The Kiss Sacred and Profane: An Interpretative History of Kiss Symbolism and Related Religio-Erotic Themes is an ambitious exploration of the kiss as a complex and multifaceted symbol throughout Western culture. Rather than cataloging the kiss in all its varieties, the book focuses on its role as a religio-erotic motif, tracing its significance from ancient rituals and early Christian traditions to the Renaissance and beyond. The author examines how the kiss has served as a metaphor for spiritual communion, erotic union, and even the exchange of life force, revealing its connections to broader themes of love, desire, and sacred transformation. Drawing from anthropology, psychology, and literature, the work delves into poetic imagery, theological exegesis, and cultural practices to unravel the enduring mystique of the kiss.

This richly layered study navigates a wide range of topics, including mystical allegory, the soul's migration through love, and the symbolic union of opposites as seen in art and religious rituals. The book connects the kiss to foundational cultural ideas, from the breath of life in Genesis to its fusion of erotic and spiritual meanings in medieval and Renaissance thought. Through this lens, the kiss becomes a lens for understanding the interplay of sacred and profane in human relationships, offering insights into love’s symbolic power across history. With its interdisciplinary approach, the book appeals to scholars of religion, literature, and cultural history, as well as anyone intrigued by the deeper meanings behind this intimate gesture.

This title is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates University of California Press’s mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds and give them voice, reach, and impact. Drawing on a backlist dating to 1893, Voices Revived makes high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again using print-on-demand technology. This title was originally published in 1969.