Sex, spirituality, and pre-modern readings of the 'Song of Songs'

While unfamiliar to many today, the Song of Songs was once one of the most frequently interpreted books of the Bible. This article seeks to counter th e current lack of familiarity by highlighting the significance for the clas sroom of pre-modern exegesis of the Song. As course content, it provides a starting point from which to examine Christian thought and practice over th e last two millennia. In particular, it supplies evidence that Christians ( and Jews) have expressed some of their most profound insights into spiritua lity in terms of the erotic poetry of the Song. This essay concludes with a n examination of method. how can pre-modern exegesis contribute to contempo rary debates about interpretation, particularly of biblical texts?