John Howard Yoder (1927-1997), who was a professor at Notre Dame University and Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary, was one of the 20th century's leading theologians. Scholars continue to study his writings on pacifism and other subjects. The End of Sacrifice brings together four decades of Yoder's published and unpublished writings on capital punishment. He engaged in sophisticated biblical, sociological, and historical analysis in order to demonstrate that from ancient society until today capital punishment is an inherently cultic sacrificial rite. Since the death of Jesus brought a decisive end to all sacrifices for sin, Yoder argues, Christians should proclaim the abolition of the death penalty. Its advocates should no longer claim biblical validation. In doing so, Yoder also makes a persuasive case for proactive Christian witness to the state. He calls the church to proclaim the end of sacrifice to public officials who are responsible for carrying out capital punishment. John Howard Yoder was unique in how he brings together both the biblical and sociological roots of the practice of capital punishment. Many Christian works focus on the former, whereas other works focus exclusively on the latter.--John C. Nugent

Author Biography

John C. Nugent is professor of Old Testament at his alma mater, Great Lakes Christian College in Lansing, Mich. His Ph.D. is from Calvin Theological Seminary. He holds additional graduate degrees from Duke Divinity School (Th.M.) and Emmanuel School of Religion (M.Div.). Nugent is the author of The Politics of Yahweh (Cascade Books, 2011) and the editor of Radical Ecumenicity: Pursuing Unity and Continuity after John Howard Yoder (ACU Press, 2010). He also published articles in books, academic journals, and popular-level magazines in Bible, theology, Christian ethics, church planting, Yoder studies, and Stone-Campbellite history. Nugent currently heads the John Howard Yoder Indexing Project and regularly writes Bible lesson commentaries for Standard Publishing. Additional ministry experiences include youth and pastoral ministry, camp directing, campus ministry, church planting, and house-church ministry. John and his wife Beth have been married since 1993. They have three daughters: Alexia, Sierra, and Alissa. They are committed members of Delta Community Christian Church in Lansing, Mich. For more on Nugent, visit his website at walkandword.com. John Howard Yoder (1927-97) taught ethics and theology as a professor at Notre Dame University and Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary and was perhaps the most well-known Mennonite theologian in the twentieth century. Widely sought around the world as a theological educator, ethicist, and interpreter of biblical pacifism, he is best known for his study on The Politics of Jesus. Yoder is also remembered for his long-term sexual harassment and abuse of women. Click here for more on Herald Press and John Howard Yoder.