This study identifies and promotes the relationship between covenantal identity and social justice within Deuteronomy, arguing that social justice is a reflection of covenantal identity. Covenant and justice hold a major emphatic tone in Deuteronomy through its recurring instructions. This research focused on the issue of covenantal identity as God's holy people and treasured possession and its direct relationship with social justice. The study maintains that the covenant with God alone produced this unique identity to the Israelites. As a stipulation of the covenantal identity, the Israelites were instructed to reflect those covenantal norms in the social environment through their behavioral actions.
In terms of methodology, the study utilized a text-centered approach that focused on syntactic analysis, semantic analysis, theological implications, and inner textual connectivity in examining the passages of Deut 6:4-9, 7:1-6, 10:12-13, 11:13-21. Beginning with the shema passage and until the usage of the words such as "remember" and "not to forget" in the covenantal teachings, textual evidences proves that God revealed instructions connected with social justice. The study also included a literary analyses of Deut 10:14-22, 14:22-29, 16:18-20, 32:1-6, which reveals the importance of God's nature of justice and how social justice being executed. Similarities and dissimilarities found through inner textual analysis exhibit how the basic themes and statues are interconnected and given in a coherent manner.
The study showed that the covenant functions as the overarching theme in Deuteronomy, and social justice is presented as the reflection of the covenantal identity. The study identified that God's $$ functions to restore the broken relationship, which is one of the unique features of biblical justice. The essence of God's $$ is neither based on power nor authority, but it is an expression of God's $$ which includes God's nature of love, mercy, grace, shalom state, and sharing.
The study elucidates the implication of social justice functions as relational within the framework of covenantal identity and social justice through the literary analyses of Deut 15:12-18, 16:9-12, 24:14-18, 19-22. The study reveals that the implication of social justice should become the being and walk of life in reflecting covenantal identity as God's holy people and treasured possession.
Two contributions were produced as a fruit of this study. One is tracing the connectivity between covenantal identity and social justice. The other is recognizing that social justice is not a mere norm or rules and regulations but a reflection of covenantal identity.
$$ : 원문참조