Yoder on the creeds

In one of his more favorable readings of the Creeds of the Christian tradition, Yoder states:

The Creeds are helpful as fences, but affirming, believing, debating for, fighting for the Creeds, is probably something which a radical Anabaptist kind of faith would not concentrate on doing. Yet that gives us even less reason to join with Bishop Pike and Bishop Robinson in fighting against the Creeds. They are part of the only history we have. It is a fallible history and a confused history. A lot of dirty politics was involved in geting them defined, in explaining their meaning, and still more in applying their authority. But this is the history to which God has chosen to lead his confused people toward perhaps at least a degree of understanding of certain dangers, certain things not to say if we are to remain faithful.

John Howard Yoder, Preface to Theology: Christology and Theological Method (Grand Rapids, MI: Brazos Press, 2002), 157-158.