Sadly, in the Middle Ages, the practice of the holy kiss was gradually relegated to a few special ceremonies, generally only amongst the clergy. Eventually it disappeared altogether.18 The decline in the practice paralleled the elevation of the clergy above the laity in the Roman Catholic Church (amongst many other heretical practices that took hold at about this time; click on "History" above for more details of the decline of the Christian church). For example, it became common practice for the laity and lesser clergy to kiss the feet and gold rings of bishops and of the pope as a sign of servitude---in stark contrast to the holy kiss shared equally between the laity and clergy in the earlier church. Also, the laity were encouraged to kiss the cross and pictures and statues of Mary and the saints.17 These practices have continued to this day into the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches.
The use of the holy kiss as specified in the Bible was renewed by some of the pre-Reformation groups such as the Albigenses and Waldenses in the 1100's. H. J. Warner gives an interesting account of a person who had left the Roman Catholic church and joined the Albigenses. Following the rite of baptism and the laying on of hands he states, "All then [they] place their hands on his head, and kiss him, and from that hour he is one of them."6
However, it was not until the Swiss Reformation in the early sixteenth century that a sustained revival of the holy kiss returned to Christian churches on a large scale. It was most widely practiced in one Reformation group--the Anabaptists. The Anabaptists were the only Protestant Reformation group that had dared to sweep away all of the centuries of Roman Catholic traditions, papal pronouncements and Catholic teachings and put their total trust in the Bible (which was extremely radical at the time). They saw that the Bible commanded Christians to practice this and there is some evidence that their scholars were aware that it had also been practiced by the early church as well.
Many interesting and heartwarming accounts are given on how Anabaptist martyrs had practiced the holy kiss. For instance, in Martyr's Mirror an account is given of an incident that took place in 1546 in Styria, a province of Austria, among a group of Anabaptists:
They were led in iron chains through Styria and delivered into the bailey at Vienna, to the jailer who said, "Come, I will bring you to a vault where are others of your brethren". When they met, they embraced and kissed each other and praised the Lord."
In the same book, reference is made to a group of believers facing execution in 1528 at Bruck, on the Mur, Styria.
A circle having been formed, they all knelt down to pray. Then they arose and submitted to the sword. The youngest of them all entreated his brethren that they should let him suffer first. He then kissed them and said, God bless you my beloved brethren; today, we shall all be together in Paradise.
However, most of the Protestant reformers followed the lead of the Roman Catholic Church from which they originated and ignored the scriptures regarding the holy kiss and did not reinstitute the practice. Unfortunately, most newer Protestant denominations have blindly followed the lead of these reformers.
One exception was the early Baptists. Their practice of the holy kiss most likely had its origins in their founder's early contacts with European Anabaptists and of course, the many verses in Scripture which endorse the practice (some recent revisionist Baptist historians have tried to avow any early Baptist association with Anabaptists--despite clear evidence to the contrary--because they find the idea of having anything to do with Anabaptists repugnant, but that is a story for another article).
When the Baptists came to America, they flourished, but they were not looked on very fondly by the Anglicans who hoped to extend the power and predominance of the Church of England to the New World (a hope which did not die until after America gained its independence, at which time the American Anglican churches renamed themselves "Episcopalian" to demonstrate their denomination's independence from England). American Anglican Bishop Charles Woodmason (1720-1776) could not conceal his contempt for this radical religious group with their adult baptisms and their "calls [to repentance], convictions, conversion" and "what they call their love feasts and kiss of charity." We are not aware of any Baptist group still practicing the holy kiss today and few Baptists even know that the holy kiss was a Baptist church belief and practice that their denomination held dear in its early years. Sadly, other than the Apostolic Christian Church and a number of other conservative Anabaptist denominations, there are only a handful of denominations (most of them very small) that practice the holy kiss today.
The Holy Kiss For Today Or Just An Old Custom?
Over the years various arguments have been advanced to justify eliminating the holy kiss and replacing it with a handshake or even a hug or dispensing with a Christian greeting altogether. Of course, the real motive behind those who want to do away with the holy kiss is not that the they are convinced that the Scriptures forbid the practice of greeting with a holy kiss, but that the kiss is not a socially acceptable or politically correct greeting. In other words, they find the holy kiss embarrassing; to practice it would force them to look conspicuous for the purpose of devotion to Christ and brotherly love--it is a price they are not willing to pay. So many arguments have been conjured up to enable many denominations to quickly rationalize the holy kiss away.
Amazingly, this line of thinking has even found its way into some of our English Bibles! Specifically, authors of some paraphrased versions of the Bible have chosen to replace the words "holy kiss" in their versions of the Bible with the words "handshake" or "hug" (if you don't find the holy kiss in your Bible, that's why). It is a terrible thing that authors of these Bible versions found some words in the original Scriptures so offensive that they resorted to substituting "less offensive" words. It should make you wonder what else they have censored out of their "Bibles" for your "benefit." Thankfully, the KJV has stayed true to the Greek of the New Testament Scriptures.
The most common argument for not practicing the holy kiss is that the holy kiss was only a social custom at the time of the Apostles and since our modern culture no longer practices this custom, the Biblical directives regarding the holy kiss do not apply. And if one looks up "holy kiss" in the typical Christian encyclopedia, if it appears at all, you will probably find a mention of the Jewish practice of greeting with a kiss and the implication that this is an obsolete custom not to be practiced in modern times. But never will you find any substantial supporting evidence given for that position and for good reason: there isn't any! Let's look at three reasons why Christians should continue to practice the holy kiss.
First: While we know that a kiss of greeting was practiced in Jewish cultures, it was most likely not practiced in the greater Roman Empire, in fact, there was an imperial edict against the practice! And let us not forget that all but one of the Biblical letters encouraging the practice of the holy kiss were written exclusively to churches outside of Jerusalem. Therefore, we know that Paul was encouraging these churches to do something which was contrary to their own culture and even against the law! Paul was very familiar with their culture because he lived in these areas for months and even years, so he knew of the raised eyebrows and hardship that the practice of the holy kiss might bring to those who practiced it.
So why would Paul instruct the early Gentile churches to practice the holy kiss at such great cost? It is very unlikely that Paul was trying to force a Jewish custom on those who lived outside of Judea and who were not Jewish. After all, let's not forget that Paul was the one who was trying to free the Gentiles from the Jewish customs of the Pharisees and from the Jewish Law, he would not want them encumbered with yet another Jewish custom!
And we know that the holy kiss was most likely responsible for vicious rumors which led, in part, to the severe persecution and death of many early Christians. Yet even this did not cause the early Christians to abandon the practice of the holy kiss! If the holy kiss were only regarded as an old Jewish custom, wouldn't they have quit observing it? It is only reasonable to conclude that the holy kiss was not just a Jewish social custom, but something of much greater importance.
Second: We need to remember that the holy kiss is called holy. The word "holy" here comes from the Greek word "hagios," literally meaning "set apart" from that which is common according to Strong's Concordance. This is the very same "holy" found in the "Holy Spirit" (or Holy Ghost) in the Bible. Does anyone believe that the Holy Spirit is just any old spirit? Let's hope not, for blaspheming the Holy Spirit is the one unforgivable sin! This is also the same "holy" found in "Holy Father"--meaning God (John 17:11) in Jesus's prayer on Mount Gethsemane just before His crucifixion. And this is the same "holy" as we shall appear before God if we remain true and faithful to Christ (Colossians 1:21-23). This word appears over 200 times in the New Testament and not once is it used to define something common or less than holy.
The holy kiss is called just that to separate it from the ordinary, common kiss. It has special, godly, significance and that is why the Gentiles were instructed to practice the holy kiss, even when such kissing broke more than one cultural taboo! We should not take things the Bible calls "holy" lightly, they are called holy for a reason!
Third: The fact that a the kiss of greeting and a kiss of solidarity between those of the same religious group was practiced in Jewish culture in Biblical times does not make the holy kiss any less holy. Baptism was also a part of Jewish culture, Jews would regularly ceremonially bath in observance of the Law and also as an initiation into a religious group. Baptism was a practice that was much less common than kissing in the ancient world, yet few would suggest that we throw out the practice of baptism because of its cultural origins! We know that baptism has a special significance of its own for Christians.
There can be no doubt that communion has its origins in the Jewish observation of Passover. But obviously, Jesus changed the significance of this meal to something that the Jews of His time would not identify with. Yet we do not know of a single denomination that has thrown out communion because it has Jewish origins! The holy kiss is no different. We know that the greeting of the kiss was practiced between Jesus and His disciples. The Apostle Peter instructed both Gentile and Jewish churches alike to practice it. The churches practiced it because it had a special religious significance to them, it was no ordinary greeting, but a holy one.
To avoid the holy kiss because it is not politically-correct, or socially acceptable means that we place more importance on pleasing men than pleasing God. Jesus made it perfectly clear that we should not place the approval of man before the approval of God. And to assert that a handshake or hug may be substituted for the holy kiss is adding to the Word of God.
Just an interesting article for comparison to popular views.
One more issue I would bring up, though there are many great examples, especially concerning associations, and that is, often extreme styles in hair, clothes, jewelry and such, tend toward a 'look at me!' atitude, which would be considered immodest and prideful. We don't have to be plain like the Amish, (though I kind of like the style myself), but our styles should not be such as scream "Pay attention to ME!". All our attention should be directed toward God, not ourselves, and at 5 years old, its a great time to begin to teach him such important things.
