The foundations of our modern liberal democracies are found in the ideas of Enlightenment-era political philosophers such as Hobbes, Locke, Hume, and Rousseau. At first glance, these philosophers seem like they couldn't be more different from the premodern Hebrews. What does social contract theory and the idea of the consent of the governed have to do with the story of God and His people in the Torah?
In this episode, Dr. Kyle Swan talks with Dru Johnson about the similarities between ancient Israel and republican forms of government. They begin by examining the narrative at Sinai, where a loving God establishes an agreement with the Hebrew people. The law given to the Israelites was not merely a series of divine decrees that people had to obey; their obligation to follow the law emerges from their commitment to follow it. They then discuss the difference between a biblical covenant and the "founding myths" of social contract theory, and consider how consent of the governed can continue through multiple generations. In the end, we can see deep similarities between the way a polity flourishes and the way God establishes a relationship with His people.
Show notes:
Learn more about Dr. Kyle Swan and his work.
Kyle Swan's journal article on the political philosophy of the ancient Hebrews: "The Hebrew Republic? Divine Authority and Self-Governance"
Credits for the music used in TBM podcast can be found at: hebraicthought.org/credits.
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A Jewish View of the Afterlife in the Hebrew Bible (Jeremiah Unterman)
Thinking Biblically about Institutions (Ari Lamm)
The Bonhoeffer of Ethiopia (Abeneazer Urga)
ICYMI: What Is the Point of Prayer? Does It Change God’s Mind? (John C. Peckham)
The Dangers of Celebrity in the Church (Katelyn Beaty)
Forming Trauma-Safe Churches (Scott Harrower and Joshua Cockayne)
Repentance in Deed and Word (Shalom Carmy)
Q&A Series: Is There Marriage in Heaven? (Dru Johnson)
Discussing the New CHT Book on Gender in the Bible (Feat. 3 of the Contributors)
ICYMI: How the Translation of ’Faith’ in the Bible Falls Short (Matt Bates)
How the Early Church Engaged with Scripture (Brian J. Wright)
Entering the Hell and Heartbreak of the Grotesque Book of Judges (Daniel Stulac)
True Sabbath Isn’t Narcissism Disguised as Self-Care (Kelsey Osgood)
African Perspectives on Multiculturalism and Economic Justice (Gift Mtukwa)
Reissue: What Does Reconciliation Mean for Sexual Abuse Survivors? (Rachael and Jacob Denhollander)
Who Is the ’Foreigner’ We’re Supposed to Love? (M. Daniel Carroll R.)
Knowing God through Welcoming the Stranger (Mark Glanville)
Reissue: Violence in the Bible Isn’t What You Think It Is (Matt Lynch)
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