Import of Eschatology in John Howard Yoder's Critique of Constantinianism

Through a close reading of relevant primary and secondary literature, this study describes and evaluates Yoder's eschatologically informed critique of Constantinianism and his alternative theory of Christian social action. The study finds that the relationship between Yoder's eschatology and his view of Christian social ethics is characterized by a lack of conceptual coherence at numerous points. The conclusions are largely critical of Yoder's project, as neither his critique of Constantinianism, nor his proposed alternative, is displayed with exacting historical accuracy and conceptual precision.