One of my earliest big finds in this research, 10 years ago, was Jesus courted by the Christian Soul, a late 15th century German broadsheet that depicts the relationship in erotic and sadomasochistic terms. This was part of a genre of popular publications. I finally found another example of this.
Surviving Fragments of a German Broadsheet The Courtship of Jesus and the Christian Soul
(c. 1470) shows a similar sequence of actions, also with a combination of images and text.
![](https://people.usm.maine.edu/rabrams/jesus1.gif)
Jesus tries to wake the Soul who wishes to stay asleep.
![](https://people.usm.maine.edu/rabrams/jesus2.gif)
Jesus gives the Soul a love-potion. The Soul seeks for Jesus, who hides behind a curtain.
![](https://people.usm.maine.edu/rabrams/jesus3.gif)
Jesus gives the Soul a bribe to leave him alone. The Soul hears secrets from Jesus.
![](https://people.usm.maine.edu/rabrams/jesus4.gif)
The Soul and Jesus are reunited. Jesus entices the Soul with violin music.
And here’s the big one.
Jesus disillusions the Soul with earthly things. Jesus strips the Soul naked.
I wish I could find more of these, but putting those search terms into Google just sends me to religious web sites.
Bonus: short article in Raw Story on the overlap of BDSM and Christianity.