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Preface to Theology: Christology and Theological Method
Approachable, student-friendly text presents the theology and Christology of one of the late 20th century's most significant theologians.
432 pages, Hardcover
First published March 1, 2002
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About the author
John Howard Yoder
134 books69 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".
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
January 15, 2010
This is classic Yoder. I find this book real interesting, since he normally is more of an essayist, but really these are lectures. He has a very interesting historical theological style, and he sets out all the positions possible on a few issues in systematic theology. Definately worth it.
July 3, 2021
Quarantine-Book #39:
I just finished "Preface to Theology: Christology and Theological Method," by John Howard Yoder*.
Hauerwas does the intro to this, a collaboration of lectures from the 60s. Hauerwas add a distinction in the intro I've been waiting to hear from a theologian: after listing Jesus birth, Works, teachings, miracles, crucifixion, burial, resurrection and reigning, "Yoder's historical Jesus is the risen Christ," p 25.
Yoder's intro ends with a suggested reading section. Much respect: he has reformed, Lutheran, restoration, Roman, etc in there.
A high spot when dealing with the titles/Names of Christ are, oddly enough, he lists "Jesus" (YHWH is salvation) as one and "Christ" as one, especially Peter's confession being a Kingly confession. Overall the direction of Yoder's Christology seems to mirror Dunn's Adam Christology.
Yoder has a phrase called the logic of solidarity: there is a link between Christ and man in, for instance, the resurrection.
"It is characteristic of a Testament, a will, that if you make another one the first is annulled," p 118. This was speaking to the priesthood (Heb) but has me thinking about law.
Transcribed is what Yoder says is different between a orthodox ST and his lectures: the apostolic Church began with Jesus and he does too. His method is historically systematic. Moving to his coverage of the Apostles Creed he notes that the Creed totally skips the teachings of Jesus. I find that interesting because this may be where treating Jesus as a Messianic premise in a salvific syllogism comes from.
Yoder on the Trinity and the history around it is quite good. He seems to land at a Barthian "mode of being" place over "person" with preexistance as a nonpersonal Logos. His goal is more to tell theological schools or options in this intro class rather than say where he stands so it takes some reading between the lines to come away with his thought (except on dispensationaliam; not a fan).
Yoder lays out the work of Christ according to the three offices of Christ. He begins with Christ as King, Biblical history of "King" and then into Eschatology. Really smart way to do it. He speaks well of the difference between time and history while pointing out that time ending is more Platonic than Biblical. His summary of eschatological schools is quite good.
He then moves on to Christ as (high) priest and how likewise we are priests; further, "So to be priests is to be bridges between others and God, not to be persons of privilege who can get along with their own," p 284. Yoder lists out 11 models/motifs of Atonement from scripture and begins to work through them without quite landing on one thus allowing the student room to think. Though he did shoot down PSA and he winged moral influence.
His coverage of Christ as prophet deals with revelation rather than have a prolegomenon. There in he covers the different theories of revelation as it relates to scripture. Hoe about this zinger that would make them both angry:
"Liberalism and fundamentalism are in a sense siblings. They are both in the rationalistic family," p 357.
This was an absolutely fantastic intro to Theology.
#PrefaceToTheology #JohnHowardYoder #Anabaptist #Mennonite #Brazos #Christology #Atonement #Trinity #PersonOfChrist #WorkOfChrist #Eschatology #Revelation
I just finished "Preface to Theology: Christology and Theological Method," by John Howard Yoder*.
Hauerwas does the intro to this, a collaboration of lectures from the 60s. Hauerwas add a distinction in the intro I've been waiting to hear from a theologian: after listing Jesus birth, Works, teachings, miracles, crucifixion, burial, resurrection and reigning, "Yoder's historical Jesus is the risen Christ," p 25.
Yoder's intro ends with a suggested reading section. Much respect: he has reformed, Lutheran, restoration, Roman, etc in there.
A high spot when dealing with the titles/Names of Christ are, oddly enough, he lists "Jesus" (YHWH is salvation) as one and "Christ" as one, especially Peter's confession being a Kingly confession. Overall the direction of Yoder's Christology seems to mirror Dunn's Adam Christology.
Yoder has a phrase called the logic of solidarity: there is a link between Christ and man in, for instance, the resurrection.
"It is characteristic of a Testament, a will, that if you make another one the first is annulled," p 118. This was speaking to the priesthood (Heb) but has me thinking about law.
Transcribed is what Yoder says is different between a orthodox ST and his lectures: the apostolic Church began with Jesus and he does too. His method is historically systematic. Moving to his coverage of the Apostles Creed he notes that the Creed totally skips the teachings of Jesus. I find that interesting because this may be where treating Jesus as a Messianic premise in a salvific syllogism comes from.
Yoder on the Trinity and the history around it is quite good. He seems to land at a Barthian "mode of being" place over "person" with preexistance as a nonpersonal Logos. His goal is more to tell theological schools or options in this intro class rather than say where he stands so it takes some reading between the lines to come away with his thought (except on dispensationaliam; not a fan).
Yoder lays out the work of Christ according to the three offices of Christ. He begins with Christ as King, Biblical history of "King" and then into Eschatology. Really smart way to do it. He speaks well of the difference between time and history while pointing out that time ending is more Platonic than Biblical. His summary of eschatological schools is quite good.
He then moves on to Christ as (high) priest and how likewise we are priests; further, "So to be priests is to be bridges between others and God, not to be persons of privilege who can get along with their own," p 284. Yoder lists out 11 models/motifs of Atonement from scripture and begins to work through them without quite landing on one thus allowing the student room to think. Though he did shoot down PSA and he winged moral influence.
His coverage of Christ as prophet deals with revelation rather than have a prolegomenon. There in he covers the different theories of revelation as it relates to scripture. Hoe about this zinger that would make them both angry:
"Liberalism and fundamentalism are in a sense siblings. They are both in the rationalistic family," p 357.
This was an absolutely fantastic intro to Theology.
#PrefaceToTheology #JohnHowardYoder #Anabaptist #Mennonite #Brazos #Christology #Atonement #Trinity #PersonOfChrist #WorkOfChrist #Eschatology #Revelation
August 18, 2014
These are the lectures on Christology that Yoder gave, which Hauerwas and Sider have collected. The volume offers perhaps the closest thing we have to a full on systematic theology by Yoder, as the lecture notes bunny trail into topics such as eschatology, doctrine of Scripture, and church history.
The lectures are classic Yoder. Yoder is always an excellent biblical scholar, well-read in major NT and OT studies. His approach to constructing Christ's identity demonstrates his care for the biblical text. His reading of church history is always engaging. His retelling of the creeds' history were excellent. His reading of Chalcedon shows the veracity of the Anabaptist non-creedal approach.
His chapters on Christ as King and Priest, which are on eschatology and the atonement respectively, were superb. They demonstrate that he was able to interact with biblical studies and systematic theology with Anabaptist insights in a way that shows that Yoder's work will have an enduring legacy.
The lectures are classic Yoder. Yoder is always an excellent biblical scholar, well-read in major NT and OT studies. His approach to constructing Christ's identity demonstrates his care for the biblical text. His reading of church history is always engaging. His retelling of the creeds' history were excellent. His reading of Chalcedon shows the veracity of the Anabaptist non-creedal approach.
His chapters on Christ as King and Priest, which are on eschatology and the atonement respectively, were superb. They demonstrate that he was able to interact with biblical studies and systematic theology with Anabaptist insights in a way that shows that Yoder's work will have an enduring legacy.
July 1, 2007
Like all Yoder, this "preface" is balanced and fair, yet radical and challenging. More accessible (but less revolutionary) than "Politics of Jesus."
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March 14, 2014a must for anabaptist theology
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews