When Goodness Disappears: Obedience, Sacrifice, and the Anabaptist Crisis

This episode features Jerry Eicher of Anabaptist Theological Perspectives reflecting on the theological roots of obedience and sacrifice and why those virtues are eroding in both church and culture. Drawing on the Genesis creation scene, Jerry argues that obedience—our obligation to surround ourselves with Scripture and offer options to God—and sacrificial self-giving are foundational to Christian life. He also identifies three major destructive forces facing the Anabaptist community today: the rise of Calvinism (which he says undermines personal responsibility and obedience), the influence of feminism (which he critiques for attacking male authority and reshaping marital roles), and the secular institutionalization of Christian love (where the left has politicized and redefined love and church authority). The episode is a concise, practical call to recognize these threats, reclaim obedience and sacrifice, and encourage courageous leadership within the Anabaptist movement.