John Howard Yoder (1927-1997), author of The Politics of Jesus (1972), was best known forhis writing and teaching on Christian pacifism. He studied theology and served as a Mennonite mission staff person in post-war Europe from 1949-1957 and continued in overseas mission administration from the agency's base in Elkhart, Indiana, from 1959-1965. He received his doctorate from the University of Basel. During the 1960s he began teaching at Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminaries, leaving it in 1984. He continued his teachingand scholarly work as professor of theology at the University of Notre Dame until his death at the age of 70.