Table of Contents
Acknowledgments ix
Preface xi
Abbreviations xix
1 YHWH as Dialogical Character 1
YHWH as Active Agent 2
"Common Theology" Transposed 2
Jewish Probes of the Dialogical 5
God in Pathos 9
The Speech of Dialogical Fidelity 11
Regulation via Imagination 16
2 Israel as YHWH's Partner 19
YHWH's Originary Love for Israel 20
Israel's Covenantal Obligation 23
Israel Recalcitrant and Scattered 39
YHWH's Fresh Turn toward Israel 44
Israel Regathered in Obedience 47
Israel's Narrative Life in Four Texts 52
Israel and, Belatedly, the Church 54
3 The Human Person as YHWH's Partner 57
Covenantal Notions of Personhood 58
Human Persons Commensurate to YHWH's Sovereignty and Mercy 61
Characteristic Markings of Covenantal Humanness 66
Covenantal Existence as Alternative Humanness 91
Covenantal Humanness in Two Texts 92
4 The Nations as YHWH's Partner 99
The Large Horizon of YHWH's Governance 100
The Nations vis-à-vis Israel 102
YHWH and the Superpowers 109
The Possibility of Legitimate Power in the World of YHWH 126
5 Creation as YHWH's Partner 137
A World Blessed and Fruitful 138
Creation in Jeopardy 143
The World beyond Nullification 153
Creation at YHWH's Behest 160
6 The Drama of Partnership with YHWH 163
Recurring Pattern in the Partners 164
Israel's Articulation of YHWH 167
Materials for a Metanarrative 170
Notes 177
Scripture Index 203
Author Index 209
