Perry B. Yoder

Professor Emeritus of Old Testament

• B.A., Goshen College, 1962
• Ph.D., The University of Pennsylvania, 1970

E-mail: pbyoder@rangenet.com

To download a print-quality photo, click the small photo at right.

His love of nature leads Perry to study Job with pastors and students while canoeing the Boundary Waters of Minnesota. For two years, Perry worked in a traveling assignment as People's Teacher of the Word, 1975-77. He was associate secretary for Peace and Social Concerns for the General Conference Mennonite Church, 1977-78. He taught at Bluffton College, 1968-75; Bethel College, 1977-84; and Conrad Grebel College, spring 1983. He joined AMBS in 1985.

Recently Perry has served as a mentor for the Shalom Reconciliation Pilgrimage project of the InterVarsity Christian Fellowship and International Fellowship of Evangelical Students, helping build their understanding of the meaning of the biblical term "shalom."

"I believe authentic Christian witness in the world is informed both by its biblical roots and by a clear analysis of the situation within which witness is given. Specifically, in studying Hebrew Scriptures my aim is to grasp an understanding of biblical faith that speaks to our situation. We do not carry out this enterprise in a vacuum, but seek to sharpen and clarify our understanding through interaction with others who are also committed to grasping the meaning of Scripture for illuminating life."

Scholarship

• "The Pastor as Teacher" in The Heart of the Matter: Pastoral Ministry in Anabaptist Perspective (Cascadia, 2004)
• Seeing the Text: Exegesis for Students of Greek and Hebrew (Abingdon, 2001), co-author
• The Meaning of Peace: Biblical Studies (Westminster / John Knox, 1992), joint editor
• Shalom: The Bible's Word for Salvation, Justice and Peace (Faith & Life, 1987)
• From Word to Life: A Guide to the Art of Bible Study (Herald, 1982)
• Toward Understanding the Bible (Faith & Life, 1978)
• New Men / New Roles (Faith & Life, 1977)

Speakers Bureau Presentations

• Old Testament law and gentile Christians
• Psalms
• The Justice of God and our peacemaking