The Holy Kiss
I'm not usually an article sharer, but this one struck me and I've been thinking of bits of it over the past couple of days--so, I am now sharing it with you.
Kiss and Tell the Gospel: what the early church meant by the "holy kiss"
I have been thinking a lot about embodiment lately--and how much the Church often focuses on "spiritual health," often defining that way too narrowly (e.g., "don't send her to the psychotherapist! just perform an exorcism or pray over her! we have to deal with her spiritual issues"). As if our "spirituality" is somehow separate from our bodies, our emotions, our experiences, our psychology, our intellectual pursuits. And I like the way embodied rituals (e.g., the holy kiss) bring some of that together.
The other part of the article I found interesting was how quickly this ritual became a thing of separation, alienation, and domination in the Church. We are so quick to do turn beautiful practices of community and love into ways to express power, hierarchy, separation, and who's at the top of the totem pole. We are so broken. God have mercy.
And, of course, I think we could all use some more kissing. Everyone who reads this can feel free to greet me with a holy kiss whenever they see me. Who wouldn't love this form of community? Sign me up.
Kiss and Tell the Gospel: what the early church meant by the "holy kiss"
I have been thinking a lot about embodiment lately--and how much the Church often focuses on "spiritual health," often defining that way too narrowly (e.g., "don't send her to the psychotherapist! just perform an exorcism or pray over her! we have to deal with her spiritual issues"). As if our "spirituality" is somehow separate from our bodies, our emotions, our experiences, our psychology, our intellectual pursuits. And I like the way embodied rituals (e.g., the holy kiss) bring some of that together.
The other part of the article I found interesting was how quickly this ritual became a thing of separation, alienation, and domination in the Church. We are so quick to do turn beautiful practices of community and love into ways to express power, hierarchy, separation, and who's at the top of the totem pole. We are so broken. God have mercy.
And, of course, I think we could all use some more kissing. Everyone who reads this can feel free to greet me with a holy kiss whenever they see me. Who wouldn't love this form of community? Sign me up.
posted by bethany at 8:48 PM
2 Comments:
i liked that article. my comment here is a bit off topic -and hopefully won't sound ornery- but was inspired by this post:
i notice that you include 'hierarchy' and 'power' along with 'separaton' and 'who's at the top of the totem pole'. and these all seem to contrast with practices of community and love.
but do we think that all expression of power or all hierarchy must stand opposed to community and love? if so, does this commit us, as christians, to a rejection of the episcopate? i am not sure what to say about this. at least for many centuries, much of the church has understood hierarchy to be an expression of community and love; to embody a loving community.
i'm not saying that this view is the correct one, but i'm a bit wary of a view that wants to throw out all 'hierarchy' in an effort to realize community, and i wonder what the motivation for this is: is the idea that (chirstian) community as such must be egalitarian, or even 'radically' egalitarian? or is the idea just that there are better and worse kinds of hierarchy -e.g. one that allows some to dominate or oppress others, versus one that embodies charity and humility. i guess i'm asking you about ecclesiology. but also i think i'm asking about how you see the kingdom.
it seems to me that this issue is actually relevant to your petition about the awards, though i'm not sure how exactly to connect the dots. i also have the sense that these questions are closely related to your vision of how the developmentally disabled fit into the realization of the kingdom. am i right in this sense?
Micah, you raise some really important questions. Thank you for your thoughtfulness in responding. And you are right that these issues are of fundamental importance for me in terms of both ecclesiology and in how I see the Kingdom of God. And yes, I agree that it's from the same area of underlying conviction that tells me it is not good for us to see our brothers and sisters as rivals for awards.
you are right in pointing out that it was sloppy for me to lump "power" in itself with things that are opposed to community and love. that is certainly not true. power dynamics exist in every relationship, structure, and organization. and power can be used for good, and to further the gospel and can promote love in a Christian community. Jesus is a good example of one who uses his power to empower those in a society who have no power. and that, most certainly, is a good use of power.
power is not in itself bad. and i appreciate you reminding me of that. i guess the problem is, i see many more examples of people using their power for their own gain, ego, or to dominate others (even just in everyday power dynamics). so i begin to grow wary of structural positions of power, and wonder whether (in our brokenness) we as humans ever really can handle our power and use it for good; because i rarely see that.
as for 'hierarchy', i am more wary of this than of 'power'. i am all for people using their gifts, and think that there need to be people (e.g., pastors, teachers, etc.) who serve a specific function in the body--and perhaps have some kind of leadership role. i guess what i am wanting to preserve is the message of 1 corinthians 12.
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