Covenantal nomism as a 'symbolic universe'

Abstract

It is explored how Sanders' notion of covenantal nomism can be adapted to explain the Judean "symbolic universe". This article throughout approaches Judeanism as an ethnic identity. At first covenantal nomism is adapted to function as an ethnic descriptor. Ethnicity theory is then utilized to explain what ethnicity is and how it is formed and maintained. Duling's Socio-Cultural Model of Ethnicity is then adapted to model first century Judean ethnic identity. The proposed model is termed covenantal nomism. Lastly, it is explained that the proposed model also functions as a pictorial representation of the Judean symbolic universe.