Governance through the Lenses of the Book of Exodus

Abstract

Exodus invites us into a powerful reimagination of how we are to be governed, holds oppressors to account, and gives us examples of what a just leader looks like, what covenantal law can be, and what a sacred device of order can achieve. Exodus tells the story of freedom from bondage in Egypt, providing both theological and historical underpinnings to a society based upon human dignity and accountability, and the establishment of community centered upon the laws revealed at Sinai and the building of the tabernacle as its epicenter. This study considers Exodus in light of five major themes: (1) the oppressive nature of a model of governance, (2) Yahweh as liberative king, (3) constitution via the Decalogue and Covenant Code, (4) liturgical space and institutional order in the tabernacle, and (5) implications for contemporary political theory and organizational ethics. Building on recent scholarship (Berman, 2022; O'Donovan, 2019; Walton, 2021), this paper construes Exodus as a dynamo for responding to contemporary exigencies of authoritarianism, economic justice, and institutional design. This study employs a triangulated methodological framework to analyze the governance paradigms in the Book of Exodus, combining textual analysis, comparative analysis, and case study approaches. The study's findings reveal Exodus' profound critique of authoritarian governance through its narrative of Pharaoh's downfall (Q1).

The study uses the PESTLECT framework to offer a comprehensive strategy for applying Exodus' governance principles to contemporary advocacy efforts