PODCAST · history
Anabaptist Theological Perspectives
by Jerry Eicher
The history and theology of Anabaptism
Episodes
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Living as a “Living Sacrifice” — Anabaptist Reflections
Jerry Eicher concludes his Romans series by focusing on Romans 12:1–2 and the central theme of sacrifice woven throughout Paul’s letter. He argues that sacrifice is the foundational posture of the new life in Christ — presenting our bodies as a living, holy, acceptable service and being…
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Predestination and Human Will: Unpacking Romans 9–11
Jerry Eicher (Anabaptist Theological Perspectives) walks listeners through Romans 8–11, focusing on the thorny passages in chapters 9–11 often cited in Calvinist debates. He examines key examples Paul uses—Isaac’s twins (Esau and Jacob), Pharaoh, and the potter and clay—asking what Paul means by...
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Romans 7 Unmasked: Wrestling with Law, Flesh, and Freedom
Jerry Eicher of Anabaptist Theological Perspectives tackles the difficult passages in Romans 7, setting them against Romans 6 and 8 to clarify Paul’s message about law, sin, and new life in Christ. He focuses on key verses (e.g., Romans 7:15), the baptism imagery of being "alive from the dead,"…
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When God Believed in Himself: Romans 3 and the Faith of God
This is Jerry Eicher from Anabaptist Perspectives exploring Romans 3—particularly the phrase "the faith of God" in verse 3—and arguing for the plain reading that God himself has faith in and through his own purposes. Jerry traces biblical support (including Isaiah 63), examines how God’s faith...
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Sacrifice, Faith, and Romans
This episode features Jerry Eicher from Anabaptist Theological Perspectives taking a deep dive into Romans 2–3. He focuses on contested passages about judgment, works, and faith — distinguishing the works of the law from works of sacrifice — and explores how sacrifice, repentance, and baptism...
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Romans Unpacked: God's Righteousness and the Corrupt Will
Host Jerry Eicher (Anabaptist Theological Perspectives) explores Romans chapter 1—especially verses 16–17—to ask what Paul means by “the righteousness of God,” surveying theological controversies about whether God’s righteousness is inherent in his nature or defined by his will. The episode…
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Why Annihilation Can't Win: A Theological Case Against Soul Erasure
Host Jerry Eicher explores the growing debate over the annihilation of the soul at death, arguing for the traditional biblical view of eternal punishment and critiquing annihilationist readings of scripture. Drawing on a quote from George MacDonald and on Stephen Hawking’s work on black holes and...
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When Mercy Hurts: How Helping Can Make Things Worse
In this episode Jerry Eicher of Anabaptist Theological Perspectives argues that well‑intentioned mercy can sometimes do more harm than good because spiritual choices shape biological and cultural outcomes. Drawing on Jesus’ “seek the kingdom first” principle and recent neuroscience and epigenetic...
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Crossing the Rubicon: The Lindsay Clancy Moment
Host Jerry Eicher (Anabaptist perspective) unpacks a week of cultural watershed moments: the Lindsay Clancy murder trial and the surprising public support it revealed; a provocative quote from Matt Walsh and a reflection on Peachy Keenan's piece about why many women are angry despite apparent...
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The Freeloader Problem: When Voices Feed Off Others’ Work
Jerry Eicher (Anabaptist Theological Perspective) examines the “freeloader” or “free rider” phenomenon as it appears in politics, social media, and the church. Drawing on evolutionary theology, Scripture (Paul’s “if a man will not work, he shall not eat”), and voices like Jordan Peterson, Eicher...
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When Mercy Hurts: The Risks of Cross-Cultural Adoption
Jerry Eicher of Anabaptist Theological Perspectives examines the pitfalls of well-meaning interventions in non-Christian cultures, using a personal story of a young couple who adopted foster children to illustrate how good intentions can go disastrously wrong. Topics include the limits of...
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Deconstruction’s Silent Grief — An Anabaptist Wake-Up Call
Host Jerry Eicher closes his two-part series on deconstruction by engaging John Taylor’s article “Deconstruction Has a Grief Problem Nobody is Talking About.” This episode examines how deconstruction is not merely a theological debate but a profound experience of loss — of beliefs, community,...
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Jim Palmer and Deconstruction- Part Two
Host Jerry Eicher continues Anabaptist Theological Perspectives with part two of his critique of Jim Palmer’s list of “13 religious ideas that no longer fit reality.” In this episode Eicher addresses ideas 7–13, confronting Palmer’s deconstructionist claims about miracles, the nature of evil,...
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Jim Palmer and Deconstruction: Part One
Host Jerry Eicher of Anabaptist Theological Perspective responds to Jim Palmer’s article “13 Religious Ideas That No Longer Fit Reality,” defending core Christian convictions while critiquing Palmer’s deconstructionist, overly materialist approach. Eicher addresses the first six claims Palmer...
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Moses' Serpent and the Cross: Facing Evil to Find Healing
Jerry Eicher of Anabaptist Theological Perspectives explores an idea he traces to Jordan Peterson’s Old Testament lectures: the brass serpent Moses lifted in the wilderness and Christ’s comparison of himself to that serpent (John 3:14). Eicher unpacks how facing evil — behold the serpent —…
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Imitate Christ: Peterson, Shapiro, and the Anabaptist Question
Host Jerry Eicher of Anabaptist Theological Perspectives examines a conversation between Jordan Peterson and Ben Shapiro to explore what it means to "imitate Christ." Guests/topics discussed include Peterson’s practical triad—speak the truth, accept suffering, confront malevolence—and how those...
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How Anabaptists Shaped Religious Freedom: A July 4th Reflection
Host Jerry Eicher reflects on the Anabaptist roots of religious freedom in an episode timed for July 4th. Guests and voices referenced include Steve Stuzman (Straight Paths Ministry), Gene Edwards, and Walter Beachy. The conversation traces the Anabaptist conviction of the church as local…
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Barrett’s Surprise Vote: Birthright Citizenship and a Gendered Court
Jerry Eicher of Anabaptist Theological Perspectives reacts to the Supreme Court’s 5–4 decision on birthright citizenship, focusing on Justice Amy Coney Barrett’s surprising vote and Justice Kavanaugh’s different reasoning. He explains the legal stakes of the 14th Amendment debate — jus soli…
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When Miracles Fade: Rethinking Cessationism and Spiritual Growth
Host Jerry Eicher of Anabaptist Theological Perspectives examines cessationalism—the claim that apostolic sign gifts (tongues, prophecy, healings) ended with the early church—and argues for reading the biblical story as an arc rather than a single fact. He walks through 1 Corinthians 12–13,...
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When Pain Stands as Proof: Suffering, Justice, and the Gospel
Host Jerry Eicher (Anabaptist Theological Perspectives) examines two recent cases—a fatal stabbing at a Frisco ISD high school track meet and disputed sexual-abuse allegations—and argues that modern culture often treats visible suffering as automatic proof of moral rightness. Drawing on Romans...
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Are UFOs Demons? Catholic Exorcist Removed After Controversial Claim
Jerry Eicher of Anabaptist Theological Perspectives addresses a current controversy: Catholic exorcist Stephen Rossetti was removed from his post after asserting that many UFO phenomena are demonic deceptions. Eicher summarizes the Archdiocese of Washington and Cardinal Robert McElroy's response,...
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Holding the Line: Men, Marriage, and the Feminist Tide in the Church
Jerry Eicher, retired Mennonite minister and author (65), host of Anabaptist Theological Perspectives, reflects on the cultural and theological challenges facing conservative churches today. He draws on decades of pastoral experience and writings. See jerryeicher.com. Feminist influence is...
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The Unbearable Catastrophe of Being: Suffering, Faith, and Meaning
Host Jerry Eicher (Anaphaptist) explores the theological landscape of suffering, inspired by Jordan Peterson’s phrase “the unbearable catastrophe of being.” In this episode he contrasts modern Christian responses, Eastern religious views, and Reformed thinking while probing why suffering exists…
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God of the Whole House: From Basement Shadows to Eternal Hope
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTyXdyIACrg&t=20s Copy and paste for video on Youtube. In this episode the speaker (a pastor) preaches on "God of the Whole House," using a three-level house image (basement, main floor, upstairs) to explain how God redeems the whole person. He reads and reflects…
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Israel, Catholics, and Rising Religious Tensions
Host Jerry Eicher of Anabaptist Theological Perspectives walks listeners through the week’s hottest religious controversies, offering an Anabaptist lens on tensions between faith and politics. Topics include viral videos from southern Lebanon showing an Israeli soldier desecrating statues of the...
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When Hearts Break: An Amish Story of Abuse, Love, and Healing
Jerry Eicher — retired Mennonite minister, business owner and author — discusses his novel When Hearts Break, a literary Amish drama that confronts childhood sexual abuse, the long road to healing, and the moral complexities of community life. The episode covers Eicher's critique of Francine...
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Bringing the Shadow to Light: Faith, Freud, and the Dark Side
Host Jerry Eicher (Anabaptist Theological Perspectives) explores the ‘dark side’ of human impulses and how Scripture and psychology approach it. Drawing on John 1 and Pauline teaching, he compares Freudian repression with Jungian integration and reflects on voices like Jordan Peterson and...
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Against the Machine: Reclaiming Humanity Through Faith
Jerry Eicher of Anabaptist Theological Perspectives examines Paul Kingsnorth’s Against the Machine, focusing on the book’s final chapter and its spiritual warning about technology’s threat to human identity. Topics include the ‘machine’ as a dehumanizing force, the need for divine submission over...
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Hidden Desires: Women and Submission in Fiction Literature
Host Jerry Eicher of Anabaptist Theological Perspectives examines the cultural and theological tensions between contemporary feminism and traditional Christian teachings about gender, marriage, and sexual desire. Drawing on Genesis 3, pastoral counseling, and popular Christian and secular voices,...
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Covering the Glory: Anabaptist Reflections on 1 Corinthians 11
Jerry Eicher of Anabaptist Theological Perspectives examines a focused subset of the head-covering debate, centering on 1 Corinthians 11:15 and the idea that a womans long hair is her given "glory." He critiques readings that claim hair itself is the sole covering and argues instead that the...
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Anabaptist Responses to Sexual Abuse and Feminism
Host Jerry Eicher explores the intersection of feminism, sexual abuse, and conservative Anabaptist practice, centering recent news about an Amish men’s retreat leader and broader debates within Mennonite and Amish communities. Guests and voices referenced include testimony from Jason Stoll about...
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Resurrection in Shadows: A Poetic Easter Reflection
Jerry Eicher of Anabaptist Theological Perspectives offers a reflective poetic meditation on Christ’s life, suffering, and resurrection. Drawing from the Wednesday crucifixion timeline, the episode explores the fulfillment of prophetic shadows, the humility of Christ’s birth, the depth of his...
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Was Jesus Crucified on Wednesday? Reexamining Holy Week's Timeline
Host Jerry Eicher walks listeners through an alternative Holy Week timeline that places the crucifixion on Wednesday. Drawing primarily on details from John’s Gospel and selected early church writings, he explores how a Wednesday crucifixion can resolve puzzles around “three days and three…
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A Child's Spiritual Awakening
In this candid episode, Jerry Eicher shares his personal testimony at Oakhill Mennonite spanning Amish childhood, missionary years in Central America, and the lifelong impact of faith. He recounts family dynamics, cultural contrasts within Amish communities, and vivid childhood moments—from snowy...
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An Anabaptist Take on Technology, AI, and the Self
Host Jerry Eicher of Anabaptist Theological Perspectives reflects on Paul Kingsnorth’s Against the Machine and explores how our technologically driven, AI-dominated world undermines human flourishing and spiritual authority. Eicher examines Kingsnorth’s critique of the Reformation’s role in...
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Anabaptist Choir Sings Jewish Song: “Taddy My King” Goes Viral
Jerry Eicher of Anabaptist Theological Perspectives highlights a viral performance by a small Calvary Bible School choir in Calico Rock, Arkansas: a layered, high-quality rendition of Dovid Edel’s 2018 song "Taddy My King." He praises the choir’s excellence and unusual choice to sing a Jewish…
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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...
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The Void, Choice, and the Luciferian Mind
Host Jerry Eicher explores Jonathan Pageau's “Reflections on the Void” and conversations with Jordan Peterson and John Lennox to ask why doing good can be misunderstood and why sacrifice remains central. Guests and references include Jonathan Pageau's (podcast), Peterson and Lennox…
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Adapting the Heidelberg Catechism for Anabaptist Practice
Jerry Eicher of Anabaptist Theological Perspectives announces an adapted version of the Heidelberg Catechism tailored for Anabaptist readers. He explains the history and structure of the 1563 catechism—its pastoral tone, 52 weekly themes, and focus on guilt, grace, and gratitude—and describes how...
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Sacrifice, Obedience, Mercy — The Three-Tier Way of Faith
In this sermon-style episode the host continues a deep study on sacrifice, obedience, and mercy as a three-tier pattern running through the Old Testament and into the New. Topics include the tension between faith and works (Paul’s teachings vs. Old Testament practice), the Book of Job and Satan’s...
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Dismantling the Age of Reason: Paul Kingsnorth and the Machine
Jerry Eicher of Anabaptist Theological Perspectives returns for a third conversation on Paul Kingsnorth's Against the Machine: On the Unmaking of Humanity. He examines Kingsnorth’s critique of the Age of Reason and how the rise of modern technologies—has reshaped Western faith, society, and the...
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When Works Meet Faith: Anabaptist Roots and Paul’s Puzzle
Jerry Eicher of Anabaptist Theological Perspectives explores the tension between Anabaptist practice and Reformed theology, tracing how early Anabaptists returned to Jesus and the Gospels instead of prioritizing Paul. The episode examines Paul’s claim in Titus 3:5, the seeming paradox of “no…
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When Christ Is Dethroned: Paul Kingsnorth on the Machine
Host Jerry Eicher (Baptist Theological Perspectives) discusses Paul Kingsnorth’s Against the Machine: On the Unmaking of Humanity in the second session of the "Venture Into" series. Beginning around page 11, Eicher and the episode track Kingsnorth’s core argument about what happens when Christ is...
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Against the Machine: Reclaiming Humanity in a Mechanized Age
Host Jerry Eicher opens a possible series on Paul Kingsnorth’s Against the Machine: On the Unmaking of Humanity, offering a close, reflective reading of the book’s major arguments. Eicher frames Kingsnorth’s diagnosis of modern malaise—how reason, technology, and the loss of shared narrative have...
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When Politics Penetrates the Pulpit: Anabaptist Reflections on the ICE Case
Jerry Eicher of Anabaptist Theological Perspectives examines the recent ICE shooting of protester Renee Good in Minneapolis as a lens into a broader problem: political forces—both left and right—have deeply penetrated the Christian world. Drawing on Russell Moore’s piece on Romans 13 and a…
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Preparing the Ground: The Hidden Power of Sacrifice
This episode unpacks Mark 4:26–27 and the Parable of the Soils to explore how 'preparing the ground' relates to biblical sacrifice. Drawing from Old Testament examples—Cain and Abel, Abraham, and Jacob—Jerry Eicher contrasts transactional, contribution-based faith with sacrificial obedience and...
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Israel, Iran and the Unraveling of the Proxies
Host Jerry Eicher of Anabaptist Theological Perspectives offers a solo, concise overview of the current Middle East situation, concentrating on Israel, the Iranian protests, and the collapse of Iran’s regional proxy network (Syria, Lebanon/Hezbollah, Gaza/Hamas, Yemen/Houthi). Jerry reviews…
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When Mercy Wins: Tolkien, Scripture, and the Power of Pity
Jerry Eicher of Anabaptist Theological Perspectives explores the necessity of mercy—especially the practice of allowing another person’s evil to run its course so it may collapse under its own weight—without excusing wrongdoing or de-emphasizing justice. The episode examines James 2:13 and Romans...
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Making Money While You Sleep: Letting God Grow Your Spiritual Life
Host Jerry Eicher of Anabaptist Theological Perspectives explores the surprising spiritual meaning behind the phrase “making money while you sleep,” using Jesus’ parable in Mark 4:26–27 to show how God’s life can grow within us beyond our constant effort. The episode addresses the tension between...
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Does Hell Ever End? Eternal Fires vs Annihilation
Host Jerry Eicher of Anabaptist Theological Perspective responds to Kirk Cameron’s announcement that he no longer believes in eternal punishment, exploring biblical texts (e.g., Revelation 14), the atonement, and competing views of hell and annihilation. The episode covers two central proposals:...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
The history and theology of Anabaptism
HOSTED BY
Jerry Eicher
CATEGORIES
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Anabaptist Theological Perspectives have?
Anabaptist Theological Perspectives currently has 100 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Anabaptist Theological Perspectives about?
The history and theology of Anabaptism
How often does Anabaptist Theological Perspectives release new episodes?
Anabaptist Theological Perspectives has 100 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Anabaptist Theological Perspectives?
You can listen to Anabaptist Theological Perspectives on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Anabaptist Theological Perspectives?
Anabaptist Theological Perspectives is created and hosted by Jerry Eicher.
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