is less helpful, and an unfortunate example of the feminization of Christianity. 5

See also

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Notes

  1. ^ Cyprian of Carthage, De Ecclesiae Catholicae Unitate, 4-6
  2. ^ "Isaiah 54:5". Bible.
  3. ^ "Book of Revelations 21:1-27". Bible.
  4. ^ "Consecrated virgins and widows". Catechism of the Catholic Church.
  5. ^ Podles, L.J.: The Church Impotent: The Feminization of Christianity; Dallas, Spence Publishing Company, 1999
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