Why is the Church called she?

Answer 1

The Church is referred to as "she" as she stands in the feminine role towards Her master and head, Christ the Lord. This is expressed throughout history and in The Bible as the Church espoused as a bride to Christ.

Bride of Christ. Primarily the Church, founded by Christ, which St. Paul elaborately described as espoused to Christ. from Modern Catholic Dictionary by John A. Hardon, S.J. Doubleday & Co., Inc. Garden City, NY 1980

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from The Catechism of the Catholic Church, second edition, English translation 1994

The Church is the Bride of Christ

796 The unity of Christ and the Church, head and members of one Body, also implies the distinction of the two within a personal relationship. This aspect is often expressed by the image of bridegroom and bride. The theme of Christ as Bridegroom of the Church was prepared for by the prophets and announced by John the Baptist. (Jn 3:29) The Lord referred to Himself as the "Bridegroom." (Mk 2:19) The Apostle speaks of the whole Church and of each of the faithful, members of His Body, as a bride "betrothed" to Christ the Lord so as to become but one spirit with Him. (Cf. Mt 22:1-14; 25:1-13; 1 Cor 6:15-17; 2 Cor 11:2) The church is the spotless bride of the spotless Lamb. (Cf. Rev 22:17; Eph 1:4, 5:27) "Christ loved the Church and gave Himself up for her, that He might sanctify her." (Eph 5:25-26) He has joined her with Himself in an everlasting covenant and never stops caring for her as for His own Body: (Cf. Eph 5:29)

This is the whole Christ, head and body, one formed from many . . . whether the head or members speak, it is Christ who speaks. He speaks in His role as the head (ex persona capitis) and in His role as body (ex persona corporis). What does this mean? "The two will become one flesh. This is a great mystery, and I am applying it to Christ and the Church. (Eph 5:31-32) And the Lord Himself says in the Gospel: "So they are no longer two, but one flesh." (Mt 19:6) They are, in fact, two different persons, yet they are one in the conjugal union, . . . as head, He calls Himself the bridegroom, as body, He calls Himself "bride." (St. Augustine, En. In Ps. 74:4: J.P. Migne, ed., Patrologia Latina {Paris: 1841-1855} 36,948-949.

Answer 2

Answer:

The "church" is the "mother" of God's Children... "pregnant" with them... feeding all the millions of embryos and fetuses God has begotten again, in all their various stages of development - through the umbilical cord of the Holy Spirit with the nourishment of God's Word, the Bread of Life.

"Husbands, love your wives, EVEN AS CHRIST ALSO LOVED THE CHURCH, AND GAVE HIMSELF FOR IT; that He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word.

"That He might present it to Himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.

"For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: for we are members of His body, of His flesh, and His bones. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.

"This is a great mystery: but I speak CONCERNING CHRIST AND THE CHURCH." (Eph.5:25-32)

Answer 3

If you mean, "Why is the Christian Church reffered to as she", it is because the Church is like a bride, preparing for a new life with her Husband (God).

Answer 4

The Church is considered to be "The Bride of Christ" hence the use of the pronoun "she."