Journal: Journal of Discipleship and Family Ministry
Volume: JDFM 02:2 (Spring 2012)
Article: The Church as Bride and Mother: Two Neglected Theological Metaphors
Author: Wayne Shealy

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JFM 2:2 (Spring/Summer 2012) p. 22

The Church as Bride and Mother:
Two Neglected Theological Metaphors

Wayne Shealy

Wayne Shealy (Ph.D., The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) is Pastor for Pastoral Care & Counseling at CrossPointe Church in Columbus, GA, overseeing spiritual formation, discipleship, and children’s ministry. He is originally from South Carolina and a graduate of Clemson University. Wayne holds the Master of Divinity, Master of Theology, and Doctor of Philosophy degrees from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Prior to coming to CrossPoint Church, he served in several different churches as well as Clemson’s chapter of Campus Crusade for Christ. He married his wife, Beth, in 2003 and they now have two daughters.

Introduction

In a recent book on ecclesiology, Exploring Ecclesiology: An Evangelical and Ecumenical Introduction, Brad Harper and Paul Louis Metzger lament the fact that “people are into ‘Jesus’ and ‘spirituality’ today, but not ‘religion’ and ‘Church.’”1 Their proposed solution to this problem is, in part, an emphasis on two metaphors for the Church: the Church as mother and the Church as bride. They argue that, though the contemporary Church often plays the harlot just as Israel did in Hosea’s day, she does not lose her status as mother and bride. As mother, she “birthed the Bible under the guidance of the Spirit” and all “those who are born again are born into the Church.”2 As bride, she consists of “simultaneously spotted and spotless believers” who are making “preparations for the [eschatological] wedding banquet.”3 For Harper and Metzger, to know the Church as mother and bride exposes the disconnect between those who say they love Jesus while eschewing the Church. To love Jesus is to love the Church, his bride and our mother. This article will also argue in favor of an evangelical engagement with the maternal and nuptial metaphors for the Church, with one caveat: the two metaphors should be considered together and in the proper order.

Feminine Ecclesial Images: The Contemporary Scene

The Church as bride of Christ and mother of Christians forms an important tradition of ecclesiological reflection, particularly among evangelical, Roman Catholic, and feminist theologians. Given that bridal imagery for the Church is scattered throughout the New Testament (e.g., 2 Cor 11:2; Eph 5:21-33; Rev 19:7; 21:2, 9<...

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