Covenants and criticism: Deuteronomy and the American founding

Similarly, biblical scholars note the bond between the political and religious reforms of Josiah. Nicholson (99) recounts the rise "in Judah in the late eighth century [of] a movement which aimed at both political and religious renewal." Weinfeld, examining the reforms of Josiah, argued that they were "a vigorous expression of both political and religious emancipation" (85). Recognizing that drawing meaningful distinctions between political and religious reforms in the seventh century BCE is exceedingly difficult, it is suggested here that the inextricable bond between political and religious reformation of the "this day" of the Deuteronomist offers greater illumination for the American founding than the traditional textual approach.

Medium

One final historical precedent that links the American founding to the Deuteronomic history is method of communication. During both periods the crucial medium of exchange was the religious sermon. The literary function of Mosaic speeches has been well documented (Miller; Polzin). Nicholson isolates chapters 5-11 as "a series of exhortatory addresses which appeal again and again for faithfulness to the divine commands" (46). Weinfeld asserts that the Book of Deuteronomy "is presented in its entirety as a valedictory oration delivered by Moses." The key to Weinfeld's assertion is the word presented. Distinguishing the text from the history, Weinfeld (10) argues that the oration/address format was imposed by the Deuteronomic author: "He placed in the mouth of Moses a long prose valedictory which treats both history and law." This extended biblical sermon, aside from offering textual substance, adumbrates a method of communication that was utilized extensively during the American founding.

McLoughlin argues that "the true basis of intercolonial unity [during the American founding] lay in the system of itinerant preaching" (1977: 69). Stout's study of religion in New England demonstrates that "after 1667, these [election] sermons were published so that they could be distributed to the ministers and summarized from every pulpit in the land" (1986: 70). Assessing the influence of election sermons during the founding era, Lutz noted that "these reprinted sermons accounted for almost three-fourths of the biblical citations" (1984: 192). The medium of the message for both the Deuteronomic history and the American founding was the biblical sermon.

In all three instances--independence, reform, and medium--the historical echo is more revealing than a simple verbal, or textual, comparison. The textual prominence of Deuteronomic citations noted by Lutz, is reflective of a deeper historical relationship. However, while the focus on Deuteronomy and Josiah offers historical illumination heretofore not applied to the American founding, this same focus ignores the critical role of biblical editors in the transmission of covenant theology. By noting the crucial role of the Deuteronomic editor(s), the present analysis moves toward a more complete understanding of the influence of covenants on the American founding.