Body Politics: Five Practices of the Christian Community Before the Watching World

NOTE: In troubling contrast to his work, we know that John Howard Yoder’s life was seriously flawed by acts of sexual violence against many women. Although his writings on nonviolence continue to be influential, we acknowledge that Yoder was, ironically and tragically, perpetuating violence, over many decades, in his private life. No reading or interpretation of Yoder can be done faithfully without understanding the extensive harmful legacy he has also left.

For more information, see Rachel Waltner Goossen’s research, published in Mennonite Quarterly Review, entitled “Defanging the Beast”.

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Five new Testament practices that were central in the life of the early Christian community: binding and loosing; baptism; eucharist; multiplicity of gifts; open meeting. Yoder uncovers the original meaning of the five practices, and shows why the recovery of these practices is so important for the social, economic and political witness of the church today.

Also available in Spanish and Korean.