The Politics Of Yahweh [Hardcover]

John Howard Yoder is most famous for arguing in The Politics of Jesus that a sound reading of the New Testament demonstrates the abiding relevance of Jesus to social ethics. However, it is seldom acknowledged that Yoder makes essentially the same argument with regard to the Old Testament. Throughout his extensive writings, Yoder offers a provocative interpretation of the Old Testament that culminates in the way of Jesus and establishes the ethical, ecclesiological, and historiographical continuity of the entire biblical canon. In The Politics of Yahweh, presented as a prequel to The Politics of Jesus, John C. Nugent makes Yoder's complete Old Testament interpretation accessible in one place for the first time. Nugent does not view Yoder's interpretation as flawless. Rather, Nugent moves beyond summary to offer honest critique and substantial revision. His constructive proposal, which stands in fundamental continuity with the work of Yoder, is likely to provoke thought from theologians, biblical scholars, and ethicists. Even at points where readers disagree with some of his and Yoder's interpretations, they will be challenged to explore new perspectives and rethink common assumptions concerning the diverse and often confusing issues that arise from sustained reflection on the Old Testament. Making up for the paucity of attention to the Old Testament in ecclesiology, Nugent shows that Yoder's unique 'Israel-like view of the Church' substantially draws on the Old Testament as an essential part of the narrative arc in understanding God's work in forming a 'royal priesthood'--a mission that culminates in Christ and his body, the ecclesia. This is an important corrective to some recent rereadings of Yoder, which have no room to account for history--and particularly the history of Israel--in Yoder's missional ecclesiology. This is an important contribution to current debates. -James K.A. Smith Calvin College It is beyond doubt that John Howard Yoder is a pivotal, deflƒ