The Armchair Anabaptist

The ban is that thing in the Anabaptist closet. Stories abound of this severe and condemnatory method of church discipline—its use and mostly its misuse. But what was it that Anabaptists intended and is there a redemptive way to employ the ban?   Find the transcript, study questions, show notes and more at www.TheArmchairAnabaptist.ca.

The Anabaptist suspicion of top-down leadership remains alive and well in EMC churches, but does congregational governance actually work, and if not, why not and what are the alternatives? If leaders shouldn’t have or don’t accept power, where does the power go? Find the transcript, study questions and more at www.TheArmchairAnabaptist.ca.

Mennonites have had an ambivalent relationship with politics from their earliest days, and despite our move into evangelicalism this flavour remains. In today’s episode we ask what the church’s obligation is to the state? What is the state’s obligation to the church and how should Christians interact with politics? Find show notes, transcript, study questions and more at www.thearmchairanabaptist.ca.

In the world, but not of it, has been a particular challenge for Anabaptists who isolated themselves early in their history and still carry some of that culture. Guests today acknowledge the strengths but also challenge some of the assumptions we may make about things like holiness, our culture and our role in the world.  Find the transcript, study guide and more on our website at www.thearmchairanabaptist.ca.

Is the body just a helpful analogy of how the church functions together or is it more than that? Is it expressing something more real? And if that is true, is the connection between baptism and membership more important than we may think? Find out what guests Dave Reimer, Betty Pries, Layton Friesen and Patrick Franklin say to those questions.

The episode dives into the iconic and very challenging picture of community life portrayed in Acts 2. Whether that makes you nervous about what’s coming or eager, you’ll find a range of potential applications of the early church model and plenty of things to think about. As you might expect, some are quite radical but some may surprise you too. This episode’s guests are Dr. Kara Mandryk, Travis and Rosey Zacharias, Steve Bell and Shane Claiborne.

After looking at the beginning and at the end, we’re back to the centre of the gospel story—Jesus—born and raised with a human body like everyone else on earth. What does that fact—something that’s so basic it’s easy to overlook it completely—mean for how we live as Jesus' followers? What does it mean for a believing community? This episode’s guests, Dr. Stuart Murray, Dr. Betty Pries, Dr. Beth Stovell and Dr. Patrick Franklin consider what happens when we don’t understand that or get it wrong and what the impact on the community is when we comprehend the significance of Jesus having a body.

Having looked at the beginning, Jesse and Andrew now ask if you can find guidelines for community in Revelation. Does the plan, or design God has for things will end, provide insight about what our communities should look like? Guests Dave Reimer, Dr. Kara Mandryk, Dr. Beth Stovell and Shane Claiborne approach the question from a range of viewpoints about what Revelation means for us now or even if it speaks to the question of community at all.  

The term “community” is never used in Genesis 1-3. In fact the passage is focused on God, a single couple and the world around them. How do we find the basis of community in that story and why is it so important to our understanding of ourselves in community? Going “back” even further, what does the nature of the Trinity tell us about human community? And how exactly does the Trinity exist and function as three-in-one? This episode tackles some tough and foundational concepts but guests Dr. Meghan Larissa Good, Dr. Patrick Franklin, Dr. Betty Pries and Dr. Beth Stovell make a convincing case for the importance of both concepts and how they apply to community.

In the second part of the question of why it is important to talk about community, hosts Jesse Penner and Andrew Dyck focus more tightly on anabaptist communities specifically. Community is universal to the church—things that the church the world over is grappling with. However, it has been particularly important to anabaptists historically. How did Anabaptist define and practice community? How does living out what we believe, benefit our wider community? What are the pitfalls of the anabaptist way of doing community? In what way does a healthy expression of an anabaptist community bring people to Jesus in our current culture? Those are some of the questions our guests Layton Friesen, Steve Bell, Meghan Larissa Good and Stuart Murray address and Andrew and Jesse follow by asking just how we do get out of our armchairs and live out what we’ve learned.

Community is one of the “tentpoles” of Anabaptism, but community is a concern far beyond the EMC church conference. Both statistics and our own experience demonstrate the relevance and necessity of being together. The past few years in particular have shown us our longing and need for community and the fallout when community goes bad. In this first episode, hosts Jesse Penner and Andrew Dyck interview four guests and ask why this is such an important topic to address. Guests explore the biblical underpinnings of a theology of community and the epidemic of loneliness around us. They also talk about why we need to be in community and its role in providing accountability and assistance. Join Jesse and Andrew as they interview Layton Friesen, Stuart Murray, Meghan Larissa Good and Steve Bell on why community is worth talking about.

Season two is coming! Stay tuned for the first episode to drop January 2024.

Bonus! Poets, War and the Human Inside the Enemy: On this episode of The Armchair Anabaptist we hear from guests Melissa Florer Bixler, Dr. Carol Penner, Dr. Betty Pries, Dr. Thomas Yoder Neufeld and Brian Zahnd. Find more information, including links to resources and a full transcript, at www.theodidaktos.ca/the-armchair-anabaptist/poets-war-and-the-human-inside-the-enemy.

The Quest for Creativity: On this episode of The Armchair Anabaptist we hear from guests Dr. Layton Friesen, Dr. Terry Hiebert, Dr. Betty Pries, Dr. Ronald J. Sider and Brian Zahnd. Find more information, including links to resources and a full transcript, at www.theodidaktos.ca/the-armchair-anabaptist/the-quest-for-creativity.

The Line in the Sand: On this episode of The Armchair Anabaptist we hear from guests Greg Boyd, Cyndy Warkentin and Dr. Ronald J. Sider. Find more information, including links to resources and a full transcript, at www.theodidaktos.ca/the-armchair-anabaptist/the-line-in-the-sand.

Military, Policing and Christianity: On this episode of The Armchair Anabaptist we hear from guests Cameron McKenzie, Cyndy Warkentin and Dr. Thomas Yoder Neufeld. Find more information, including links to resources and a full transcript, at www.theodidaktos.ca/the-armchair-anabaptist/military-policing-and-christianity.

Where the Rubber Meets the Road: On this episode of The Armchair Anabaptist we hear from guests Dr. Betty Pries, Dr. Ronald J. Sider, Pastor Melissa Florer Bixler and members from Many Rooms Church Community, Deborah, Jennifer, Stephanie and Travis. Find more information, including links to resources and a full transcript, at www.theodidaktos.ca/the-armchair-anabaptist/where-the-rubber-meets-the-road.

You’re Gonna Have ‘Em: On this episode of The Armchair Anabaptist we hear from guests Greg Boyd, Melissa Florer-Bixler, Cameron McKenzie, Dr. Carol Penner and members from Many Rooms Church Community, Deborah, Jennifer, Stephanie and Travis. Find more information, including links to resources and a full transcript, at www.theodidaktos.ca/the-armchair-anabaptist/youre-gonna-have-em.

The Tough Stuff: On this episode of The Armchair Anabaptist we hear from guests Dr. Betty Pries, Melissa Florer-Bixler, Brian Zahdn and members from Many Rooms Church Community, Deborah, Jennifer, Stephanie and Travis. Find more information, including links to resources and a full transcript, at www.theodidaktos.ca/the-armchair-anabaptist/the-tough-stuff.

What it Ain’t: On this episode of The Armchair Anabaptist we hear from guests Melissa Florer-Bixler, Dr. Carol Penner, Dr. Betty Pries and Brian Zahnd. Find more information, including links to resources and a full transcript, at www.theodidaktos.ca/the-armchair-anabaptist/what-it-aint.

On this episode of The Armchair Anabaptist we hear from guests Greg Boyd, Cameron McKenzie, Cyndy Warkentin and Dr. Thomas Yoder Neufeld. Find more information, including links to resources and a full transcript, at www.theodidaktos.ca/the-armchair-anabaptist/the-end-of-days.

The Outsiders, Part 2: On this episode of The Armchair Anabaptist we hear from guests Greg Boyd, Dr. Terry Hiebert, Cameron McKenzie, Dr. Carol Penner and members from Many Rooms Church Community, Deborah, Jennifer, Stephanie and Travis. Find more information, including links to resources and a full transcript, at www.theodidaktos.ca/the-armchair-anabaptist/the-outsiders-part-2.

On this episode of The Armchair Anabaptist we hear from guests Greg Boyd, Dr. Terry Hiebert, Cameron McKenzie, Dr. Carol Penner and members from Many Rooms Church Community, Deborah, Stephanie and Travis. Find more information, including links to resources and a full transcript, at www.theodidaktos.ca/the-armchair-anabaptist/the-outsiders-part-1.

The Theology of Conscientious Objection: On this episode of The Armchair Anabaptist we will hear from guests Dr. Layton Friesen, Dr. Ronald J. Sider, Cyndy Warkentin and Dr. Thomas Yoder Neufeld. Find more information, including links to resources and a full transcript, at www.theodidaktos.ca/the-armchair-anabaptist/the-conscientious-objectors-part-2.

The Theology of Conscientious Objection: On this episode of The Armchair Anabaptist we will hear from guests Dr. Layton Friesen, Dr. Ronald J. Sider, Cyndy Warkentin and Dr. Thomas Yoder Neufeld. Find more information, including links to resources and a full transcript, at www.theodidaktos.ca/the-armchair-anabaptist/the-conscientious-objectors-part-1. 

How do we, as children of God, live that out without becoming condescending and self-righteous in the process? On this episode of The Armchair Anabaptist we will hear from guests Dr. Layton Friesen, Dr. Carol Penner, Dr. Terry Hiebert, Dr. Greg Boyd and Dr. Thomas Yoder-Neufeld. Find more information, including links to resources and a full transcript, at www.theodidaktos.ca/the-armchair-anabaptist/the-children-of-god-part-2.

Why does Jesus connect the idea of loving our enemies to what it means to be children of God? In this episode of The Armchair Anabaptist we hear from guests  Greg Boyd, Dr. Layton Friesen, Dr. Terry Hiebert, Dr. Carol Penner, and Dr. Thomas Yoder Neufeld. Find more information, including links to resources and a full transcript, at www.theodidaktos.ca/the-armchair-anabaptist/the-children-of-god-part-1.

What makes loving our enemies so hard? What are some of the challenges that come with trying to live out a life of nonviolence? On this episode of The Armchair Anabaptist we will hear from guests Dr. Betty Pries, Brian Zahnd, Dr. Layton Friesen, Dr. Ronald J. Sider and Dr. Terry Hiebert.  Find more information, including links to resources and a full transcript, at https://www.theodidaktos.ca/the-armchair-anabaptist/the-controversy-part-2.

Why is loving our enemies controversial? Why is this topic so important? In this episode of The Armchair Anabaptist we will hear from Dr. Betty Pries, Pastor Brian Zahnd, Dr. Layton Friesen and Dr. Ronald J. Sider.  Find more information, including links to resources and a full transcript, at https://www.theodidaktos.ca/the-armchair-anabaptist/the-controversy-part-1. 

The Armchair Anabaptist is a brand new podcast that looks at theological issues from a uniquely Anabaptist perspective.