Presence, then the Covenants An essay on narrative and theological precedence Part One

Abstract

Against the background of post-Reformation covenant theologies, this essay argues that the covenants depicted in Genesis through Kings (GK) appear in the context of the prior and more fundamental depiction of divine presence, and that the covenants appear where they do to depict how God secured his own presence on earth without which the renewal of an already, but now defiled, existing relationship is impossible. In order to demonstrate this thesis I describe a contemporary discussion of covenant theology rooted in pot-Reformation discussions, then give reasons for limiting this study to GK, following which I examine the narrative shape of GK and its consistent primary interest in the divine presence.