What do you think?
Rate this book
Nevertheless: The Varieties and Shortcomings of Religious Pacifism
John Howard Yoder s classic book first published in 1971, includes a treatment of Jewish pacifism, bibliographies, an index, and three new Speaking Truth to Power, Quaker Political Witness; The Spectrum of Nonpacifist Postures; and Nonviolent National Defense Alternatives. Yoder points out assumptions, strengths, and shortcomings of each pacifist position. He brings clarity to the many-sided conversations about peace, nonviolence, war, proliferation of arms, and power politics.
306 pages, Paperback
First published April 9, 1971
4 people are currently reading
101 people want to read
About the author
John Howard Yoder
119 books68 followersYoder was a Christian theologian, ethicist, and Biblical scholar best known for his radical Christian pacifism, his mentoring of future theologians such as Stanley Hauerwas, his loyalty to his Mennonite faith, and his 1972 magnum opus, "The Politics of Jesus".
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
July 3, 2021
I just finished "Nevertheless: Varities of Religious Pacifism," by John Howard Yoder.
This book is a typology of the various schools of thought within theistic pacifism. There are seventeen chapters and each illustrate a different stream of thought.
I find it very interesting that so far I have seen one argument that is common among anarchists: we dont plan to spend time contemplating war between California and Oregon, or the U.S. and Canada. This "not planning for war" is the same mentality which should be applied on a worldwide scale. Or, our perspective should be that we shouldnt be at war so we shouldnt spend our time doing so which appears or is aggressive.
In speaking to just war theory Yoder says that with todays denominations and theologians holding to such a view the average person has been able to assume a stance of ignorance: "theologian or pastor X appeals to Y being a 'just war' so they must be right." This seems to be the common way with most things.
Talking about absolute pacifism Yoder wrote it out as such:
If there is a God and this God reveals Himself and His will, and if we are in need of this revelation for salvation and guidance we must not be, without God, what we should be, therefore what God reveals will differ from what we want on some points.
That is to say we have to accept that the way of the nonviolent Christ may not be what we want but it is what He wants since He is the revealed will of God.
I have found certain chapters to be interesting. Chapter 8, the utopian, and chapter 9, the moral minority are my favorites so far. The utopian is right and will let the world rot while they uphold their rightness. I'm paraphrasing here. The utopian is uber black and white.
The moral minority from ch 9 treats the subject--pacifism--as a calling or vocation in much the same language Wesley used for sanctification or "perfect love." This level wont be reached by all. Such is also its downfall: the elite are created.
Though I find chapter 10, Kant's Categorical Imperative, hits very close to home: "act in the way you wish everyone would." AKA: the golden rule. This almost sounds like a human evolutionary concept because it isnt that one acts like this because it will immediately transform the world but one acts according to how one wants the world looks long after one has passed. I think this nicely mixes with chapter 8: black/white, forget what your utopia means for the rest of humanity now.
Chapter 14, cultural isolation, seems to be the one most like the Anabaptist tradition. I have a great amount of appreciation for this strain of pacifism but I know it would be the hardest for me, for anyone not born into a culture of community. I think it is interesting that Yoder said that the Mennonites came from countries which had mandatory conscription. See what that did for Prussian armies?
This was a great book. It was more political science and sociology written by a theologian.
This book is a typology of the various schools of thought within theistic pacifism. There are seventeen chapters and each illustrate a different stream of thought.
I find it very interesting that so far I have seen one argument that is common among anarchists: we dont plan to spend time contemplating war between California and Oregon, or the U.S. and Canada. This "not planning for war" is the same mentality which should be applied on a worldwide scale. Or, our perspective should be that we shouldnt be at war so we shouldnt spend our time doing so which appears or is aggressive.
In speaking to just war theory Yoder says that with todays denominations and theologians holding to such a view the average person has been able to assume a stance of ignorance: "theologian or pastor X appeals to Y being a 'just war' so they must be right." This seems to be the common way with most things.
Talking about absolute pacifism Yoder wrote it out as such:
If there is a God and this God reveals Himself and His will, and if we are in need of this revelation for salvation and guidance we must not be, without God, what we should be, therefore what God reveals will differ from what we want on some points.
That is to say we have to accept that the way of the nonviolent Christ may not be what we want but it is what He wants since He is the revealed will of God.
I have found certain chapters to be interesting. Chapter 8, the utopian, and chapter 9, the moral minority are my favorites so far. The utopian is right and will let the world rot while they uphold their rightness. I'm paraphrasing here. The utopian is uber black and white.
The moral minority from ch 9 treats the subject--pacifism--as a calling or vocation in much the same language Wesley used for sanctification or "perfect love." This level wont be reached by all. Such is also its downfall: the elite are created.
Though I find chapter 10, Kant's Categorical Imperative, hits very close to home: "act in the way you wish everyone would." AKA: the golden rule. This almost sounds like a human evolutionary concept because it isnt that one acts like this because it will immediately transform the world but one acts according to how one wants the world looks long after one has passed. I think this nicely mixes with chapter 8: black/white, forget what your utopia means for the rest of humanity now.
Chapter 14, cultural isolation, seems to be the one most like the Anabaptist tradition. I have a great amount of appreciation for this strain of pacifism but I know it would be the hardest for me, for anyone not born into a culture of community. I think it is interesting that Yoder said that the Mennonites came from countries which had mandatory conscription. See what that did for Prussian armies?
This was a great book. It was more political science and sociology written by a theologian.
November 19, 2010
This is a critical description of pacifisms. (thus the subtile)
His most stinging criticism is leveled at, what I think are (now) probably most MCUSA Mennonites. I've often heard (though not here in "liberal" Goshen) that we aren't pacifists because that would put us more-or-less in the camp of atheistic pacifism or worse liberal Protestants (yes the people not the "ism"). To which Yoder replies: "Any known militarism after all shares all the vices of non-Christian pacifism" (Yoder, Neverthelesss, p. 112). That seems about right. If, then it really comes down to two evils, the better evil would be the one that doesn't impose a death sentence on others to maintain its own lifestyle. In general, I think this pamphlet/booklet has two major strengths: first, the layout of axiom, critique and redemptive quality (in that order) helps categorize and clarify a multiplicity of ways to look at not-killing-others-to-solve-problems (or pacifism, non-violent resistance, nonresistance, etc.) Second, Yoder draws parallels from the critiques of each position and militarism showing that often the critique (and critic) of pacifism is deeply involved in a self-righteous hypocrisy (which in no way lets us, lets me off the hook.) Hopefully, obviously, two hypocrisies don't make a right...and hopefully we don't all become convinced that might really does make right after all.
His most stinging criticism is leveled at, what I think are (now) probably most MCUSA Mennonites. I've often heard (though not here in "liberal" Goshen) that we aren't pacifists because that would put us more-or-less in the camp of atheistic pacifism or worse liberal Protestants (yes the people not the "ism"). To which Yoder replies: "Any known militarism after all shares all the vices of non-Christian pacifism" (Yoder, Neverthelesss, p. 112). That seems about right. If, then it really comes down to two evils, the better evil would be the one that doesn't impose a death sentence on others to maintain its own lifestyle. In general, I think this pamphlet/booklet has two major strengths: first, the layout of axiom, critique and redemptive quality (in that order) helps categorize and clarify a multiplicity of ways to look at not-killing-others-to-solve-problems (or pacifism, non-violent resistance, nonresistance, etc.) Second, Yoder draws parallels from the critiques of each position and militarism showing that often the critique (and critic) of pacifism is deeply involved in a self-righteous hypocrisy (which in no way lets us, lets me off the hook.) Hopefully, obviously, two hypocrisies don't make a right...and hopefully we don't all become convinced that might really does make right after all.
October 31, 2016
This book is really useful as a primer and overview of Christian pacifist systems. It is, unfortunately, dry as toast. Still it got that fifth star for overall usefulness; Yoder is wonderfully systematic in his survey of pacifist systems, and his analysis is nearly always legitimate if rarely complete. Also I happen to agree with his preferred version, so that didn't hurt.
January 25, 2010
Ahh, read this way back in the days of undergrad in my Peace Studies class at Swarthmore. It was taught by the famous Jerry Frost, and was amazing. This book is perfect. A quick but deep read.
Read
February 12, 2010Pacifism. Yep.
July 17, 2014
more than a dozen variets of pacifism
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews