How have those kissing codes from the formative centuries influenced contemporary practices in Christianity and contemporary society?
Modern Christians still kiss. In Catholicism, for example, there is a practice of kissing the Pope’s ring. Among Eastern Orthodox, it’s common to kiss holy objects or particularly reverent individuals. For example, one summer when I was in Egypt I was speaking with a monk, and throughout our conversation Coptic Christians who were passing by would take his hand and briefly kiss it. This must have happened a dozen times while we were talking but the monk never missed a single word of our exchange. Among Protestants there’s a moment in most worship services when congregation members are to “exchange a sign of the peace,” a handshake or some other gesture. I once knew a pastor who when running a bit long with his sermon declared that in interest of time that service was limited to a “two hug Sunday.” All of these practices have their roots in ancient Christian kissing. Why has kissing in the early church been largely ignored up to now? In many ways this question brings us back to the reas
