Yoder a sectarian? Really?
Let’s face it: the “John Howard Yoder and Stanley Hauerwas are sectarians” or “They have no public theology” critique is not just tired – it’s wrong. I sincerely wonder if people who most stridently make such accusations have ever read Yoder (especially), and if they have, have read him widely or fairly.
It’s not as if you have to delve into obscure monographs in order to find Yoder explaining precisely what he means by saying that the first task of the church is to “be the church,” precisely what he doesn’t say, and how his view does not preclude him speaking to issues normally labeled “public.” The last two chapters of Priestly Kingdom are all developing something of an “Anabaptist” Public theology (he uses the looser term “Anabaptist” in this book to refer to free churches generally). His last essay in the book, “Civil Religion in America,” is extremely good, and reminds me of work done by William Cavanaugh (or vice versa, I guess), especially in that Yoder works to particularize claims to universality and complexify public space to make room for a more robust form of pluralism than the current political landscape makes room for.
Anyway, here’s a good quote from the man with who wore a devil’s beard, a quote that ends Priestly Kingdom and sums up the irony of American Civil Religion, and by extension the nation-state and Constantinianism in general. (Seriously – go read these last two articles by Yoder – the other is titled “The Christian Case for Democracy.” Show me the sectarian).
We call a nonviolent man “Lord” and in his name rekindle the arms race. We call a poor man “Lord” and with his name on our lips deepen the ditch between rich and poor. We call “Lord” a man who told us to love our enemies and we polarize the globe in the name of Christian values, approving of “moderate repression” as long as it is done by our friends. (195)
It strikes me that this quote doesn’t really demonstrate the point I’m making – but that’s okay. It’s just meant to tempt you to go pick it up for yourselves.
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Tags: America, Civil Religion, John Howard Yoder, Liberalism, Pluralism, Politics
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February 2, 2012 at 5:19 pm
But you can’t be right. Because if you are, then we can’t simply dismiss what Yoder and Hauerwaus have to say because it is hard to hear and makes us uncomfortable.
But I’m sure NO ONE would EVER do that.