Hebrews' contributions to Western civilization

the Hebrews' contributions to Western civilization:

• Primary Contribution: Religion: The Hebrews' main contribution to Western heritage lies in religion, not in arts, military, or technology.
• Culture from Religion: Culture stems from shared religious ideas and practices, requiring shared "transcendent truths" accepted on faith.
• Key Hebrew Beliefs about God:
  • Monotheism: One God, not many.  
  • Transcendence: God is separate from the world.  
  • Sovereignty: God is all-powerful.  
  • Goodness: God is morally good.
• Impact of Transcendence: Established a higher law applicable to all, including rulers, contrasting with contemporary tyranny where rulers were absolute.  
• Human Dignity and Equality:
  • Hebrews prioritized people over property, establishing equality before the law.  
  • This concept is fundamental to Western culture.
• Covenant vs. Contract:
  • Hebrew concept of a covenant is more binding than a contract, persisting even if broken.  
  • Influenced Western ideas of salvation, marriage, and government.  
  • "Social compact" derived from the Hebrew covenant.
• Theocracy to Theocratic Monarchy (Story of Saul):
  • Initially a theocracy (God as direct ruler via priests/prophets).  
  • Demand for a king ("like other nations") was a rejection of the covenant.  
  • Samuel warned of a king's self-interest and loss of freedoms.  
  • Saul proposed a "theocratic monarchy," leading within religious tradition and subject to God's laws.
• Rule of Law and Equality Before the Law: The story of Saul illustrates the beginnings of these concepts, crucial to Western legal systems.
• Human Fallibility of Leaders: Saul's failures demonstrated that even leaders are fallible and require subjection to higher law.  
• Connection Between Private Morality and Public Success: A leader's moral character directly impacts their family and the commonwealth/kingdom. This insight applies even more so in modern republics where "the people are kings."
• Checks and Balances: The understanding of human fallibility led to systems of checks and balances to limit power, as seen in the U.S. government.  
• Focus on Order: Hebrew religion and culture emphasized "order in the human soul and human family" to uphold promises to God and serve humanity.