The late pacifist and Neo-Anabaptist theologian John Howard Yoder remains a popular thinker with theologians today. His intellectual influence has been truly profound. However, it came to light that, sadly, Yoder engaged in sexual misconduct with many women.
Yesterday, Menno Media, the official publishing group for the Mennonite Church USA and Mennonite Church Canada, gave a press release, which may be read in full below:
HARRISONBURG, Va., and WATERLOO, Ontario. The board and staff of MennoMedia, the publishing agency for Mennonite Church USA and Mennonite Church Canada, has issued a statement regarding the continued publication of John Howard Yoder books in light of ongoing discussions of Yoder’s long-term sexual harassment and abuse.
Earlier in the year when renewed controversy surfaced, MennoMedia staff and board discussed issuing a statement, but decided to wait until denominational leaders of Mennonite Church USA had a discernment group in place to guide a process toward healing.
“We discussed that the process of healing and reconciliation is incomplete for many of Yoder’s victims,” said Russ Eanes, director of MennoMedia. “Some have asked that we cease publication of his books entirely; others have suggested that we simply go on as before and say nothing. We are opting to continue to make his work available but are placing a statement from the publisher in the front of all John Howard Yoder books published by Herald Press.”
Eanes pointed out that many of Yoder’s books are published “print on demand” so they can include the statement in books as they are printed rather than waiting for inventory to deplete and reprint with the statement.
Amy Gingerich, editorial director, said “John Howard Yoder’s legacy remains painful and complex. Many have found Anabaptism because of his writings. At the same time, we cannot gloss over his continued abuse of power. By including this statement in our books we are signaling that Herald Press wants to be about reconciliation and healing, not masking abuses of power.”
The statement approved by the board of directors for inclusion in Yoder’s books reads:
“John Howard Yoder (1927–1997) was perhaps the most well-known Mennonite theologian in the twentieth century. While his work on Christian ethics helped define Anabaptism to an audience far outside the Mennonite Church, he is also remembered for his long-term sexual harassment and abuse of women.
“At Herald Press we recognize the complex tensions involved in presenting work by someone who called Christians to reconciliation and yet used his position of power to abuse others. We believe that Yoder and those who write about his work deserve to be heard; we also believe readers should know that Yoder engaged in abusive behavior.
“This book is published with the hope that those studying Yoder’s writings will not dismiss the complexity of these issues and will instead wrestle with, evaluate, and learn from Yoder’s work in the full context of his personal, scholarly, and churchly legacy.”
MennoMedia Staff
for more information
Joshua Byler
MennoMedia
540-908-3927
[email protected]
This is a very sad legacy for Neo-Anabaptism’s most prominent theologian. While the Mennonite Church recognizes his popularity, they are also striving for faithfulness to and justice for Yoder’s victims. All in all, Yoder now proves to be a great historical irony. As the press statement observed, he was “someone who called Christians to reconciliation and…used his position of power to abuse others.”
H/T Anglican Ink
Comment by Fr. John W. Morris on December 10, 2013 at 8:32 pm
I read a book dealing with Yoder, in which he is reported to have condemned the Church under the Byzantine Empire because it allegedly adopted the just war theory popular in the West. Nothing could be further from the truth. The Eastern Orthodox Church has always condemned war as an evil. Even today, an Orthodox soldier who kills during battle is forbidden to receive Holy Communion until after he has been to Confession and has served a penance. I do not know or care anything about his personal life, but question his scholarship because he completely mis-represented the position of the Eastern Church.
Fr. John W. Morris
Comment by Riley on December 11, 2013 at 4:02 pm
In that case, the Eastern Orthodox are even farther from New Testament Christianity than I thought.
Comment by Fr. John W. Morris on December 12, 2013 at 8:49 pm
Why is it far from the teachings of Christ to condemn all war as evil? You must be reading a different New Testament than I read, because noting could be farther from the teachings of Christ than to glorify war. There may be times when fighting to defend one’s family and nation from a tyrant like Hitler is a lesser evil, but it still is an evil.
Comment by Bruce on December 12, 2013 at 1:12 am
Thanks, Fr. John, for pointing this out. Western Christians seem to feel entitled to hurl any wild accusations against the Orthodox Church without justification or explanation. A perfect example is “Riley” who seems to think his snarky potshot is a real tour de force. But perhaps just this once he would be willing to edify us on the grounds for his belief that the early Church thought that killing and war were not an evil to be avoided if possible, and regretted if unavoidable.