How can a theological understanding of covenant and rule help shape an ontological perspective of intimate covenant relationships, while also providing some kind of praxis for living into such relationships? Is it possible to translate a covenant theology beyond the faith community, even beyond an individual’s relationship with G-d, to committed covenantal partnerships? How can we understand our most committed and enduring relationships through a hermeneutical lens of covenant and communal rule to honor the Divine Lover and the beloved partners?
A covenant, unlike a contract, is promise based. Each party promises to be and/or do something irregardless of whether the other party fulfills their own covenantal promises, such as “I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine.” (Song of Songs 6:3). There is a sense of mutuality in this kind of agreement. I promise and you promise and we both promise to keep these promises even if the other does not. Whereas a contract is conditionally based. Each party agrees to fulfill certain expectations based on the fulfillment of prescribed expectations of each party,
such as when Abraham paid Ephron 400 shekels of silver in exchange for property with a cave to bury his wife, Sarah. (Genesis 23) There is not a sense of equity in this kind of agreement, but one of unequal power. If you do this, then I will do this, but if you do not, then I will not either.
Covenant theology helps to clarify our relationship with G-d, as well as shape our perspective of who G-d is, who we are, and how we are to be in relationship with each other. A covenantal theological perspective emerges from the stories found throughout scripture of G-d’s relationship with the chosen people of Israel. G-d persistently, with suffering even, keeps the promise to be G-d to a people who struggle to keep their own promises to be G-d’s people. Nevertheless, G-d maintains the covenant, refusing to abandon the promises originally made;
those same promises G-d continues to make with each successive generation of the inherited covenant. As Hosea demonstrates, G-d reiterates again “(to [G-d’s] reclaimed bride) I’m going to marry you, and this time it’ll be forever in righteousness and justice. Our covenant will reflect a loyal love and great mercy; our marriage will be honest and truthful, and you’ll understand who I really am—the Eternal One.” (Hosea 2:19-20 The Voice)
How do we fulfill such a covenant, though? If generations of the faith have struggled to maintain their own covenantal promises, what makes us any different in our attempts at faithfulness? Is there a means by which we may be reminded on a regular basis of our covenantal promises, a sign or a symbol encouraging us to choose again each day to live into our our promises? What disciplines and healthy boundaries can we establish to live into our covenant partnerships without making them contractual?
such as when Abraham paid Ephron 400 shekels of silver in exchange for property with a cave to bury his wife, Sarah. (Genesis 23) There is not a sense of equity in this kind of agreement, but one of unequal power. If you do this, then I will do this, but if you do not, then I will not either.
Covenant theology helps to clarify our relationship with G-d, as well as shape our perspective of who G-d is, who we are, and how we are to be in relationship with each other. A covenantal theological perspective emerges from the stories found throughout scripture of G-d’s relationship with the chosen people of Israel. G-d persistently, with suffering even, keeps the promise to be G-d to a people who struggle to keep their own promises to be G-d’s people. Nevertheless, G-d maintains the covenant, refusing to abandon the promises originally made;
those same promises G-d continues to make with each successive generation of the inherited covenant. As Hosea demonstrates, G-d reiterates again “(to [G-d’s] reclaimed bride) I’m going to marry you, and this time it’ll be forever in righteousness and justice. Our covenant will reflect a loyal love and great mercy; our marriage will be honest and truthful, and you’ll understand who I really am—the Eternal One.” (Hosea 2:19-20 The Voice)
How do we fulfill such a covenant, though? If generations of the faith have struggled to maintain their own covenantal promises, what makes us any different in our attempts at faithfulness? Is there a means by which we may be reminded on a regular basis of our covenantal promises, a sign or a symbol encouraging us to choose again each day to live into our our promises? What disciplines and healthy boundaries can we establish to live into our covenant partnerships without making them contractual?
Perhaps we can use the example of a communal rule to scaffold our most intimate covenant relationships, just as they were intended to scaffold communal relationship between G-d and community members. The Benedictine rule sets out perimeters for the monastic community’s covenant relationship with each other as a way to articulate, through practice, the covenant relationship that the community has with G-d. A rule, then, could be understood as covenant theology in
action - doing covenantal relationship, not just being in covenant relationship.
action - doing covenantal relationship, not just being in covenant relationship.
The expressed intention of the Rule of St Benedict is “to establish nothing harsh, nothing burdensome. But if, prompted by the desire to attain to equity, anything be set forth somewhat strictly for the correction of vice and the preservation of charity….” (Prologue) Therefore, these disciplines and healthy boundaries, not meant to be overbearing in application, are meant to provide space and energy for living into mutuality with each other and G-d in our covenantal promises. Through a rule, then, we are assisted in curbing the temptation to put ourselves first, and instead, mindfully preserving love (or charity) as a priority in our covenant relationships.
The Rule of Saint Benedict
(Translated into English. A Pax Book, preface by W.K. Lowther Clarke. London: S.P.C.K., 1931)
