Covenant is "one
of the fundamental theological motifs of the Hebrew and Christian scriptures.
... In general, covenant signifies a relationship based on commitment, which
includes both promises and obligations and which has the quality of reliability
and durability. The relationship is usually sealed by a rite - for example, an
oath, sacred meal, blood sacrifice... - which makes it binding. ... Covenant
expresses a novel element of the religion of ancient Israel: the people are
bound in relationship to the one God, Yahweh, who makes an exclusive
('jealous') claim upon their loyalty in worship and social life. ... In the
Pentateuch [the first five books of the Old Testament or Hebrew Bible, also
known as the Torah] primary emphasis is given to God's covenant with the
Israelite people, portrayed in the migration of Abraham [or "Abram"] and Sarah
in response to the divine promise (Gen. 11.31-12.7) and the special
relationship between God and their descendants (Gen 15.1-21; 17.1-22). In the
biblical narrative, the covenant with Israel's ancestors is the prelude to the
crucial events of the Exodus and the Mosaic covenant at Sinai... ...all of
God's covenants with Israel include divine promises, as well as human
obligations, though they differ as to which is emphasized. The Abrahamic
covenant [includes] no conditions ... but rather gives promises: the land as an
everlasting possession, numerous posterity, and a special relationship between
God and the descendants of Abraham and Sarah." [from "Covenant" in The
Oxford Companion to the Bible (1993), pp. 138f.]
The evolution of
“Covenant” may be studied in various biblical commentaries and
dictionaries.
"Covenant" is found throughout
Episcopal The Book of Common Prayer. Please especially note its uses on
pages 846-7, 850-1, 853, and 854 of the Catechism and pages 304-7 in the
Service of Holy Baptism.