Preface to Theology: Christology and Theological Method [Hardcover]

John Howard Yoder (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 2002

Approachable, student-friendly text presents the theology and Christology of one of the late 20th century's most significant theologians.

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

From the Introduction, written by Stanley Hauerwas and Alex Sider: "In some of our more perverse moments we like to think of Yoder as a revolutionary pamphleteer. Revolutionaries often begin the attempt to form a cadre of sympathizers by creating a literature that is both hard to find and risky-at least if you are caught reading it. . . . Yoder, whose position is even more radical than most of his revolutionaries can imagine, sometimes appeared to go out of his way to make it hard to acquire his work. His essays seem to exist, like the revolutionary pamphlet, in pirated versions that make anyone who reads or listens an enemy of the state. Did he think the retraining his work requires begins with the difficulty in getting hold of what he wrote? We doubt even Yoder was that clever . . . "We hope Yoder would have approved making Preface to Theology: Christology and Theological Method into a book. We believe John Howard Yoder is one of the most important theologians of the last century. We are even more convinced that his work provides some of the crucial hints to help the church negotiate current and future challenges facing Christians. Accordingly, we think the publication of this book is important not only because it makes available previously unpublished work that helps us understand Yoder, but because, dated as some of the material in this book is, we believe this book is not simply part of our theological 'past,' but rather is our future." JOHN HOWARD YODER was professor of theology at the University of Notre Dame and a fellow of the Joan B. Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies. His many books included The Politics of Jesus, The Priestly Kingdom, and A Royal Priesthood. Especially for a scholar sometimes misleadingly characterized as "sectarian," his work was strikingly cosmopolitan. He represented his Mennonite tradition through decades of ecumenical dialogues, within such bodies as the World Council of Churches and the Fellowship of Reconciliation, and dialogued with Jews and Muslims as well as Christians. He lectured in more than twenty countries, and in languages including French, Spanish, German, as well as English. Known primarily for his work in theological and social ethics, Yoder studied historical theology under Karl Barth. He died, unexpectedly, in 1997, at the age of 70.

From the Back Cover

Long familiar to theologians and theology students, John Howard Yoder (1927-1997) is increasingly recognized as one of the most significant theologians of the later twentieth century. Yoder, hailed as a gifted proponent of Anabaptist social ethics, was also an astute and ecumenically-minded constructive theologian. Initially developed as seminary course material, Preface to Theology is key to understanding Yoder's theology and his ever central commitment to Christology. It provides an introduction to the traditional categories of systematic theology, suggesting Yoder's concern with our posture toward theological study and the importance of viewing this study as a vital, ongoing process. Preface to Theology, introduced by Stanley Hauerwas and Alex Sider, includes updated documentation of Yoder's sources. The approachable, student-friendly format makes this volume, now officially in print for the first time, ideal for both the beginning theology student and the advanced scholar. Readers in all Christian traditions will find it a penetrating introduction to theology; students of Yoder's thought will find it indispensable.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 432 pages
• Publisher: Brazos Press (April 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1587430207
• ISBN-13: 978-1587430206
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6.5 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,075,864 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hauerwas and Sider have done a great service, October 14, 2005

By 

Casper Denck (United Kingdom) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Preface to Theology: Christology and Theological Method (Hardcover)

This book was for a long time unpublished and available only as a privately photocopied book. This book, which is collated from Yoder's lecture notes is an absolutely brilliant survey which explains very well how the christocentric emphasis of anabaptist theology can have impact for a host of theological topics. By far the most interesting section (which is worth the price alone) is Yoder's brilliant theological exposition of the development of the creeds. It is useful as a church history text. However, it is also a stunning theological examination on the implications of having a decidedly "Constantinian" creed as a basis for theological orthodoxy.

Definitely recommended.