Renewing the Covenant

by Eugene B. Borowitz

Publisher:

Jewish Publication Society

, 1991

Overview

The postmodern Jew seeks a Judaism that weaves God, folk, and self into a seamless whole. In twenty searching chapters, Eugene B. Borowitz creatively explores his theory of Covenant, linking self to folk and God through the contemporary idiom of relationship.

Widely regarded as one of liberal Judaism's leading theologians, Rabbi Borowitz has long championed the need for Jews to return to the Covenant—a personal relationship with God. In this volume, Rabbi Borowitz straightforwardly faces fundamental theological issues: "The who/what of God," "What does God still do?" and "What can we do about our will-to-do-evil?" He concludes by articulating his own vision: a theology of contemporary Jewish duty.

Key Features

• Analyzes two subjects in detail: "Jewish Religious Experience in Our Time" and "A Postliberal Theology of Jewish Duty"
• Encourages and emphasizes the need for us to seek a personal relationship with God
• Includes an introduction, afterword, glossary, bibliographic notes, and an index

Praise for the Print Edition

Renewing the Covenant is the most important work of the premier thinking of Liberal Judaism in America. It is a powerful theological statement that calls for study, reflection, and response from everyone interested in and concerned with Jewish thought in our time.

—David Novak, Professor of Modern Judaic Studies, University of Virginia

This book demonstrates once again the keen intellect, deep wisdom, sensitive moral concerns, and committed religious faith of Eugene Borowitz. Christians can learn much about Judaism from this master teacher, but Borowitz also helps all religious believers understand how to make our religious faith a living tradition and how to be committed to both our particular faith and to the needs of all humankind.

—Charles E. Curran, Professor of Human Values, Southern Methodist University

This is a major statement in contemporary Jewish theology by the leading Reform theologian of our generation. . . . Borowitz has set out the essential concerns with clarity, learning, and intelligence and has established the ground for an important, ongoing, theological dialogue about what Judaism can authentically mean, and demand, at the end of the 2th century.

—Choice

This major work is an extremely thought-provoking, introspective interpretation of contemporary theology.

Library Journal

Product Details

• Title: Renewing the Covenant
• Author: Eugene B. Borowitz
• Publisher: Jewish Publication Society
• Publication Date: 1991
• Pages: 336

About Eugene B. Borowitz

Eugene B. Borowitz is the much honored “dean” of American Jewish philosophers. For his contributions to Reform Judaism, the Union for Reform Judaism awarded him its Eisendrath Prize at its 2005 biennial convention. The Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion recently appointed him “Distinguished University Professor,” the Jewish Publication Society included him in its Scholars of Distinction series by publishing a selection of his papers over the past fifty years, and the National Foundation for Jewish Culture awarded him its medal for lifetime Jewish Cultural Achievement for his work in the field of Jewish thought. His nineteenth book, A Touch of the Sacred, a Theologian’s Informal Guide to Jewish Belief, done with Frances W. Schwartz, has just been issued by Jewish Lights Publishing. Dr. Borowitz serves as the Sigmund L. Falk Distinguished Professor of Education and Jewish Religious Thought at the New York School of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion where he has taught since 1962. He is a prolific author, having written hundreds of articles on various aspects of Jewish religious thought. He is the only Jew to have been President of the American Theological Society. In 1982 Harvard University Divinity School invited him to inaugurate its newly established List Professorship of Jewish Studies. He wrote the comprehensive article on Judaism in the Encyclopedia of Religion. His 1974 work, The Mask Jews Wear, received the National Jewish Book Award in the field of Jewish thought. Rabbi Borowitz is widely known in the Jewish community as the former Editor of Sh’ma, a journal of Jewish responsibility, a magazine of Jewish social concern he founded in 1970 and edited for 23 years. He is active in Jewish publishing as a Life Trustee of the Jewish Publication Society. He has served as visiting professor of religion at: Columbia University, Princeton University, the State University of New York at Stony Brook, City College of the City University of New York, Drew University, Temple University, Teachers College of Columbia University, the Jewish Theological Seminary of America and Woodstock College (the Jesuit graduate school of theology). He has addressed many national and international Jewish gatherings as well as various academic and interfaith conferences. Rabbi Borowitz received his bachelor’s degree from Ohio State University. He was ordained and received the first of his two earned doctor’s degrees from Hebrew Union College, the other being from Teachers College Columbia University. He has received honorary doctorates from Colgate University, Lafayette and Gratz Colleges. He has served congregations in St. Louis, Mo. and Port Washington, NY and was a Navy Chaplain during the Korean War. Prior to his academic position he was National Director of Education for Reform Judaism at the Union of American Hebrew Congregations, editing its books, curricula and educational periodicals.