Revisiting John Howard Yoder for Modern Contextual Political Theology

John Howard Yoder was obviously one of the most prominent political theologians in the twentieth century. As well known, he was a pacifist who was Mennonite with an Anabaptist perspective. Indeed, his pacifistic approach to politics was really influential in the realm of modern politics. Before and after his death on December 30, 1997, there have been abundant discussions and reflections upon his political theology. Throughout the Iraq War (20 March, 2003 – 18 December, 2011) in the early twenty-first century, however, his pacifism seemed to become less influential in the world in which just war theory was relatively pervasive. Needless to say, his pacifism was, is, and will be still meaningful and influential regardless of any changes of political situations in the world. It is because his pacifism is proved to be unique, profound and radical whenever its political insight is discovered.