Bridal Ecclesiology and the African Church: Theological Reflections and Contextual Applications
Isaac Boaheng 
Issue: Vol.11 No. 8 2025 Issue Article 3 pp. 411 – 425
DOI : https://doi.org/10.38159/erats.20251183 | Published online 14th August, 2025.
© 2025 The Author(s). This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
The metaphor of the Church as the “bride of Christ” holds profound theological significance, offering insights into the identity, purpose, and eschatological hope of the Christian community. Despite its richness, this metaphor has received limited scholarly engagement within African theological discourse, leading to a gap in its contextual application. This article addresses that gap by critically examining the implications of bridal ecclesiology for the African Church. Using conceptual analysis and a comprehensive review of existing literature, the study demonstrates that the bridal imagery not only illuminates the Church’s participatory role in Christ’s redemptive mission but also inspires a deeper communal spirituality, ethical commitment, and missional consciousness. The paper argues that integrating this metaphor into African ecclesiology can promote the church’s qualitative growth, enhance communal engagement, and invigorate its spiritual and missional vitality. In doing so, the article contributes to a more robust and contextually relevant African ecclesiological framework.
Keywords: Bride, Christ, Church, Metaphor
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Isaac Boaheng holds a PhD in Religion Studies from the University of the Free State, South Africa. He lectures at the Christian Service University, Ghana, and serves as a Research Fellow at the Department of Biblical and Religion Studies, University of the Free State, South Africa. He has over hundred peer-reviewed publications.
Boaheng, Isaac. “Bridal Ecclesiology and the African Church: Theological Reflections and Contextual Applications.” E-Journal of Religious and Theological Studies 11, no. 8 (2025): 411 -25. https://doi.org/10.38159/erats.20251183.
© 2025 The Author(s). Published and Maintained by Noyam Journals. This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
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