The conditional structure of Old Testament concepts of covenant in theological, literary, and religio-historical perspective

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My research project scrutinizes the Old Testament concepts of covenant with regard to their conditional structure. It does so for a twofold reason. On the one hand, the history of research shows that the question of conditionality is the decisive factor in interpreting the the key biblical motive of "covenant" – not only in a theological, but also in a literary and religio-historical perspective. On the other hand, the criterion of conditionality itself has remained largely unresearched and almost a blind spot. In view of this state of research, the proposed project pursues three main goals: 1. The research project analyzes and works out the respective conditional structure of the concepts of covenant attested in the Old Testament. In so doing, it makes a major contribution to the theology of the Old Testament as well as to key problems of the literary history of the Pentateuch and Former Prophets. 2. By clarifying actual concepts and texts, the research project also submits a nuanced assessment of the key criterion of conditionality. As yet such an assessment is lacking. It will potentially prove useful in other research projects as well (e.g. with regard to the intention and pragmatics of prophecies of doom).3. For the first time in the history of research, the project searches for the possible Old Testament prehistory of the pattern of religion of covenantal nomism as attested in post-biblical second temple Judaism. In so doing, the project makes a contribution to the history of religion in the Persian and Ptolemaic eras. By pursuing these goals, the work on the research project will at the same time provide the basis and chance for substantial theological exchange between Christians and Jews. As the issue at stake is at the heart of religious self-definition in both traditions, this exchange is but necessary. Insofar as historically the processes of said self-definition involved not only the construction of identity, but also of alterity, including downright disavowal of the other, a methodological and transconfessional reflection of the own point of view as pursued by the research project may contribute, beyond mere academic exchange, to contemporary interreligious dialogue among the monotheistic communities of faith.