Anabaptist Theological Perspectives

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 transformed by the renewing of the mind. Drawing on Anabaptist and Amish cultural examples, personal anecdotes (...

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 foreknowledge, predestination, and election. Eicher contrasts deterministic Calvinist readings with an...

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," and the marriage metaphor that explains freedom from the law through Christ’s death. The epi...

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 relates to human failure, law, and conscience, and reflects on the cosmic stakes of redemption. Topics co...

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 relate to justification. Eicher engages with historical and modern interpreters (including a note on Jorda...

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 traces the biblical foundation from Genesis through Paul: the fall’s effect on the human will, idolatry and...

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 Hawking radiation, Eicher argues that annihilation is both theologically and scientifically problemati...

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 ideas, he explains how habits and neural connections are formed, passed between generations, and requi...

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 gains. Eicher also examines a parallel controversy inside the Mennonite world — a pastor’s monetary ‘purit...

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 traces how individuals or movements ride on functioning institutions without contributing to them. The...

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, identity, and the frameworks that make suffering and meaning intelligible. Eicher interweaves personal tes...

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, divine violence, atonement, final punishment, the purpose of Jesus, and the authority of Scripture. Eicher...

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 raises: the image of a male God, a literal six‑day creation, the virgin birth, Jes...

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 — becomes a means of healing, drawing parallels between medical inoculation, Amish Rumspringa practices, and Ch...

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 ideas resonate with early Anabaptist emphases on bearing the cross and practical holiness. The episode c...

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 gathered believers, their rejection of state-backed religion and infant baptism, and the brutal persecution th...

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 versus textualist readings like “subject to the jurisdiction thereof” — and what the ruling could mean polit...

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, contrasts frontier missionary contexts (e.g., Haiti) with mature Christian life, and explains why physical m...

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 1:16–17, Eicher explores what “the righteousness of God” means, critiques a...

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, and notes recent papal remarks about the James Webb Telescope and the possibility of life beyond Earth...

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 reshaping congregational life, marriage, and male spiritual leadership. The episode traces Bible-based argume...

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 and how it can point toward meaning. Eicher examines Christ’s participation in suffering—from Genesis an...

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 on Isaiah 63, Malachi 3, John, and 1 John, emphasizing God’s plans to refine and r...

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 Virgin Mary and Jesus, the historical and contemporary contours of Jewish–Christian animosity, and why...

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 Rivers' Redeeming Love, his intent to depict realistic pathways to recovery rather than institu...