Web exclusive: John Howard Yoder's 'irresponsibility'?

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The recent decision of Goshen (Ind.) College to play the national anthem before some of its sports events has been troubling for many folks in and sympathetic to the Anabaptist tradition. I find it distressing as well, even though I am not an alum of Goshen College. I have friends and relatives who are students, alumni, and staff there, and I consider it to be—like all Anabaptist-related schools—an important ministry of the church and for the world. But what I find even more troubling than the decision to play the national anthem is what appears to be an underlying theological shift which allows for and rationalizes such a serious move.

I am referring to Goshen College President James Brenneman's chapel sermon on January 15, 2010. While I find points of agreement in the sermon, there are also a number of thoughts and assumptions which should be problematic for those interested in and formed by Anabaptist history and theology. Most importantly I agree that God's kingdom is one of peace and justice. The points of disagreement that I find might be related to how the kingdom of God is revealed.

I’ll put the problems I am concerning myself with here in two categories: 1) a misunderstanding of Mennonite theologian John Howard Yoder's thought; and 2) an undervaluing of the church as the body formed to witness to God's way in the world.

Yoder's "Irresponsibility"?
A severe misunderstanding of John Howard Yoder is represented by the suggestion that he argued "for a certain 'social irresponsibility' by Christians separated from the world in order to be witnesses to the world." Yoder is then tied to other streams of Mennonite thought which called for "quietism" and "withdrawal." (I would point out that Francis of Assisi, whose prayer will be read before games in addition to the anthem, was a monk!) I agree that these trends have problems, but such a characterization of Yoder's overall thought can only be done if one has ignored much of what he wrote, especially in his book, The Christian Witness to the State which deals directly with the false dichotomy of responsibility and irresponsibility created by folks of the Niebuhr school. The Niebuhrian way of thinking—which is much closer to Calvinism than Anabaptism—has frequently been cited by those theologians and politicians most supportive of the devastating wars of the past one hundred years, and not by those who maintained a relatively consistent witness against them. Why should contemporary Mennonites adopt a theology which is adored by political elites and comes from a tradition which in its 16th and 17th century formational period saw as its firm political responsibility the persecution and killing of Anabaptists?

Yoder argued that the term "responsibility" is one which begs a definition. We ought to be asking what ends are being served by the given usage. Simply accepting its definition from the Niebuhr school would be like the Road Runner naively accepting a ticking package from Wile E. Coyote without question. For an excellent introduction to what Yoder actually thought about the Christian's responsibility regarding the "church" and the "world," see Mark Thiessen Nation's book, John Howard Yoder: Mennonite Patience, Evangelical Convictions, Catholic Convictions, specifically chapter 5. Finally, what would the average American citizen say if asked what "responsibility" means in relation to their country? I'm willing to bet that military service would be at or near the top of the list of answers.

The shrinking body of Christ
The second problem I notice in President Brenneman's sermon is that it lacks of a description of the church as a body which functions visibly in society. I did see the references to "salt, leaven, and light" but only in relation to individuals. Those words are New Testament metaphors which most scholars would agree point to the disciples as a group committed to following Jesus. The metaphor which accompanies "light of the world" in Matthew's gospel is "city on a hill," a reference to the disciples then and the church today. Furthermore, the word "city" in Greek is polis, from which we get the word "politics." But individuals are the focus of the sermon, and the picture of the church is a fuzzy one. I’m convinced that the church as a whole (warts and all) needs to be central in our public discussions on issues relating to ethics and society. At a time when Christianity is frequently described as yet another violent religion and the church is seen as nothing more than a psychological therapy group, there needs to be a clear witness given by the body of Christ which reveals what we are all about. How is this to be accomplished if the "high calling" of political and economic management is prioritized over church-based Christian service? Where will there be found a body of people willing to model patient listening and conversation, and who refuse to force others—whether by majority vote or by threat of violence—to adopt a particular point of view? This is the kind of "politics" that the world needs to see.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer reminded the church that Christians need to continually see the world "from below," that is, from the perspective of those who are oppressed, ignored, and forgotten in society. It seems to me that managing society "from above" usually allows for the managers to be disconnected from those who reside “below.” This ought not to be our way of serving. The life of the church is dependent on its mission and service to the world. We are called to this by the God we worship. When did we become convinced that the central practice of worshiping and serving God through Christ was somehow “irresponsible” (or maybe even just inadequate) toward the world? Church is the space where we learn how the world ought to be, what God desires for it. How many church-based social movements have radically exposed and even overturned evil systems simply by doing what is right while refusing to use violence? The fall of communism in former East Germany was spurred on by masses of people who publicly gathered for prayer in defiance of government restrictions. The first thing we ought to see in that story is their obedience to God by gathering as a body for corporate prayer.

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind" and "Love your neighbor as yourself" are not abstract perfectionist ideals which we can never obtain. Both of these commandments are embodied by the church when its members take communion with people with whom they otherwise have little in common. (Recall the scene from the 2005 World War I movie Joyeux Noël where Allied and German soldiers celebrate communion together because they know that in the presence of Christ, they can’t kill each other. This refusal to kill continues even when communion has finished.) The commandments are both embodied when we love our neighbors not abstractly but concretely.

Conclusion
Before concluding, I’ll just briefly note that there are two other problems I see in the sermon. First, the use of the 2 Corinthians 1:20-22 text begs the question: To what is God actually saying "yes"? Second, more reflection on the doctrine of "orders of creation" is needed as Mennonites situate themselves in relation to it. Hopefully, these issues can be explored in more depth in the many venues we have available to us as we seek to live out and participate in the kingdom of God. I’ll finish up with this bit of wisdom from Jesus: "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. It is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave; just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."

LeVon Smoker is a member of Park View Mennonte Church and a graduate of Eastern Mennonite Seminary, both in Harrisonburg, Va.

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