Why do the Ten Commandments matter? Aren't they just a set of religious rules that no longer apply to modern life? Why bother?

Most people today fail to appreciate the divine wisdom expressed in the Ten Commandments. They are not a set of rules. They inspire the formation of covenant community. They point to a set of fundamental values, Root Values, that help people to relate to one another in genuine supportive ways.

The Book of Exodus tells the story of the creation of the first covenant community -- a band of slaves who had recently broken the chains of bondage under God's "mighty outstretched hand."

The story allows us to peer backward through time to witness a mass of slaves transform into a covenant community of people who truly commit to stand together through life's challenges.

Five Root Values are the secret, the divine wisdom, behind that revolution of social consciousness. The five Root Values expressed in the Ten Commandments challenge people to think carefully about their behavior and their motives. They help people to be constructively self-critical. They reinforce behaviors that help people enter into relationships that lead to health and wholeness in individuals, families, neighborhoods and even in schools, businesses and government.

Learning more about the Biblical context of the Ten Commandments provides important insight into way the five Root Values work the way they do.