Created 7 July 1998
Anabaptism, Biblical Studies, Children, Christian Life, Church, Church History, Conflict Mediation/VORP, Gifts, Human Relationships, Mission, Peace, Social Justice, Spirituality, Theology & Ethics
THE WITNESS OF JOHN HOWARD YODER
"More than any other person, Yoder has laboured to bring
the Peace Church witness against violence into the mainstream
of theological discussion."Walter Wink
"John Yoder inspired a whole generation of
Christians to follow the way of Jesus into social action and
peacemaking."Jim Wallis, Sojourners
More than twenty tributes in more than a dozen publicationsincluding The New York Times, The Christian Century, and Church and Peacehave been written about the influence of John Howard Yoder since his death at the end of last year. No Mennonite theologian has ever been more widely known and more ecumenically influential than John Yoder. Nor has any theologian been more helpful in articulating what it means to be Anabaptist.
This influence has largely been because of the widely-read The Politics of Jesus. That book deserves its reputation. However, his other books are also extremely important if one really wants to come to grips with Yoders own theology (which is about much more than just peacemaking), his powerful defences of pacifism, his friendly critique of those who claim to stand in the justifiable war tradition, and his theological and practical arguments for why Christians should be non-violently involved in the world as witnesses to the good news of Jesus Christ. If you have not read Yoder at all, you should. If you have read only The Politics of Jesus you are cheating yourself of a rich education by one of the most brilliant theological minds of the twentieth century.
Mark Thiessen Nation
JOHN HOWARD YODER TITLES IN PRINT
| Authentic Transformation: A New Vision of Christ and Culture (Yoder et al.) £10.99 |
| Balthasar Hubmaier: Theologian of Anabaptism (Co-editor & translator) £35.75 |
| Body Politics: Five Practices of the Christian Community £6.50 |
| Christian Witness To The State £8.75 |
| Comprehensive Bibliography Of The Writings Of John Howard Yoder, A: (Mark Thiessen Nation) £2.75 |
| For The Nations: Essays Public and Evangelical £18.99 |
| Fullness Of Christ: Pauls vision of universal ministry £7.95 |
| Legacy Of Michael Sattler: (Editor & translator) £12.95 |
| Nevertheless: The varieties of religious pacifism (3rd edition) £7.95 |
| Politics Of Jesus: Revised Edition £9.99 |
| Priestly Kingdom: Social ethics as gospel £14.50 |
| Royal Priesthood: Essays Ecclesiological and Ecumenical £14.99 |
| Schleitheim Confession: (Editor & translator) £2.25 |
| What Would You Do?: Expanded edition (Yoder et al.) £5.75 |
| When War Is Unjust: Being honest in just-war thinking revised edition £9.99 |
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Anabaptism
| Baum, Markus |
| Against the Wind: Eberhard Arnold and the Bruderhof |
| In this gripping biography, journalist Markus Baum presents Eberhard Arnold's life (1883-1935) as a challenge to all of us to reconsider our response to Jesus' command to "leave everything and follow me". "Against the Wind" explores the forces that shaped Arnold's lifethe early Church, the Anabaptists, the Salvation Army, the revival in America. It recounts his lonely stand against the rise of Nazism, and presents his continuing legacy, the Bruderhof community movement, which carries on his commitment to integrate faith and social action, so needed today. |
0874869536 Plough Publishing House (1998), 320pp £9.50 |
| Brackley, William, H. (Ed.) |
| Believers Church: A Voluntary Church: Studies in the Believers Church Tradition, No. 1 |
| These papers were first presented at the XIIth Believers' Church Conference at McMaster Divinity College. The theme of the conference was the voluntary principlea core element of this dissenting tradition. This collection is written by authors from many traditions and presents fresh and thoughtful insights into the multi-dimensional life and mission of Believers' Churches. This volume also includes a historical sketch of the Believers' Church Conferences since 1957 and an associated bibliography. |
0968346200 Pandora Press (1998), 237pp £17.95 |
| Bowman, Carl F. |
| Brethren Society: The Cultural Transformation of a "Peculiar People" |
| What happens when a religious group committed to plain and separate living confronts an open and individualistic modern culture? This study examines the history of the Church of the Brethren. (Not to be confused with the "Plymouth" Brethren in Britain.) Through members' own debates on a series of pivotal issues, Carl Bowman explores how and why the 'Dunkers' became assimilated to mainstream culture earlier than other Anabaptist groups. This fascinating study documents the way in which confrontation with mainstream Protestant practice was a spearhead for pressures of social change acting on a distinctive religious community. |
0801849055 Johns Hopkins Univ Press (1995), 491pp £16.50 |
| ten Doornkaat, J |
| Dirk Philips: Friend & Colleague of Menno Simons |
| Dirk Philips was one of the most important of the early Mennonite leaders. Prof. Fritz Blanke described this classic, first published in Dutch some years ago, as "the first comprehensive, scholarly credible biography of Dirk Philips... a valuable enrichment to Anabaptist studies". C.J. Dyck commends Prof. William Keeney for undertaking this translation, saying, "...it will continue to stimulate further studies and will be enjoyed by many lay readers". |
0969876238 Pandora Press (1998), 236pp £16.95 |
| Hoekema, A and Roelf Kuitse, editors |
| Discipleship in Context: Papers read at the Menno Simons 500 International Symposium, Netherlands,1996 |
| Could Menno Simons still inspire Mennonite congregations in S. America, Africa and Asia? This was the central issue for this fascinating symposium. The resulting papers explore the theme of "discipleship". The historical and theological studies are underpinned by a practical grounding in the experience of congregations around the world. This book brings insights from an international church looking to its root to develop Menno's vision in the modern context. |
0936273267 Inst of Mennonite Studies (1997), 173pp £10.75 |
| Packull, Werner O. |
| Hutterite Beginnings: Communitarian Experiments During the Reformation |
| The Hutterites are the oldest and largest communal society in N. America and there is considerable contemporary interest in their present way of life. This book traces the European origin of the Hutterites, their beliefs and lifestyle. It includes the most substantial biography to date of Joseph Hutter and recounts the struggles of the early communities against official terror. John Oyer writes that Packull "gives us the best insight we have into the worship practices of the earliest Anabaptists...that will occupy scholars' attention for a long time to come". |
0801850487 Johns Hopkins Univ Press (1995), 440pp £49.50 |
| Boyd, Stephen B. |
| Pilgram Marpeck: His Life & Social Theology |
| Pilgram Marpeck (c.1495-1556) was a lay leader of radical reformation groups in Switzerland, Austria and S. Germany. This is the first comprehensive study of Marpeck's life and theology, drawing on archival data and numerous published and unpublished writings. It traces his transition from mining magistrate to reformation leader, whose social theology of the cross gave the marginalised Anabaptists both an understanding of their suffering and a new sense of worth. |
| Borg, Marcus J., N.T. Wright (int) |
| Conflict, Holiness and Politics in the Teachings of Jesus: Studies in the Bible & Early Christianity, Vol. 9 |
This foundational work, first published in 1984, is now available in paperback.
Marcus Borg argues that at the heart of Jesus' teaching there is a conflict between a
politics of holiness and a politics of compassion. He emphasises issues such as Jesus as a
social prophet and boundary-breaker, which have since become central to our understanding
of Jesus. This edition has been completely up-dated to include an extended introduction by
Borg, relating the book's central arguments to subsequent scholarship. |
156338227X Trinity Press (1998), 304pp £15.75 |
| Berrigan, Daniel |
| Daniel: Under the Siege of the Divine |
| In his third book on the Hebrew prophets, Berrigan takes us on a journey through the book of Daniel. Like the prophet of old, he boldly speaks God's truth, meditating on the implications of Daniel's actions and of our own. If you are looking for a verse-by-verse theological analysis, this is not the book for you. As poet and priest, Berrigan breathes new life into an ancient hero and releases him from the Sunday school to say as much to our hedonistic, warring world as he did in Old Testament times. |
0874869528 Plough Publishing House (1998), 224pp £11.50 |
| Berrigan, Daniel |
| Ezekiel: Vision in the Dust |
| For Berrigan, the voice of Ezekiel, the strange, shocking dramatist of doom to a culture of death, is "an absolutely crucial voice, to help us endure, to interpret and to survive times " But beyond that he is also "a figure of redemption, a companion and witness who teaches us a song of hope and prevailing " More warnings and consolations from a prophet of our times, underscored with stunning images from artist Tom Lewis-Barbely. |
1570751358 Orbis (1997), 144pp £10.99 |
| Various (ed) |
| Imaging the Word Vol. 1, 2 & 3: An Arts and Lectionary Resource |
| An exquisite, full-colour coffee-table book, "Imaging the Word" is a unique set of three volumes related to the lectionary. Developed as a primary resource for the Word Among Us curriculum, this beautiful book imaginatively blends lectionary readings with thoughtful and animating images for each Sunday of the year. It features stunning artwork from around the world, ranging from Rembrandt to news photography. No other curriculum offers a book like this for individual, family, group, church, school or congregational use |
| In 3 volumes, each £24.95 |
0829809716 United Church Press (1995), 280pp £24.95 |
| Berrigan, Daniel |
| Isaiah: Spirit of Courage, Gift of Tears |
| "Isaiah lived in an age astonishingly like ours a time of whetted swords and rusted plowshares, of immense violence and social conflict and neglect of the poor. Then the oracle came to himswords into ploughshares!" What is Isaiah's message to our time, and who better to interpret it with integrity and imagination than fellow poet, peace activist and troubler of the political and civic orderDaniel Berrigan? |
| Kelly, Jessica Lee |
| Pregnancy: the Miracle Journey |
| "The Miracle Journey" is about the miraculous process of creating a new life. The author also guides readers on a forty-week spiritual journey to prepare them for a season of life called motherhood. Each week she presents a new and timely topic about pregnancy, with real-life tales from expectant mothers, and nuggets of wisdom. She supplies supporting Scripture for each day to strengthen the soul. |
0836190882 Herald Press (1998), 112pp £6.50 |
| Bonhoeffer, Dietrich |
| The Cost of Discipleship |
| This classic book is a rigorous exposition of the Sermon on the Mount, which still inspires the modern reader to discipleship through the grace of God. Written in 1937, when Bonhoeffer headed a seminary of the German "Confessing Church", this teaching gave pastors the inspiration to witness against Hitler. As one "summoned to follow the Crucified in the life of grace", Bonhoeffer lived this out during imprisonment and execution. He calls us also to the extraordinary Christian life. |
| Hinton, Jeanne et al. |
| Flames of Spirit: A Challenge to the Church from Basic Christian Communities |
| Based on stories, experiences, challenges and hopes arising from new experiments in Christian community, this lively 60-page A4 booklet/workbook provides material from Latin America and Europe for all who seek "new ways of being church" for today's plural and divided world. Contributors include Jeanne Hinton, Bishop Pedro Casaldaliga, Carlos Mesters, Jose Marins, Clodovis Boff, Laeo Neto & David Cowling. |
| Pearse, Meic |
| Great Restoration: The Religious Radical of the 16th and 17th Centuries |
Seasoned scholars and beginners alike will find fresh insights in this wide-ranging and vividly detailed survey written by a key contributor to the growth of the Anabaptist Network in Britain. Pearse charts with wit and honesty the rise and progress not only of the varieties of continental Anabaptism but also that of the English separatist movements which similarly sought to restore a vision of Christian community based on radical obedience to Christ rather than state compulsion. |
085364800X Paternoster (1998), 320pp £17.95 |
| Scott, Tom & Bob Scribner |
| THE GERMAN PEASANTS' WAR: A History in Documents |
| Early Anabaptism was a not simply a religious movement, but had economic, social and political concerns. Many early Anabaptists were influenced by the demands of the German Peasants' War of 1524-1526, including community of goods. This book provides an opportunity to study the evidence, both through a detailed introduction to the causes and events of the war, and through the presentation of primary sources. Anabaptism is not central to this book but some familiar people and issues emerge. The repression of Anabaptism by Europe's leaders becomes more explicable in the context of their fear of the peasants' movement. |
| Frayling, Nicholas |
| PARDON AND PEACE: A Reflection on the Making of Peace in Ireland |
| Nicholas Frayling is the Anglican Rector of Liverpool, a city in which tensions between Orange and Green have rivalled those in Northern Ireland. He comes to the task of peace-making from an ecumenical pastoral ministry and as an Englishman eager to listen. The voices of many people in both parts of Ireland are heard throughout this book. Learning from them, he calls for Britain to acknowledge its unpaid debt and for forgiveness rooted in the true meaning of justice. Cardinal Cahal Daly writes, " I hope that his appeal for repentance and reconciliation will be heard and followed". |
0281049335 SPCK (1996), 173pp £10.99 |
| Goodliff, Paul |
| Care in a Confused Climate: Pastoral Care and Post Modern Culture |
| A fascinating study of the pastoral issues facing the church in our confused cultural climate as we approach the millennium. This book has been written in a non-specialised tone to make it accessible for students, clergy and professional carers and counsellors. Following a comprehensive and cogent introduction to the many facets of postmodern culture, Paul Goodliff discusses the available resources for Christian carers and suggests priorities for the development of pastoral care. |
0232522812 DLT, incl. Daybreak (1998), 272pp £12.95 |
| Roggow, Linda & Carolyn Owens |
| Pregnant & Single: Help for the Tough Choices |
The authors frankly discuss pregnancy, adoption, single parenting and marriage.
They help women weigh the options and their own motives, so as to make the best decisions
for baby and mother. This book faces the problems squarely: the shock of learning that a
baby is coming and readiness for motherhood, the health of mother and baby, money matters
and emotional support, considering adoption, relationships with the father and
grandparents. It sets these tough choices in the context of faith in a loving God. |
| A Mennonite Statement & Study on Violence |
| How can our church group work against violence locally and globally? Here is a book to help congregations to move into discussion and action. In 1997 a statement on violence was presented at the Mennonite Church and General Conference Mennonite Church assemblies. This book is a practical guide to help churches to put the Statement on Violence into effect. It includes personal stories to start discussion and a six-session study and action guide written by Lois Barrett, together with an extensive bibliography. |
087303396 Faith and Life (1998), 57pp £6.50 |
| Dekar, Paul R. |
| For the Healing of the Nations: Baptist Peacemakers |
| In this moving and inspiring book, Paul Dekar traces the steps of those who have sought to make peacemaking part of their Baptist tradition. We hear the voices of small groups and often isolated individuals, working as leaven within Baptist history, and speaking out today as part of a world-wide community of Baptist peacemakers. Writing from his deep personal conviction of the need for social justice, Dekar reveals a neglected topic in the history of peacemaking. |
1880837161 Smyth & Helwys (1993), 287pp £12.25 |
| Swartley, Willard, M. (Ed.) |
| Love of Enemy & Nonretaliation in the New Testament |
| Two foundational New Testament teachings are explored in this collection of essays: Jesus' commands to love enemies and not to retaliate against those who do evil. The book demonstrates the impact of Jesus' teaching throughout the New Testament. The writers are aware of modern political realities as well as the social world of the first century and its roots in the Hebrew scriptures. This collection is an excellent resource for all those committed to Christian peacemaking. |
0664253547 Westminster/JohnKnox (1992), 336pp £15.50 |
| Merton, Thomas & William H. Shannon (Ed.) |
| Passion for Peace: The Social Essays |
| Thomas Merton, a monk vowed to silence and solitude, though already a writer on spirituality who has inspired so many, struggled throughout the '60s with a call to speak out against war and racism. This collection is the fruit of that struggle. Set in their context by William Shannon's short introductions, these essays are as relevant today as they were 30 years ago. Merton calls Christians to share his passionate commitment to peace and to practical non-violence as a way of life. |
0824516575 Crossroad (1997), 348pp £12.99 |
| Davey, Ray |
| Take away this Hate: The Story of a Search for Community |
| This is the story of a pilgrimageRay Davey's pilgrimage from his Protestant childhood in the village of Dunmurry near Belfast to the founding and continuing work of Corrymeela. His formative experiences included service and imprisonment during World War II and the horrors of the Dresden bombing. Out of this, and his work as Queen's University chaplain in a Northern Ireland increasingly tormented by sectarian violence, came Corrymeelaa Christian community dedicated to reconciliation. Ray Davey's quest for community is both an absorbing story and a direct challenge. |
| Prior CM, Michael |
| Bible and Colonialism, The: A Moral Critique |
| At face value, the Bible gives Israel a divine mandate to exterminate whole populations in conquering the Promised Land. This penetrating study examines the exploitation of biblical traditions on land to justify virtually all Western colonising enterprises. Prior protests at this use of the Bible as an agent of oppression both historically and today. He re-interprets the biblical evidence in the context of its period of authorship rather than its setting. The book challenges biblical scholars to address such moral questions in their exegesis. |
1850758158 Sheffield Academic Press (1997), 342pp £16.95 |
| Chacour, Elias with David Hazard |
| Blood Brothers |
| The Christian Palestinian village of Chacour's idyllic childhood was swept away in the oppressive violence that led to the birth of Israel. Through the medium of his life-story, Chacour analyses the meaning of biblical prophecy for the state of Israel and the roots of the conflict between Palestinians and Jews. Can such bitter differences ever be healed? In his long struggle to reconcile his people's experience with his love for the Jewish people, Chacour found an answer in Jesus, who preached peace in the midst of conflict. |
0800790960 Chosen Books (1984), 224pp £10.75 |
| Swartley, Willard & Donald B Kraybill |
| Building Communities of Compassion: Mennonite Mutual Aid in Theory and Practice |
| A sustained and scholarly assessment of the history, theology and practice of Mennonite mutual aid. Long noted for their peacemaking, Mennonites have been less well known for their efforts to care for each other. The 20th-century expression of this community support has its roots in the Anabaptism of the 1500s. Here Mennonite scholars from a variety of disciplines highlight this distinctive feature of Mennonite life and the beliefs which underpin it. |
0836190947 Herald Press (1998), 320pp £9.95 |
| Clapp, Rodney |
| Consuming Passion, The: Christianity & the Consumer Culture |
| Nothing may influence and affect the faith of Christians in the Western, developed world so much as consumerism. Theologians and biblical scholars have often pondered the dangers and the privileges of money. However, few have focused on consumption as culture or a way of life, complete with its own set of attitudes, behaviours and purposes for living. "The Consuming Passion" does exactly that, relying on insightful theologians, psychologists, sociologists, ecologists and economists to probe beneath and better understand what makes consumer culture workand how people of faith might best respond. |
0830818979 InterVarsity Press (US) (1998), 224pp £10.50 |
| Smith, David W |
| Transforming the World?: The Social Impact of British Evangelicalism |
| This historical and sociological study outlines the history of British Evangelicalism from the 18th. century to the present. It argues that Evangelicalism was originally a world-transformative religion, in which the experience of conversion and discipleship led to a profound concern for social renewal. Despite the impact of secularisation in the 19th. century, Smith notes key figures who retained this tradition. The book discusses the recent resurgence of Evangelicalism and the recovery of the world-transformative vision at the Lausanne Congress. |
0853648190 Paternoster (1998), 160pp £14.99 |
| Chacour, Elias with Mary E. Jensen |
| We Belong to the Land: The Story of a Palestinian Israeli Who Lives for Peace and Reconciliation |
| Chacour speaks with moving honesty, from the Palestinian side, of the development of the state of Israel, now 50 years old. His personal story of those years recounts the struggle to foster peace between Jews, Christians and Muslims. This book is not just an account of the building of schools, libraries and summer camps for children from all communities. It offers an insight into Israel and Palestine today that is penetrating, yet alive with the hope that both peoples can recognise that each belongs to the land and to each other. |
| Hughes, Gerard |
| God of Compassion |
| How can we live the reality of God's covenant with creationa covenant that aims to transform our spiritual being, our relations with others and our involvements in the political, economic and social structures in which we live? In this collection of fifty brief biblical reflections, supported by prayer exercises and practical suggestions for action with the poor, Hughes invites and empowers groups and individuals to explore an integrated way of life in which prayerfulness and the promotion of justice go hand in hand. |
0340694874 Hodder, incl. Spire (1998), 128pp £6.99 |
| Pietersen, Lloyd (Ed.) |
| Mark of the Spirit?: A Charismatic Critique of the Toronto Blessing |
| Is the "Blessing Movement" a first sign of a global revival? This collection of papers makes an important contribution to the debate about revival experiences. Four scholars from a charismatic background voice reservations about the phenomenon, offering arguments from a variety of disciplines. They cover sociological aspects of the Blessing, the place of Scripture in Pentecostal hermeneutics, biblical references to laughter and the Gamaliel principle. |
0853648611 Paternoster (1998), 128pp £7.99 |
| Nouwen, Henri and John Dear (Ed.) |
| Road to Peace: Writings on Peace and Justice |
| John Dear has brought together the best of Nouwen's writings on social spirituality, amplifying his call to all of us to become true peacemakers. Those who have treasured Nouwen's writings will find this book as powerful as the best of his work. His thoughts on the presence of Christ among the poor, the work of Thomas Merton and Oscar Romero, his participation in the Selma Civil Rights march, and his experiences at L'Arche call all of us to recognise our solidarity with the human family. |
| Volf, Miroslav |
| After Our Likeness: The Church As the Image of the Trinity (Sacra Doctrina) |
| In this fascinating and groundbreaking study, Volf, from a standpoint influenced by the Believers' Church tradition, by Moltmann and by feminist theologians, aims "to counter the tendency to individualism inherent in Protestant ecclesiology" and, in dialogue with major Catholic and Orthodox theologians, seeks "to develop a viable understanding of the Church in which person and community are given their proper due." The result is a major contribution to ecumenical understanding and a life-giving vision of the Church as an image of the triune God. |
0802844405 Eerdmans (1998), 328pp £20.00 |
| Kauffman, R & Gayle Gerber Koontz (Eds.) |
| Theology for the Church: Writings by Marlin E. Miller |
| Marlin E. Miller was a gifted Mennonite leader, theologian and teacher. He spent his adult life building bridges between Mennonites in separate countries, continents and disciplines, despite the barriers of culture, geography and theology. This collection of writings shows his concern to root the politics of the church in the theological reality of the congregation. The Church and its witness, pastoral leadership and education and theology in a Believers' Church perspective are the main interests revealed in this book. It will be valued by all those interested in exploring these themes. |
0936273240 Inst of Mennonite Studies (1997), 237pp £10.75 |
| Wink, Walter |
| When the Powers Fall: Reconciliation in the Healing of Nations |
| Walter Wink summarises key concepts from his compelling trilogy on the Powers and applies them to the current global scene. Repressive authoritarian regimes are giving way to fragile new democracies. Discussing specific situations in Africa and Latin America, Wink shows how central concepts in the teaching of Jesus can clarify false ideas of forgiveness and reconciliation. His work demonstrates the role of the churches in helping nations move from autocracy to liberation without sacrificing the vision of true justice in God's order. |