Introduction -- Why covenant? -- Covenant and covenants -- Determination of boundaries -- Why ritual boundaries? -- Choice of texts -- Conclusion. Part A: The Old Testament background for covenant identity and its boundaries -- Chapter One: Some Old Testament aspects to covenant identity and boundaries -- I. Interpreting the Old Testament -- II. Covenantal identity and boundaries: Born to belong -- 1. Divine presence guarantees covenant and boundaries -- One covenant with Noah -- God's covenant oath to Abraham -- The divine presence at Sinai -- 2. Covenant promises: Land and posterity -- A double promise to Abraham -- Promises to David -- 3. The obligatory covenant of Sinai -- 4. Broken and restored covenant relationship -- Covenant restoration -- Renewal and "new covenant" -- Covenant and newness -- III. Conclusion. Part B: Palestinian Judaism: Covenant identity and ecclesiological boundaries -- Chapter Two: Covenant consciousness in the Book of Jubliees -- I. Identity and covenant consciousness -- 1. God and covenant validity -- 2. Covenant consciousness and identity of Israel -- Past relationships -- Marks of Israel's present identity -- Orientation towards the future -- II. Israel's boundaries -- 1. Election means exclusion -- 2. Circumcision: Rite of affirmation? -- III. Conclusion. Chapter Three: Covenant conditions and ritual boundaries in the temple scroll and the Damascus document -- I. Covenantal identity -- 1. Conditions of covenant validity -- 2. Covenant obedience -- The "eternal inheritance of the land" in 11QTemple -- The "land of Damascus" in CD -- 3. "Broken covenant" and "new covenant" -- "Broken covenant" -- "New covenant" in CD -- II. Ritual boundaries -- Return and entry -- Covenant markers -- circumcision -- oaths -- Ritual purity and washings -- III. Conclusion. Chapter Four: Ecclesiological awareness and covenant ritual in the community rule -- I. Covenantal identity and ecclesiological awareness -- 1. A priestly eschatological covenant -- The lack of continuity with the past -- "Eternal covenant" -- II. Priestly boundaries and entry -- 1. Purity and impurity -- 2. Entry into the community -- Entry into the covenant or covenant renewal? -- Entry for novices -- The first of the ritual washings -- Dependency on proselyte baptism -- Qualifications for entry -- Excursus: Marginality -- III. Conclusion. Chapter Five: An invalid covenant identity -- a symbolic boundary -- I. Does "children to Abraham" presuppose a covenant identity? -- II. A Baptist community? -- III. John's baptism: A symbolic boundary? -- 1. Initiation -- 2. Purification -- IV. Conclusion. Part C: Pauline Christianity covenant identity and ritual boundaries -- Chapter Six: Covenant and covenants in Paul's letters -- I. Perspective on Paul -- II. Covenant and Israel in Romans -- Excursus: Romans 9-11 -- 1. The validity of God's covenant -- 2. Covenant and identity in Romans -- III. "Children" and "mothers" of the covenant in Galatians -- 1. From promises to promise. Galatians 3:15,17 -- 2. Children of the two covenants. Galatians 4:24 -- Covenant of freedom and slavery -- Identity of the covenant mothers -- IV. From new to old covenant in 2 Corinthians -- 1. A new covenant or a new dimension? -- Power of death and life -- Covenant and glory -- V. Conclusion. Chapter Seven: Boundaries redefined -- boundaries replaced -- I. Previous research on baptism in its relation to circumcision -- II. Circumcision: A redefined or a replaced rite? -- III. Baptism as boundary rite -- 1. Baptism: a ritual of identification . 1 Corinthians 1:10-17 -- 2. Baptism: A ritual of liberation. 1 Corinthians 10:2 -- 3. Baptism: A ritual of incorporation. 1 Corinthians 12:13 -- 4. Baptism: A ritual of changed identity. Galatians 3:26-29 -- IV. Conclusion -- Summary and conclusion.