Covenantal Thinking: Essay on the philosophy and theology od David Novak

“Born in the United States, David Novak (b. 1941) is nonetheless an heir to the German-Jewish tradition of the Rabbiner-Doktor, a rabbi who is also a scholar, equally versed in traditional Jewish sources as in classical Western philosophy. This is not just a biographical statement, evident in his studies with his revered teacher Abraham Joshua Heschel, who drew from his Hasidic upbringing as well as his scholarly training in Berlin, or in the anecdotal fact that the only photograph hanging in Novak’s office is that of Heschel’s older colleague and friend Leo Baeck. Rather, we think of Novak in this light because his work truly encompasses the gamut of Jewish philosophy and the Western tradition.” The philosophy and theology of David Novak, one of the most prominent and creative contemporary Jewish thinkers, grapples with Judaism, Christian theology, the tradition of natural law, and the Western philosophical canon. Never shying away from contested ethical and religious themes, Novaks original insights and intellectual spirit have spanned voluminous publications and inspired Jewish, Christian, and Muslim thinkers to engage concepts such as religious liberty, covenantal morality, and the importance of theological reasoning. Written primarily by scholars in the field of Jewish thought, Covenantal Thinking is a collection of essays dedicated to Novaks work. The book examines topics such as election, natural law, Jewish political thought, the question of Zionism, and the relation between reason and revelation. This collection is unique because it includes Novaks replies to his critics, including his clarifications of his philosophical and theological positions. Offering a vital contribution to contemporary Jewish thought, Covenantal Thinking illuminates Novaks contributions as a scholar who trained, conversed with, and inspired the next generation of philosophical theologians.