Born in New York City and raised in the UK, Rabbi Benjy Morgan spent 14 years studying in the top Rabbinic training academies in the world. He is the Chief Executive Officer of the Jewish Learning Exchange (JLE), a London-based organisation which aims to teach Judaism’s relevance and deeper meaning to 21st-century Jewish youth and young professionals, so as to enable them to connect with one another and make informed life decisions. 

 

What Elements of Covenant in Genesis are Relevant to Politics in Western Democracies Today?

The book of Genesis offers a radical theological idea: that God enters into relationship with humanity not as a distant ruler, but as a partner. The first covenants—those made with Noah and with Abraham—are not commands from above but invitations to moral responsibility and dialogue.

The Noahide covenant is universal. After the flood, God makes a commitment to all of creation, establishing a foundational moral framework for society—emphasizing justice, the sanctity of life, the rule of law, and the dignity of every human being. It affirms that every human life has value because we are all created in the image of God.

The Abrahamic covenant introduces particularity—not for the sake of privilege, but to take on a role of moral responsibility. Abraham is not given a detailed system of laws, but a calling: to build a life and legacy grounded in faith, justice, and service to others. His journey begins the intertwining of religious faith with historical purpose.

For modern democracies, this theology warns against treating politics as ultimate. The state is not God. Power must be tempered by ethical principles. A covenantal worldview calls for shared responsibility even amidst difference. It teaches that society thrives when citizens see themselves as morally bound to one another.

 

Is Reference to the Sacred Necessary when Using the Word ‘Covenant’?

Yes. A covenant is not just a contract between individuals—it is a three-way relationship that includes a higher moral authority. It reflects a belief that our obligations are not only to each other, but to something greater.

Even when used in secular contexts, the word ‘covenant’ carries with it echoes of this deeper meaning. It implies that life is not merely about personal freedom, but about purpose. It affirms that we are not self-made, but called. In Jewish thought, this is why obligation is often seen as more important than autonomy: because it roots us in a shared moral vision.

Trying to speak of covenant without reference to the sacred is like describing a flame without fire. It’s not necessarily about organized religion, but about the idea that life has meaning, that we are responsible, and that we are part of a larger story.

 

What are the Vital Elements of a Covenantal Economy?

A covenantal economy is more than just an ethical marketplace. It is built on the understanding that land, wealth, and even time are not ours absolutely—they are entrusted to us. We are stewards, not owners.

Several key principles in Jewish law illustrate this:

• Shabbat (the Sabbath): One day a week, all work stops. It’s a rhythm of rest that reminds us that we are not defined solely by productivity. It also levels the playing field: rich or poor, employer or worker, everyone stops together.
• Shmitta (the Sabbatical Year): Every seventh year, farmers in the land of Israel were commanded to let their fields lie fallow. Debts were released, and food grown naturally was made available to all. It was a radical act of economic reset—a way of reminding people that the land does not belong to them forever, and that society must pause to restore justice and balance.
• Pe’ah (literally ‘corners’ of the field): Farmers were required to leave the edges of their fields unharvested, so that the poor and the stranger could come and gather food with dignity. It wasn’t charity—it was a right built into the structure of economic life.

A covenantal economy, then, asks a different set of questions: not just ‘What can I earn?’ but ‘What do I owe?’ Not just ‘What is profitable?’ but ‘What is just?’ It places generosity, dignity, and long-term stewardship at the heart of economic life.

 

How Understood is ‘Covenant’ Today, and How Can it be Made More Accessible?

Today, the term ‘covenant’ is not widely understood. Yet the longing for what it represents is everywhere: people crave connection, purpose, and belonging. The challenge is to give this ancient idea modern language and relevance.

In Jewish thought, covenant is how a people survives history—not through force, but through faithfulness. It’s a structure of hope: the belief that the future is not predetermined, but shaped by the commitments we make.

We can make the idea of covenant more accessible by:

• Telling stories: Narratives like those of Abraham, Ruth, and the giving of the Ten Commandments at Mount Sinai help people see what covenant looks like in practice.
• Living it in community: Covenant is not just a theory—it’s something modeled in how people care for one another.
• Framing it as sacred resilience: It’s the idea that we are not just individuals, but part of something enduring.

  Ultimately, covenant means that each person matters. Our choices matter. And the future depends on the values we choose to uphold together.

 

Conclusion

Ours is an age, not of cynicism but of seeking. People are no longer content with fragments; they long for wholeness. They search for meaning that binds the personal to the collective, the moral to the spiritual, the ‘I’ to the ‘we.’

Covenant speaks precisely to this moment. It tells us that freedom is not isolation, but responsibility. That identity is not exclusion, but connection. That truth is not imposed, but shared. In a world crying out for belonging, covenant is the music of relationship—the sacred bond that turns individuals into communities and life into a journey of purpose. We are not alone. We are bound—by trust, by hope, by a story we tell together.