Grant allows Mennonite Historical Library to digitize and publish online the works of theologian John Howard Yoder
Mennonite Church USA is currently undergoing a process “to address unfinished business related to the complex legacy of sexual abuse perpetrated by John Howard Yoder” and to “enable the church to move toward deeper reconciliation and healing for victims.” You can read more in these related articles:
“Revisiting the Legacy of John Howard Yoder” by Sara Wenger Shenk, president of AMBS (7.25.13)
“Acknowledging difficult stories of sexual abuse” by Ervin Stutzman, president of MCUSA (8.1.13)
“Members of John Howard Yoder discernment group announced” (8.19.13)
The Mennonite Historical Library has received a $12,023 grant to digitize and provide online access to unpublished and informally published works of John Howard Yoder, one of the most prominent theologians of the 20th century. The project is a collaborative effort between Goshen College’s Mennonite Historical Library, the Mennonite Church USA archives and Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary (AMBS).
Rooted in the Mennonite tradition, John Howard Yoder introduced Anabaptist thought, including pacifism, into mainstream Christian theology. Yoder served nearly 30 years as a teacher and scholar on the faculty at Goshen Biblical Seminary, AMBS and Notre Dame University.
The digital library will provide improved access to Yoder’s unpublished works, including lectures, essays and correspondence. Digital files of these works will become freely accessible through the Private Academic Library Network of Indiana and Indiana Memory websites. View a prototype of the project.
John D. Roth, director of the Mennonite Historical Library, said, “We are delighted to partner with the Archives of Mennonite Church USA and AMBS in this collaborative venture. This project is an important step in making the unique resources of our collections more accessible to researchers regionally and around the world.”
This project is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act, administered by the Indiana State Library. The institute is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s 123,000 libraries and 17,500 museums. Its mission is to create strong libraries and museums that connect people to information and ideas.