Performing family: Ritual kissing and the construction of early christian kinship

Journal of Early Christian Studies

Volumn 10, Issue 2, 2002, Pages 151-174

  Penn, Michael ^a  

^a BRANDEIS UNIVERSITY   (United States)

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[No Author keywords available]

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EID: 60949623261     PISSN: 10676341     EISSN: 10863184     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1353/earl.2002.0025     Document Type: Article

References (161)

1. E.g., Keith R. Bradley, Discovering the Roman Family (New York: Oxford University Press, 1991);
2. S. J. D. Cohen, ed. The Jewish Family in Antiquity, Brown Judaic Studies 289 (Atlanta: Scholars Press, 1993);
3. Suzanne Dixon, The Roman Family (Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1992);
4. Judith Evans Grubbs, Law and Family in Late Antiquity: The Emperor Constantine's Marriage Legislation (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1995);
5. Eva Marie Lassen, "The Roman Family: Ideal and Metaphor," in Constructing Early Christian Families: Family as Social Reality and Metaphor, ed. Halvor Moxnes (London: Routledge, 1997), 103-20;
6. Dale Martin, "The Construction of the Ancient Family: Methodological Considerations," Journal of Roman Studies 86 (1996): 40-60;
7. Beryl Rawson, ed. Marriage, Divorce, and Children in Ancient Rome (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1991);
8. Richard P. Saller, Patriarchy, Property, and Death in the Roman Family (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1994);
9. Susan Treggiari, Roman Marriage: Iusti Coniuges from the Time of Cicero to the Time of Ulpian (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1991).
10. E.g., Adriana Oestro and Mauro Pesce, "Kinship, Discipleship, and Movement: An Anthropological Study of John's Gospel," Biblical Interpretation 3 (1995): 266-84;
11. Bruce J. Malina, Christian Origins and Cultural Anthropology (Atlanta: John Knox Press, 1986);
12. idem, Windows on the World of Jesus (Louisville: John Knox Press, 1993);
13. Jerome H. Neyrey, ed., The Social World of Luke-Acts: Models for Interpretation (Peabody: Hendrickson, 1991).
14. E.g., Stephen C. Barton, Discipleship and Family Ties in Mark and Matthew, Society for New Testament Studies Monograph 80 (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1994);
15. David L. Balch and Carolyn Osiek, Families in the New Testament World: Households and House Churches (Louisville: Westminster/John Knox Press, 1997);
16. Philip F. Esler, The First Christians in their Social World (London: Routledge, 1994);
17. idem, Modelling Early Christianity: Social-Scientific Studies of the New Testament in its Context (London: Routledge, 1995);
18. Stuart L. Love, "The Household: A Major Social Component for Gender Analysis in the Gospel of Matthew," Biblical Theology Bulletin 23 (1993): 21-31;
19. Moxnes, Constructing Early Christian Families; Carolyn Osiek, "The Family in Early Christianity: 'Family Values' Revisited," CBQ 58 (1996): 1-25;
20. Karl Olav Sandnes, A New Family: Conversion and Ecclesiology in the Early Church with Cross-Cultural Comparisons, Studies in the Intercultural History of Christianity 91 (Bern: Peter Lang, 1994).
21. E.g., Reidar Aasgaard, "Brotherhood in Plutarch and Paul: Its Role and Character," in Constructing Early Christian Families, 166-82;
22. John H. Elliot, Home for the Homeless: A Sociological Exegesis of First Peter, its Situation, and Strategy (Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1981), 165-266;
23. Wayne Meeks, The First Urban Christians (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1983), 85-94.
24. E.g., Denise Kimber Buell, Making Christians: Clement of Alexandria and the Rhetoric of Legitimacy (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1999);
25. Elisabeth Schüssler Fiorenza, In Memory of Her: A Feminist Theological Reconstruction of Christian Origins (New York: Crossroad, 1983), 251-342;
26. Ingvild Soelid Gilhus, "Family Structures in Gnostic Religion," in Constructing Early Christian Families, 235-49;
27. Karl Olav Sandnes, "Equality Within Patriarchal Structures: Some New Testament Perspectives on the Christian Fellowship as a Brother- or Sisterhood and a Family," in Constructing Early Christian Families, 150-65.
28. For useful overviews of performance theory see Catherine Bell, Ritual Theory, Ritual Practice (New York: Oxford University Press, 1992), 37-43;
29. eadem, Ritual: Perspectives and Dimensions (New York: Oxford University Press, 1997), 72-76;
30. and Mary Suydam, "Background: An Introduction to Performance Studies," in Performance and Transformation: New Approaches to Late Medieval Spirituality, ed. Mary A. Suydam and Joanna E. Zeigler (New York: St. Martin's Press, 1999), 1-26.
31. Some of the foundational works in these fields' approaches to performance include John Langshaw Austin, How to Do Things with Words, 2nd ed. (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1975);
32. Judith Butler, Gender Trouble: Feminism and the Subversion of Identity (New York: Routledge, 1990);
33. Ronald Grimes, Beginnings in Ritual Studies (Washington: University Press of America, 1982);
34. Richard Schechner, Essays in Performance Theory (New York: Routledge, 1988);
35. and Victor Turner, The Anthropology of Performance (New York: PAJ Publications, 1987).
36. Joseph Roach, "Culture and Performance in the Circum-Atlantic World" in Performativity and Performance, ed. Andrew Parker and Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick (New York: Routledge, 1995), 61.
37. Bell, Ritual: Perspectives, 73.
38. Joseph Roach, Cities of the Dead: Circum-Atlantic Performance (New York: Columbia University Press, 1996), xii.
39. For exceptions see Fernard Cabrol, "Baiser," in Dictionnaire d'Archéologie Chrétienne et de Liturgie, ed. Fernard Cabrol and Henri Leclercq (Paris: Librairie Letouzey et Ané, 1925), 117-30;
40. Gustav Stählin, in Theologisches Wörterbuch zum Neuen Testament, ed. Gerhard Kittel (Grand Rapids: W. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 1932; reprint, 1974), 118-27, 138-46;
41. Karl-Martin Hofmann, Philema Hagion (Gütersloh: Der Rufer Evangelischer Verlag, 1938);
42. Johannes Quasten, "Der Kuss des Neugetauften in altchristlicher Taufliturgie," in Liturgie Gestalt und Vollzug, ed. Walter Dürig (München: Max Hueber Verlag, 1963), 267-71;
43. Klaus Thraede, "Ursprünge und Formen des 'Heiligen Kusses' im frühen Christentum," JbAC 11-12 (1968-69): 124-80;
44. N. J. Perella, The Kiss Sacred and Profane (Berkeley: University of California Press, 1969), 12-50;
45. Klaus Thraede, "Friedenskuss," in RAC 505-19;
46. G. W. Clarke, "Cyprian's Epistle 64 and the Kissing of Feet in Baptism," HTR 66 (1973): 147-52;
47. Stephen Benko, Pagan Rome and the Early Christians (Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1984), 79-102;
48. Eleanor Kreider, "Let the Faithful Greet Each Other: The Kiss of Peace," Conrad Grebel Review 5 (1987): 29-49;
49. Edward Phillips, "The Ritual Kiss in Early Christian Worship" (Ph.D diss., Notre Dame, 1992);
50. idem, "The Kiss of Peace and the Opening Greeting of the Pre-anaphoral Dialogue," Studia Liturgica 23 (1993): 177-86;
51. idem, The Ritual Kiss in Early Christian Worship (Cambridge: Grove Books, 1996);
52. William Klassen, "The Sacred Kiss in the New Testament: An Example of Social Boundary Lines," NTS 39 (1993): 122-35;
53. Dominic E. Serra, "The Kiss of Peace: A Suggestion from the Ritual Structure of the Missa," Ecclesia Orans 14 (1997): 79-94.
54. 1 Thess 5.26;
55. Cor 16.20;
56. Cor 13.12;
57. Rom 16.16;
58. Pet 5.14.
59. Pet 5.14;
60. a. Paul. et Thecl. 19 (Acta Pauli et Theclae, ed. R. A. Lipsius, Acta apostolorum apocrypha 1,1 [Leipzig: Mendelsohn, 1891], 247);
61. Just. I apol. 65.2 (Justin, Apologia, ed. E. J. Goodspeed, Die ältesten Apologeten [Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 1915], 74);
62. Athenag. leg. 32.5.8 (Athenagoras, Legatio, ed. W. R. Schoedel, Athenagoras. Legatio and De resurrectione [Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1972], 48-50);
63. Clem. paed. 3.11.81-82 (SC 158:157-58).
64. Neither Paul, 1 Peter, nor Justin articulates any gender boundaries. Paul and Thecla speaks of Thecla sneaking into prison to kiss Paul's bonds (a. Paul. et Thecl. 19 [Lipsius, 247]).
65. Athenagoras and Clement of Alexandria note that "unchaste" or "shameless" kisses could corrupt the bodies of Christian brothers and sisters (Athenag. leg. 32.5.8 [Schoedel, 48-50];
66. In the early third century, Tertullian talks of Christian men and women ritually kissing each other (Tert. ux. 2.4.3 [CCL 1:389]) as does The Martyrdom of Perpetua (pass. Perp. 10.13, 12.5, 21.7 [SC 417:140, 148, 180]).
67. E.g., Apul. met. 7.11.16 (LCL 453:24);
68. Ath. 10.440-41 (LCL 235:496);
69. Catul. 9.9, 99.14-16 (LCL 6:12, 170);
70. Cic. ver. 2.4.94.8 (LCL 293:398);
71. Gel. 19.11.4.12 (LCL 200:390);
72. Long. 1.16 (LCL 69:34);
73. Luc. 5.736 (LCL 220:294);
74. Luc. Alex. 41.12-13 (LCL 130:228);
75. Luc. am. 53.25 (LCL 431:232);
76. Mart. 11.22.2, 12.55.12, 13.18.2 (LCL 480:28, 38, 198);
77. Nonn. 4.151 (LCL 344:144);
78. Ov. ep. 2.94, 11.117 (LCL 41:26, 140);
79. Ov. met. 2.357, 10.362 (LCL 232:84, 42:90);
80. Pete 20.8.3, 23.4.1, 85.6.2, 132.1.3 (LCL 15:28, 32, 168, 292);
81. Prop. 2.13.29, 2.15.10 (LCL 18:156, 164);
82. Sen. con. 9.2.11.9 (LCL 464:244);
83. Sil. 6.420 (LCL 277:312);
84. Verg. a. 1.256, 12.434 (LCL 63:258, 64:328).
85. Third-century examples include: a. Andr. Frag. 5 (Lipsius, 39);
86. a. Jo. 62, 78, 24 (Acta Joannis, ed. M. Bonnet, Acta apostolorum apocrypha 2, 1 [Leipzig: Mendelssohn, 1898], 164, 181, 190);
87. a. Petr. c. Sim. 3 (Lipsius, 48);
88. Cypr. ep. 6.1 (CSEL 3.2:480);
89. gosp. Phil. 58.30-59.6 (NHS 20:156);
90. pass. Perp. 10.13, 12.5, 21.7 (SC 417:140, 148, 180);
91. Tert. ux. 2.4.3 (CCL 1:389);
92. Tert. or. 18.1.6 (CCL 1:267);
93. traditio apostolica 4, 21 (Apostolic Tradition, ed. Dom Bernard Botte, La Tradition Apostolique de Saint Hippolyte (Münster [Westfalen: Aschendorffsche Verlagsbuchhandlung, 1963], 10, 54);
94. A. Andr. frag. 5 (Lipsius, 39);
95. a. Jo. 62 (Bonnet, 181).
96. Traditio apostolica 18 (TU 58:12).
97. Acts of John Son of Zebudee 61 (Acts of John Son of Zebudee, ed. W. Wright, Apocryphal Aas of the Apostles [Amsterdam: Philo Press, 1871], 44);
98. Ambr. ep. 1.14-18 (CSEL 82.3:153-55);
99. Bas. ep. 45.1.47 (Basil, Epistulae, ed. Y. Courtonne, Saint Basile: Lettres [Paris: Les Belles Lettres, 1957], 114);
100. const. app. 2.57.17, 8.11.9 (Funk, 165, 494);
101. Eus. m.P. 11.20, 11.24 (GCS 2.2:942-44);
102. Eus. e.h. 2.9.3 (SC 31:62);
103. Eus. e.h. 6.3.4 (SC 41:87);
104. Chrys. catech. 11.32-34 (Chrysostom, Catechesis ultima ad baptizandos, ed. A. Papadopoulos-Kerameus, Varia Graeca Sacra [St. Petersburg: Kirschbaum, 1909], 174-75);
105. Prud. Peristephanon 2.517-21, 5.337-40 (CCL 126:275, 305);
106. Pseudo-Clement, Epislola II ad virgines 2 (PG 1:421);
107. Ign. Ant. 13.2.5 (Pseudo-Ignatius, Ad Antiochenos, ed. Franciscus Diekamp, Patres apostolici [Tübingen: Laupp, 1913], 222);
108. Ign. Tars. 10.3.2 (Diekamp, 143-44).
109. Const. app. 2.57.17, 8.11.0 (Funk, 165, 494).
110. Pseudo-Clement, Epistola II ad virgines 2 (PG 1:421).
111. T. dom. 1.23 (Testamentum domini, ed. I. E. Rahmani, Testamentum Domini Nostri Jesu Christi [Hildesheim: G. Olms, 1899], 36).
112. Fifth-century witnesses include: Aug. c. litt. Petil. 1.12.13 (CSEL 52:12);
113. Aug. civ. 22.8 (CCL 48:826);
114. Innoc. 25.1 (PL 20:553);
115. Hier. ep. 22.6 (CSEL54:151);
116. Hier. ep. 82.3 (CSEL 55.2:110);
117. Narsai, Homily 21 (Narsai, Homiliae, ed. Alphonsus Mingana, Narsai: Homiliae et Carmina [Mosul: Dominican Press, 1905], 346);
118. P. -Nol. carm. 18.127 (CSEL 30:103);
119. P. -Nol. ep. 5.16 (CSEL 29:35);
120. Dion. Ar. e.h. 3.3.8 (Pseudo-Dionysius, De Ecclesiastica Hierarchia, ed. Johannes Quasten, Monumenta eucharistica et liturgica vetustissima Fasciculus VII Pars VI. [Bonnae: Sumptibus Petri Hanstein, 1936], 306-7);
121. Dion. Ar. e.h. 5.2, 5.3.1, 6.2, 6.3.4 (PG 3:509, 533, 536);
122. Dion. Ar. e.h. 6.3.4 (SC 41:87);
123. Theodore of Mopsuestia, On Eucharist and Liturgy 5 (Theodore, On Eucharist and Liturgy, ed. A. Mingana, Theodore of Mopsuestia on the Lord's Prayer and Sacraments [Cambridge: W. Heffer, 1933], 230-32).
124. Ov. met. 2.357, 10.362 (LCL 232:84, LCL 42:90);
125. Also see Gr. Naz. or. 18.10 (PG 35:996).
126. Of the other familiar kisses of a specific body part, three referred to the kissing of hands (Sil. 12.592 [LCL 278:190],
127. Quint. (sp) Decl. 4.5.12 (Lewis Sussman, The Major Declamations Ascribed to Quintilian [Frankfurt: Verlag Peter Lang, 1987], 41),
128. M. E. Combs-Schilling, Sacred Performances: Islam, Sexuality, and Sacrifice (New York: Columbia University Press, 1989), 30-31.
129. In distinguishing ritual from theater, Frederick Bird makes a similar observation, "ritual actors reconstitute the world-view envisioned by their scripts. Unlike Thespians, though, ritual actors typically view the world thus created . . . as fundamentally real-even 'more real,' in some cases, than the ordinary-workaday world" ("Ritual as Communicative Action," in Ritual and Ethnic Identity: A Comparative Study of the Social Meaning of Liturgical Ritual in Synagogues [Waterloo: Wilfrid Laurier University Press, 1995], 30).
130. Joachim Knuf, "Where Cultures Meet: Ritual Code and Organizational Boundary Management," Research on Language and Social Interaction 23 (1989/ 90): 115.
131. Tert. ux. 2.4.2 (CCL 1:389);
132. a. Andr. frag. 5 (Lipsius, 39);
133. a. Jo. 62, 78, 24 (Bonnet, 181, 190, 164);
134. Hier. Ruf. 23 (CCL 79:94);
135. P.-Nol. ep. 5.16 (CSEL 29:35);
136. The ritual use of the greeting kiss also may have helped the kiss become a conventional epistolary salutation. Quite consciously following the Pauline epistles, Christian authors occasionally conclude their letters with a commandment for the recipients to kiss one another. See Cyrill. ep. 19.4 (Schwartz, 13);
137. Ign. Ant. 13.2.5 (Diekamp, 222);
138. Gr. Naz. or. 18.10 (PG 35:996).
139. Tert. or. 18.1.6 (CCL 1:267).
140. Benko, Pagan Rome and the Early Christians, 79-98;
141. Cabrol, "Baiser," 118-19;
142. Kreider, Let the Faithful Greet Each Other, 31;
143. Walter Lowrie, "The Kiss of Peace," Theology Today 12 (1955): 240;
144. Perella, The Kiss Sacred and Profane, 30.
145. Athenag. leg. 31 (Schoedel, 76).
146. Athenag. leg. 32 (Schoedel 78-80).
147. Athenag. leg. 31 (Schoedel, 77).
148. Athenag. leg. 33 (Schoedel, 80).
149. For example, Leslie W. Barnard, Athenagoras: A Study in Second Century Christian Apologetic (Paris: Éditions Beauchesne, 1972), 22-24,
150. T. D. Barnes, "Embassy of Athenagoras" JTS 26 (1975): 111-14,
151. and Robert Grant, Greek Apologists of the Second Century (Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1988), 100, suggest that Athenagoras did, in fact, recite his Plea before the emperor.
152. Schoedel, Athenagoras, xii-xiii;
153. idem, "xApologetic Literature and Ambassadorial Activities," HTR 82:1 [1989]: 55-78).
154. For a more general discussion of ritual and self-representation see Bird, "Ritual as Communicative Action," 30-31.
155. Between siblings: Luc. 10.3.65 (LCL 220:616);
156. Ov. met. 9.458, 504, 539, 560 (LCL 42:34, 38, 40, 42);
157. Stat. Ach. 1.589 (LCL 207:552).
158. Father and daughter: Ov. met. 10.344, 362 (LCL 42:88, 90).
159. Mother and son: Quint. (sp) Decl. 18.7.21 (Sussman, 221);
160. Tac. ann. 14.2.5 (LCL 322:108).
161. Uncle and niece: D.C. Epitome 62.3.7 (LCL 175:60).