In "The Politics of Jesus" John Howard Yoder wrote: "Franklin Littell points out how Protestant church leaders condemn themselves when they seek to use political sanctions to enforce upon all society moral obligations which they cannot with theological and ecclesiastical motivation commend to their own membership. Littell says this of the prohibition and evolution controversies; he could say it of open housing. ' . . . Politicians in the churches attempted to secure by public legislation what they were unable to persuade many of their own members was either wise or desirable. . . . Lacking the authenticity of a genuinely disciplined witness, the Protestant reversion to political action was ultimately discredited, and the churches have not to this day recovered their authority in public life'."