John Howard Yoder Reading Room

Note: this content was originally curated by Arnold Neufeldt-Fast and is no longer being maintained. Some links may not work. Content posted for archival purposes only.

This page is designed to help make writings on and by John Howard Yoder available to those without easy access to a theological library. The links connect you to audio, books, articles and dissertations made available across the web, including those "Google Books" with significant content preview  - Arnold Neufeldt-Fast, PhD 

NB: Allegations of sexual abuse by John Howard Yoder arose before his death and are now well-documented (see documents related to sexual absue controversy; background here). Yoder was never connected to Tyndale University College & Seminary; Tyndale is committed to the creation of an environment that is safe and free of all forms of sexual harassment (see: Sexual Harassment Policy).

Primary Sources

See the John Howard Yoder Digital Library

Yoder Index: A Searchable Index of the Writings of John Howard Yoder

See Google Books on or by John Howard Yoder with preview (sorted by date)

Books by John Howard Yoder

• The Politics of Jesus: Vicit Agnus Noster. 2nd ed. Eerdmans, 1994 (also simplified summary by Nathan Hobby with James Patton)
• What would you do? a serious answer to a standard question. Herald Press, 1992. (Tyndale ebook)
• For the Nations: Essays Evangelical and Public. Eerdmans, 1997.
• (with M. Cartwright). The Royal Priesthood: Essays Ecclesiological and Ecumenical. Herald Press, 1998 (Tyndale ebook)
• (with T.L. Shaffer). Moral Memoranda from John Howard Yoder: Conversations on Law, Ethics and the Church between a Mennonite Theologian and a Hoosier Lawyer. Wipf and Stock, 2002.
• The War of the Lamb: The Ethics of Nonviolence and Peacemaking. Ed. Glen Harold Stassen, Mark Thiessen Nation. Brazos, 2009.
• Christian Attitudes to War, Peace, and Revolution. Eds. Theodore J. Koontz, and Andy Alexis-Baker. Brazos, 2009.
• Nevertheless: The Varieties and Shortcomings of Religious Pacifism. Rev'd ed. Herald Press, 1992. (Tyndale ebook)
• Discipleship as Political Responsibility. Trans. T. Geddert. Herald Press, 2003. (Tyndale ebook)
• Preface to Theology: Christology and Theological Method. Brazos, 2002.
• The End of Sacrifice: The Capital Punishment Writings of John Howard Yoder. Ed. J. C. Nugent. Herald Press, 2011. (Tyndale ebook)
• Theology of Mission: A Believers Church Perspective. Eds. Gayle Gerber Koontz and Andy Alexis-Baker. IVP, 2014. (Tyndale ebook)

Articles Written by Yoder

• "Sacrament as a Social Process: Christ the Transformer of Culture," Theology Today 48, no. 1 (April 1991): 33-44.
• "The Christian's Declaration of Independence," Christian Living (July 1955): 27.
• “Nonconformity and the Nation,” Christian Living (Feb. 1955): 8–9, 25, 33.
• “The Things That Are Caesar’s: Part 1,” Christian Living (July 1960): 4–5.
• “The Things That Are Caesar’s: Part 2,” Christian Living (Aug. 1960): 14–17, 39.
• “The Things That Are Caesar’s: Part 3,” Christian Living (Sept. 1960): 16–18.
• “Why I Don’t Pay All My Income Tax,” Gospel Herald (Jan. 22, 1963): 81, 92.
• “The Biblical Mandate,” Post American 3, no. 3 (April 1974): 21–25.
• “The Limits of Obedience to Caesar.” Unpublished document from General Conference Mennonite Commission on Home Ministries study on whether denominational agencies should support their employees’ tax objection, June 1978.
• “Can There Be a Just War?,” Radix 13, no. 2 (Sept.–Oct. 1981): 3–9.
• “Cleansing the Temple,” Epiphany: A Journal of Faith and Insight 4 (Spring 1984): 16–18.
• “Peacemaking Amid Political Revolution.” Unpublished paper, available at Associate Mennonite Biblical Seminary (n.d.).
• "Einfachere Einheit für knappere Zeiten," in: Ökumene: Möglichkeiten und Grenzen heute. Karlfried Froehlich and Oscar Cullmann, eds. Mohr Siebeck, 1982. Pp. 107-111.
• [Syllabus] "Ecclesiology in Missional Perspective," Associated Mennonite Seminary, Fall 1983 (first taught in 1973).
• "Jesus--A Model of Radical Political Action; Three Unfinished Pilgrimages," in: Faith and Freedom: Christian Ethics in a Pluralist Culture. D. Neville, P. Matthews, eds. Australian Theological Forum, 2003. Pp. 163-170; 126-136.
• "The Use of the Bible in Theology," in Robert K. Johnston, ed., The Use of the Bible in Theology: Evangelical Options. John Knox, 1984. Ch. 6.
• "Living the disarmed life," in: A Matter of Life and Death: A Study Guide for Churches on the Nuclear Arms Race (Washington: Sojourners, 1981), 40-43.
• "Civil Religion in America: A Radical Protestant Perspective," in: Images of Man: Studies in Religion and Anthropology. J.W. Angell and E.P. Banks, eds. Mercer, 1984. Ch. 1, pp. 1-24.
• "Toward a Sifting of Faith from Culture," in: Mennonite Life XIX, no. 1 (January 1964): 36-39.
• "Les Troubles Aux Pays-Bans Dans Le Miroir Strasbourgois," in: Dutch Dissenters: A Critical Companion to Their History and Ideas, with a Bibliographical Survey of Recent Research Pertaining to the Early Reformation in the Netherlands. Irvin B. Horst, ed. Brill, 1986. Pp. 117-126.
• "Just War Tradition: Is it Credible?," The Christian Century (March 13, 1991): 295-298.
• "The Authority of Tradition," in: From Christ to the World: Introductory Readings in Christian Ethics. W.G. Boulton, et al., eds. Eerdmans, 1994. Pp. 91-101 (from Yoder, The Priestly Kingdom).
• "Primitivism in the Radical Reformation: Strengths and Weaknesses," in: The Primitive Church in the Modern World. Richard T. Hughes, ed. Univ. of Illinois, 1995. Ch. 4, pp. 74-97.
• "Karl Barth: Post-Christendom Theologian," presented to the Karl Barth Society; Elmhurst IL, June 8, 1995 (unpublished).
• "Is There Such a Thing as Being Ready for Another Millennium?," in: The Future of Theology: Essays in Honor of Jürgen Moltmann. M. Volf et al., eds. Eerdmans, 1996. Pp. 63-72.
• "On Not Being in Charge," in: War and Its Discontents: Pacifism and Quietism in the Abrahamic Traditions. J.P. Burns, ed. Georgetown Univ., 1996. Pp. 74-90.
• "Noah`s Covenant, the New Testament and Christian Social Order [re: Death Penalty]," in: The Death Penalty in America: Current Controversies. Hugo Adam Bedau, ed. Oxford, 1998. Ch. 31, pp. 429-444.
• "Walk and Word. The Alternative to Methodologism," in: M. Beaty et al., eds., Christian Theism and Moral Philosophy. Mercer, 1998. Pp. 181-198.
• "The Prophet Dissent of the Anabaptists," in: The Recovery of the Anabaptist Vision, ed. G. Hershberger. Herald Press, 1957. Pp. 93-104.
• "Introduction," Eberhard Arnold: God`s Revolution: Justice, Community, and the Coming Kingdom: Bruderhof. 2nd ed. John Howard Yoder, ed. Plough, 1997. Pp. xiv-xxxiii.
• "Anabaptist Law Schools: Thomas L. Schaffer in Conversation with John Howard Yoder," in: Faith and Law: How Religious Traditions from Calvinism to Islam View American Law. R.F. Cochran, ed. NYU, 2007. Ch. 4, pp. 64-76.
• "The Peace Issue from a Historic Peace Church Perspective," InterSeminarian. April 1-2, 1965. 32 pp.
• "University Christian Movement: Lutheran Student Association '67 Ashram Introductory portion of paper: Theology No. 2". Aug 28, 1967.
• "Thinking theologically from a Free-Church perspective," in: Doing Theology in Today's World: Essays in Honor of Kenneth S. Kantzer. John Woodbridge, Thomas E. McComiskey, eds. Zondervan, 1991. Ch. 9, pp. 251-265.
• See Notre Dame University`s important collection of 54 unpublished essays by Yoder.
• See Mennonite Church USA scanned archival materials; including audio recordings.

Letters and Memos by Yoder

• "The Search for a Nonresistant Historiography," Unpublished memo. Dec. 21, 1965.
• "Gospel and Revolution." Unpublished memo. Sept. 30, 1966. Pp.  9.
• War tax correspondence. To Walton Hackman, MCC. Nov. 6, 1967. P. 1.
• War tax correspondence. To Walton Hackman, MCC, and Stanley Bohn, Nov. 27, 1967. Pp. 2.
• War tax correspondence. To George R. Brunk, Jr., and Norman Kraus, Dec. 19, 1967. Pp. 5.

• "Fuller Definition of 'Violence." Unpublished memo. March 28, 1973. 7 pp.
• "Was Jesus a Political Person?" Chapel Address, October 22, 1973. 4 pp.

Secondary Sources

Books on John Howard Yoder

• Bergen, Jeremy, and Anthony Siegrist, eds. Power and Practices : Engaging the Work of John Howard Yoder. Herald Press, 2009 (Access to full-text ebook forTyndale students).
• Bretschmann, Dorothea. Bowing before Christ-Nodding to the State? Reading Paul Politically with Oliver O'Donovan and John Howard Yoder. Doctoral dissertation, Durham University, 2012.
• Carter, Craig A. The Politics of the Cross: The Theology and Social Ethics of John Howard Yoder. Eerdmans, 2001 (see original doctoral dissertation as pdf).
• Collier, Charles. A Nonviolent Augustinianism?: History and Politics in the Theologies of St. Augustine and John Howard Yoder. Ph.D. thesis, Duke University, 2008. (Full-text).
• Hess, Cynthia. Sites of Violence, Sites of Grace : Christian Nonviolence and the Traumatized Self. Lexington, 2009.(Access to full-text ebook for Tyndale students only).
• Koyles, John Patrick. The Trace Of The Face In The Politics Of Jesus: Experimental Comparisons Between The Work Of John Howard Yoder And Emmanuel Levinas. Ph.D. thesis, Florida State University, 2009 (full-text).
• Lee, In-Jong. John Howard Yoder on Christian Nonviolence and the Haustafeln. Ph.D. dissertation, Duke University, 2012 (full-text).
• Nation, Mark Thiessen. John Howard Yoder: Mennonite Patience, Evangelical Witness, Catholic Convictions. Eerdmans, 2006 (see also copy 1 and copy 2).
• Ndukwe, Olo. Christian faith and social transformation: John Howard Yoder's social ethics as lens for revisioning the ecclesiological identity of the South Central Synod (SCS) of the Presbyterian Church of Nigeria (The PCN). Stellenbosch University, 2008.
• Peet, John C. The Politics of the Crucified. A Study of the Political Theology of John Howard Yoder, Leonardo Boff and Jon Sobrino with Special Reference to the Crucifixion. Ph.D. thesis, University of Leeds, 2010 (pdf).
• Park, Joon-Sik. Missional Ecclesiologies in Creative Tension: H. Richard Niebuhr and John Howard Yoder. Peter Lang, 2007.
• Sider, Alexander. To See History Doxologically: History and Holiness in John Howard Yoder's Ecclesiology. Eerdmans, 2011.

Articles, Chapters on Yoder

• Brenneman, Bob. Embodied Forgiveness: Yoder and the (Body) Politics of Footwashing, Mennonite Quarterly Review 83 (January 2009): 7-28.
• Brock, Peter. John Howard Yoder: Are Summaries of Scripture`s Ethical Teachings Necessary?, in: Singing the Ethos of God: On the Place of Christian Ethics in Scripture. Eerdmans, 2007. Pp. 42-51.
• Brown, Mitchel. The Jewish—Christian Schism Revisited, Conrad Grebel Review 25, no. 3 (Fall 2007): 44-51.
• Carter, Craig A. Beyond Theocracy and Individualism: The Significance of John Howard Yoder`s Ecclesiology for Evangelicalism, in: The Community of the Word: Toward an Evangelical Ecclesiology. M. Husbands and D.J. Treier, eds. InterVarsity Press, 2005. Ch. 9, pp. 173-187; The Legacy of an Inadequate Christology: Yoder`s Critique of Niebuhr`s Christ and Culture, Mennonite Quarterly Review LXXVI, no. 3 (July 2003).
• Coles, Romand. The Wild Patience of John Howard Yoder, in: Beyond Gated Politics: Reflections for the Possibility of Democracy. Univ of Minnesota, 2005. Ch. 4, pp. 109-138.
• Dintaman, Stephen. John Howard Yoder as Historian: On Flushing the Confessional Rabbit out of the Socio-Ecclesial Brushpile, Conrad Grebel Review  24, no. 2 (Spring 2006): 33-49.
• Doerksen, Paul. Review of John H. Yoder`s Anabaptism and Reformation in Switzerland: An Historical and Theological Analysis of the Dialogues Between Anabaptists and Reformers  24, no. 2 (Spring 2006): 81-83.
• Enns, Fernando. Die "messianische Gemeinschaft". Ekklesiologische Aspekte in den Beiträgen von John Howard Yoder, in: Friedenskirche in der Ökumene: Mennonitische Wurzeln einer Ethik der Gewaltfreiheit. Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 2003. Pp. 156-200.
• Fitz-Gibbon, Andrew L. A Truthful Tale of Messianic Community: John Howard Yoder, in: In the World, But Not of the World: Christian Social Thinking at the End of the Twentieth Century. Lexington, 2006. Ch. 4, pp. 63-96.
• Friesen, Duane K. Toward a Theology of Culture: A Dialogue with John Howard Yoder and Gordon Kaufman, Conrad Grebel Review 16, no. 2 (Spring 1998): 39-64.
• Gingrich, Ray. Theological Foundations for an Ethics of Nonviolence: Was Yoder`s God a Warrior?, Mennonite Quarterly Review LXXVI, no. 3 (July 2003).
• Harder, Tom. The Dichotomy Between Faithfulness and Effectiveness in the Peace Theology of John Howard Yoder, Mennonite Quarterly Review LXXXI, no. 2 (April 2007).
• Hauerwas, Stanley.
  • When the Politics of Jesus Makes a Difference, The Christian Century (October 13, l993): 982-987.
  • Remembering John Howard Yoder: December 29, 1927 - December 30, 1997, First Things (April 1998).
• Hays, Richard. John Howard Yoder: Following the Way of Jesus [as a hermeneutical strategy], in: Moral Vision of the New Testament: Community, Cross, New Creation: a Contemporary Introduction to New Testament Ethics, Continuum, 1997. Pp. 239-253.
• Heidebrecht, Paul C. Walking with Yoder toward a Theological Approach to the Automobile from a Mennonite Perspective, Conrad Grebel Review 24, no. 2 (Spring 2006): 59-80.
• Huebner, Chris K. Mennonites and Narrative Theology: The Case of John Howard Yoder, Conrad Grebel Review 16, no. 2 (Spring 1998): 15-38.
• Hunsinger, George. Karl Barth and the Politics of Sectarian Protestantism: A Dialogue with John Howard Yoder, in: Disruptive Grace: Studies in the Theology of Karl Barth. 2nd ed. Eerdmans, 2001. Ch. 5, pp. 114-130.
• Izuzquiza, Daniel. Athens and Jerusalem, or Bethlehem and Rome? John H. Yoder and Nonviolent Transformtion of Culture. In: Izuzquiza, Rooted in Jesus Christ: Towards a Radical Ecclesiology. Eerdmans, 2009. Ch. 3, pp. 63-86.
• Jecker, Hanspeter. John Howard Yoder’s Contribution to Research on Anabaptist History, Conrad Grebel Review 24, no. 2 (Spring 2006): 50-58.
• Kindred-Barnes, Scott. Keeping Yoder Honest: Assessing the "Disavowal of Constantine" According to the First and Second Degrees of History. Paper presented for the Yoder Project, Toronto Mennonite Theological Centre, 2007. Pp. 13.
• Klassen, Justin. Augustinian Existentialism and Yoder’s Messianic Politics: Revolutionary Implications of Augustine’s Understanding of Right Worship, Conrad Grebel Review 25, no. 3 (Fall 2007): 52-67.
• Klassen, William. John Howard Yoder and the Ecumenical Church, Conrad Grebel Review 16, no. 2 (Spring 1998): 77-81.
• Kroeker, P. Travis. Messianic Political Theology: Yoder contra Redekop. Direction 38, no.1 (Spring 2009): 58-66; see also John H. Redekop, Response to P. Travis Kroeker, Direction 38, no. 1(Spring 2009): 67-78.
• Kumfer, Tim. Between Sojourners and the Simple Way? Rethinking Radical, Evangelical Politics in ’08 with John Howard Yoder, TheOtherJournal.Com 14 (October 14, 2008).
• Martens, Paul. The Problematic Development of the Sacraments in the Thought of John Howard Yoder, Conrad Grebel Review 24, no. 3 (Fall 2006): 65-77.
• Miller, John W. In the Footsteps of Marcion: Notes Toward an Understanding of John Yoder’s Theology, Conrad Grebel Review 16, no. 2 (Spring 1998): 82-92.
• Murphy, Nancey, and G.F.R. Ellis. Ethics and Theories of God: John Howard Yoder`s Research Program, in: On the Moral Nature of the Universe: Theology, Cosmology, and Ethics. Fortress, 1996. Ch. 8.3, pp. 178-201.
• Nation, Mark Thiessen. John Howard Yoder: Mennonite, Evangelical, Catholic, Mennonite Quarterly Review (July 2003); Toward a Theology of Conflict Transformation: Learnings from John Howard Yoder, Mennonite Quarterly Review (January 2006); He Came Preaching Peace: The Ecumenical Peace Witness of John Howard Yoder, Conrad Grebel Review 16, no. 2 (Spring 1998): 65-76.
• Neufeld, Alfred. Barth, Yoder and J. B. Toews: My personal search for systematics in theology. Direction 35, no. 1 (Spring 2006): 104-126.
• Park, Joon-Sik. "As You Go": John Howard Yoder as a Mission Theologian, Mennonite Quarterly Review LXXVIII, no. 3 (July 2004).
• Penner, Carol. Mennonite Silences and Feminist Voices--Peace Theology and Violence against Women. Ph.D. Thesis, University of St. Michael's College, 2001 (pdf).
• Rashkover, Randi. Further Footnotes on Judaism, Yoder, and Boyarin. Cross Currents (Winter 2007).
• Reimer, A. James. Mennonites, Christ, and Culture: The Yoder Legacy, Conrad Grebel Review 16, no. 2 (Spring 1998): 5-14.
• Ross, Rosetta. "John Howard Yoder on Pacifism." In: Miguel A. De La Torre and S. M. Floyd-Thomas, eds., Beyond the Pale: Reading Ethics from the Margins. Westminster John Knox, 2011. Ch. 22, pp. 199-208.
• Rowell, Andrew. The Ecclesiology of John Howard Yoder: Five Practices of the Christian Community and Mission. Duke University (extended paper for Professors Richard Hays, Allen Verhey and Laceye Warner). Pp. 102.
• Schlabach, Gerald W. The Christian Witness in the Earthly City: John H. Yoder as Augustinian Interlocutor. Pp. 18.
• Slater, Jonathan. Does Yoder throw the Christological baby out with the Constantinian bathwater?. Presented at the Yoder Project, Toronto Mennonite Theological Centre, 2007. Pp. 16.
• Snyder, C. Arnold. Doing History with Theological Ethics in Mind: John Howard Yoder as Historian of Anabaptism, Conrad Grebel Review 24, no. 2 (Spring 2006), pp. 3-32.
• Veen, Robert. De ecclesiologie van John Howard Yoder, in: Vermaningen. Lulu.com, 2006. Ch. 7, pp. 180-190 (and copy).
• Weaver, Allain Epp. On Exile: Yoder, Said, and a Theology of Land and Return, Cross Currents 52, no. 4 (Winter 2003); John Howard Yoder`s "Alternative Perspective" on Christian-Jewish Relations, Mennonite Quarterly Review LXXIX, no. 3(July 2005).
• Wright, Chris. Politics and Pacifism: Chris Wright Talks With John H. Yoder (Interview). Third Way: Towards a Biblical World View 1, no. 14 (July 14, 1977): 7-9.
• Yoder Neufeld, Tom et al. Tributes to John Howard Yoder (1927-1997), Conrad Grebel Review 16, no. 2 (Spring 1998): 93-107.
• Zimmerman, John. Yoder`s Jesus and Economics: The Economics of Jesus or the Economics of Luke?, Mennonite Quarterly Review LXXVI, no. 3 (July 2003).

Other

• Theological Journals Search (theological journals for which full text is freely available on the Internet).
• See Tyndale's eJournal Database -find full-text articles on and by John Howard Yoder-- for Tyndale students and faculty only. (Choose EBSCOhost database; log in; choose "EBSCOhost" and then "All" databases; over 170 full-text theological journals available to you from home; for a few additional journals, go back to Tyndale Journal Database and choose the ProQuest Religion or JSTOR databases); see list of Tyndale's academic eJournals.

"... TRUE EVANGELICAL FAITH cannot lie dormant
it clothes the naked
it feeds the hungry
it comforts the sorrowful
it shelters the destitute
it serves those that harm it
it binds up that which is wounded
it has become all things to all people"
-Menno Simons, 1539