Socio - Political Significance of Covenant Motif in the Old Testament (Reading the Theology of Prophet Jeremiah from a Tribal Perspective)

This book attempts to investigate the theology of Jeremiah with a particular focus on the motif of covenant by using a combination of social scientific method and literary critical method. One of the strengths of this book lies on its adoption of Mizo tribal reading and relates the texts to the contemporary context of the tribals in Mizoram. It explores that the new covenant was intended to provide for the necessary transition from Israel not only as a nation, but also functioned as a survival for their identity in order to create new community and new identity. The book proposes a possibility of Mizo tribal reading of the Bible to illuminate the world of the prophet by drawing parallels from the Mizo society.

Lalenkawla is an ordained minister of the Mizoram Presbyterian Church. He earned B.D. degree (2009) from Aizawl Theological College and M.Th. degree (2017) from United Theological College, Bangalore. He is currently serving as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biblical Studies (Old Testament), Aizawl Theological College, Aizawl.

The book entitled "Socio-Political Significance of Covenant Motif in the Old Testament: Reading the Theology of Prophet Jeremiah from a Tribal Perspective" written by Lalenkawla is a timely contribution where societies in the whole world are disintegrating and moving towards individualistic ideology with capitalistic and consumeristic framework. While on the one hand, the rise and growth of globalization as a centric force has made the whole world as one small global village, on the other hand societies and the groups are more isolated in practice and greed and selfish motifs along with consumeristic value systems grow very well in our web of relationships. Human beings no longer support and help each other, rather each community try to dominate, compete and exploit for reaching apex for their supremacy.

In such a general scenario prophet Jeremiah from the Hebrew Bible has something valuable to offer. The work of Kawla reflects how Jeremiah in the ancient Israel revisits the vitality of new covenant where people need to adhere to the principles of equality, justice, peace and shalom in the midst of greed, oppression and self-centeredness. Calling the people back to the covenant and reminding them of their failure to follow old stipulations given by Yahweh, boosts the morale of Israelites by suggesting that there is still a possibility of renewing their right relationship with Yahweh by meticulously practicing the principles of covenant given to them. This covenant will be more binding and compelling which is no longer like old covenant and it will be written on their hearts rather than on the stone tablets.

By using historical critical method and particularly social scientific method Kawla skilfully exegetes Jeremianic texts on the new covenant and draws relevant implications for a contemporary Mizo society where he hails from. Not only Mizo society but all the societies in the world need to adhere to the voice of Jeremiah and return back to the cardinal principles of God's new covenant: justice, peace, righteousness, equality and shalom. Jesus Christ in the New Testament and through the new covenant has demonstrated what it means to talk and practice new covenant is our exemplary model. This book is a must read by all those who want to be part of new and alternate covenant community in the present world. I congratulate and thank Kawla for giving this valuable writing for the society at large and Mizo society in particular.

The people of Israel perceived themselves as a faith community of God and alternate community in covenant with God. Throughout its history, ancient Israelite society had undergone changes and transformations. As a result of which the age-long egalitarian and communitarian values and ethics were substituted by the individualistic, exclusivist and consumerist ideologies and values, sometimes shaking the very foundation of the social order. At this juncture, the concept of covenant was in need of theological restatement and there was a shift from the old covenant to the new covenant. This new covenant was intended to provide for the necessary transition from Israel not only as a nation, but also functioned as a survival for their identity in order to create new community. Therefore, the significance of this work is that it examines the new covenant motif in the book of Jeremiah and relates it to the contemporary context of the tribals in Mizoram.

**Contents and Sample Pages**