Greeting as an act of Worship
I’m currently reading Andrew McGowan’s excellent book Ancient Christian Worship: Early Church Practices in Social, Historical, and Theological Perspective. McGowan gives insight to how the early Church worshiped in many ways, seeing worship in a broader context than most churches today. One brief portion of the book that stood out to me was the act of greeting fellow Christians in worship, known in Paul’s letters as the “holy kiss”.
“Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ send you greetings.” -Romans 16:16
“All the brothers and sisters send you greetings. Greet one another with a holy kiss.” -1st Corinthians 16:20
“Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the saints send you greetings.” -2nd Corinthians 13:12
“Greet all the brothers and sisters with a holy kiss.” -1st Thessalonians 5:26 (CSB)
It’s commonly understood that Paul’s instructions for the Christians to kiss each other had cultural connotations in mind, which would be right. Kissing in the ancient world was not reserved exclusively from romance or family. Since kissing in the West has become largely reserved for more intimate contexts like romance, it’s understandable that most churches have adapted this practice to something less physically intimate, such as shaking hands in the church gathering. More liturgical fellowships call this practice the passing of peace.
I do agree there is a cultural difference today, and I personally have no desire to make kissing a normal practice in my local fellowship!
However, I do think there is something that has been lost in translation over the centuries. The so-called “holy kiss” was more than a greeting in Christian gatherings, it was also an act of worship. The passing of a kiss was done in initial greeting, in participation of the Eucharist, and in intercessory prayer. Justin Martyr and Tertullian write that after the Christians pray together they share a kiss. (McGowan, 2014, Pg. 55-56)
Again, for myself and for many others this would be weird to do today. But while kissing was not as scandalous then as it is today, it was still an intimate act. And while shaking hands is a respectful way to greet someone, it frankly doesn’t have the same intimacy of belonging and family-like togetherness that ancient kissing did.
“Membership in the Christian community brought believers into a relationship like that of family members, although no one precedent or model explains the prominence of Christians’ kissing. It was a reworking of an existing practice or convention, for the new purposes of a genuinely new social grouping.”
Perhaps one way this practice could be continued but adapted for the modern West is to instead give fellow Christians in the gathering a hug (with everyone’s consent). Practices like this are obviously more difficult to do in larger attended churches, which makes the “stand and shake hands for two minutes” model so appealing. But I feel that misses the point in the first place. The point of church gatherings is to be together in the name of our Savior.
Whatever way Christians in an assembly could show their care in greeting, the point should be that it is personal, that they do welcome, know, and care for another, and that it glorifies God together.
Bibliography
McGowan, A. (2014). Ancient Christian Worship: Early Church Practices in Social, Historical, and Theological Perspective. Grand Rapids, MI. Baker Academic.
Scripture quotations marked CSB have been taken from the Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible® and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.