Why the deference toward the feminine, and not the masculine?
2006-10-11 11:47:17 · 14 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
The Church is the Bride of Christ.
John the Baptist calls Jesus the bridegroom in John 3:29:
"The one who has the bride is the bridegroom; the best man, who stands and listens for him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom's voice."
Jesus calls himself a bridegroom in Mark 2:19-20:
Jesus answered them, "Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them they cannot fast. But the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast on that day."
Jesus' parable in Mt 22:1-14 describes him as a bridegroom:
"The kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king (God the Father) who gave a wedding feast for his son (Jesus)."
In 2 Cor 11:2, Paul calls the church in Corinth the betrothed of Christ:
For I am jealous of you with the jealousy of God, since I betrothed you to one husband to present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.
With love in Christ.
2006-10-11 17:27:10 · answer #1 · answered by imacatholic2 7 · 4⤊ 0⤋
It was common Medieval usage to refer to the church as "Holy Mother Church", the Church being Bride of Christ and the caregiver, protector, and nurturer of God's children. The feminine pronoun has carried over into modern speech.
2006-10-11 19:04:54 · answer #2 · answered by rich k 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The Church has always been known as the "Bride of Christ" as illustrated by the "Wedding Feast of the Lamb" in the Book of Revelation.
2006-10-11 22:50:43 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
In the Bible the Church is referred to as the Bride of Christ...
2006-10-11 18:57:05 · answer #4 · answered by Nani 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Yes the Church is feminine because she is the Bride of Christ.
2006-10-11 18:50:25 · answer #5 · answered by Midge 7 · 4⤊ 1⤋
Because all Christians are called the Bride of Christ.
2006-10-11 18:56:36 · answer #6 · answered by Debra M. Wishing Peace To All 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
i have never heard them refer to the church as she/her.
but if you want to get into the language, its just the way it is. why is arm a masculine noun(el brazo in spanish) while head is a feminine noun?(la cabeza in spanish)
2006-10-11 18:50:28 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
It is because SHE is the bride of Christ according to St. Paul in the bible.
2006-10-11 19:06:33 · answer #8 · answered by mammabecki 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
in the Bible its say that the church is the bride of Christ. not sure exactly where sorry. try looking up bride in the glossary
2006-10-11 18:52:22 · answer #9 · answered by rickysa24 2 · 2⤊ 1⤋
The Catholic church is a non-Christian cult.
2006-10-11 19:00:56 · answer #10 · answered by Born Again Christian 5 · 0⤊ 4⤋