Anabaptist Theological Perspectives

Facing Evolution at University: A Christian Perspective

Host Jerry Eicher of Anabaptist Theological Perspectives leads a thoughtful episode on how Christians—especially students—can engage evolutionary theory in university settings. Topics include the common fear around evolution, Nietzsche’s critique of removing the divine from creation, and why the long‑ages vs. 24‑hour debate misses the deeper issue.Jerry explores reading Genesis from an earthly point of view, the difference between material representation and spiritual meaning, and the dangers of flattening faith to only what is observable. He also critiques confrontational responses, highlights work by thinkers like Stephen Meyer who bring design arguments into scientific conversation, and stresses that science and religion can align when both are honestly presented.Key takeaways: don’t panic, don’t reduce scripture to a flat literalism, focus on reclaiming the role of the divine in explanations of origins, and enter academic conversations confidently and thoughtfully.

When Penal Substitution Rules: Calvinism, Freedom, and God’s Glory

Jerry Eicher of Anabaptist Theological Perspectives returns to the contested topic of penal substitution, tracing its resurgence in Reformed and Baptist circles and asking whether the theory has been given too prominent a role in atonement theology.The episode surveys atonement themes—penal substitution, Christus Victor (Gustav Aulén), sovereignty versus human freedom, and the implications for reading Romans, understanding redemption, and discerning God’s glory—and argues that penal substitution is true but should be subordinate to the victory-centered Christus Victor framework.Listeners can expect historical references, three central arguments about where penal substitution belongs, critique of Calvinistic dominance, and practical implications for Christian theology and spiritual life from an Anabaptist perspective.

The Wooing of the Human Heart: God's Greatest Accomplishment

Jerry Eicher of Anabaptist Theological Perspectives explores what he calls God’s greatest work: the wooing of the human heart. He critiques Calvinist depictions of divine power, arguing that God’s true greatness is revealed through love, truth-speaking, and the cross’s paradoxical drawing power.Topics include the necessity of speaking truth in love, biblical imagery from Isaiah (the vineyard) and Romans 11, the election of Israel, the Gentiles’ grafting in, and how God’s long-term plan will ultimately win back Israel. Eicher contrasts coercive images of God with scriptural themes of relationship and covenant and references contemporary voices and theological tendencies to illustrate the stakes.Listeners can expect a theological meditation grounded in Scripture, strong critiques of certain Calvinist formulations, and an affirmation of God’s patient, truth-driven love toward Israel and the world.

When the Church Goes Silent

In this episode Jerry Eicher of Anabaptist Theological Perspectives examines the clash between Charlie Kirk’s insistence that Christians must speak truth into politics and Tim Keller’s approach that urged restraint for gospel preachers. Eicher critiques Keller’s influence on church silence during cultural crises, shares personal anecdotes from Mennonite and Amish responses to COVID, and describes the consequences when the church withdraws from moral debate.Topics include the church’s role in addressing creation-level ethics, the dangers and limits of political involvement, historical lessons from Constantine and Anabaptist martyrs, and contemporary controversies such as gender-transition surgeries for minors. Eicher argues for a return to truth-speaking as the primary witness of the church, even while calling for caution about deep entanglement in political machinery.This is a solo reflection—no outside guests—combining theological critique, personal experience, and a call to reawaken the church’s prophetic voice and the attractive power of truth.

The Church version of - The Invitation to Life: Rediscovering Sacrifice in the Gospel

In this episode the host/speaker lays out a sweeping biblical case for rediscovering sacrifice as the heart of the gospel invitation. Tracing the theme from Cain, Abraham and Isaac, Saul, Solomon and David through the prophets (Micah, Isaiah) and into Hebrews and Christ’s own call to deny self, the talk contrasts a propositional, “hold-this-idea” faith with an invitational faith that requires wholehearted participation. Historical context (Wesleyan revival emphases and the 19th-century shift that followed Darwin, Freud and Marx) is used to explain how the invitational element faded and why reclaiming it matters.
Key points: God does not desire merely external offerings but the giving of ourselves; repentance is redefined as a turning to do God’s will; Jesus’ invitation to take up the cross invites active participation rather than passive belief; doing God’s will brings a foretaste of “heaven on earth” in family and church life. The speaker emphasizes that participation adds nothing to Christ’s finished work, yet it is essential for entering the life to which we are invited and for the church’s renewal.
Continuing briefly from the previous conversation, the host calls listeners to practical next steps: step across the threshold of the invitation, embrace costly obedience in everyday relationships and ministry, and practice joyful, fervent submission in family and church. The episode closes with a hopeful plea for revival — that the church might again insist on participation, sacrifice, and the visible coming of God’s will among us.

The Invitation to Life: Rediscovering Sacrifice in the Gospel

Jerry Eicher of Anabaptist Theological Perspectives examines “the invitation to life,” contrasting a propositional gospel with an invitational, participatory call to sacrifice and repentance. Drawing on contemporary moments like the Charlie Kirk memorial and voices from Voddie Baucham, John MacArthur, Tucker Carlson, and Jordan Peterson, Eicher probes how modern preaching shapes—and sometimes obscures—the call to follow Christ.Key themes include the Anabaptist emphasis on imitation of Christ, the meaning of cross-bearing as active goodness regardless of cost, biblical examples from Cain to Abraham to Samuel and David, and New Testament anchors in Matthew and Hebrews. Eicher argues for a gospel that requires human response—not to earn salvation, but to enter into life by relinquishing the self.Listeners can expect theological reflection, scriptural engagement, and a challenge to reframe discipleship as an invitation to participate in God’s will rather than merely affirm doctrinal propositions.

Charlie Kirk, Darwin, and the Battle for Young Minds

Host Jerry Eicher of Anabaptist Theological Perspectives reflects on Charlie Kirk’s recent assassination, praising Kirk’s lack of bitterness, spiritual freedom, and extraordinary effectiveness reaching young people, and situates his work against the broader damage Eicher attributes to evolutionary theory in academia. Eicher contrasts Kirk’s political-but-God-first approach with the nonpolitical posture of figures like Tim Keller and explores how both movements influence Anabaptist communities.The episode examines the creation-evolution debate—Darwin’s removal of the voice of God from creation, the evangelical emphasis on a literal 24-hour Genesis, and the practical and theological problems that approach has caused for churches and students entering universities. Eicher proposes alternatives such as point-of-view and representative readings of Scripture (illustrated by Joshua 10 and the doctrine of God’s rest) as more faithful and effective ways to defend the faith.Listeners can expect theological reflection, cultural critique, historical examples, and pastoral concern for how doctrine shapes witness and effectiveness in the modern world—especially regarding young people, biblical interpretation, and ways forward for Anabaptist and evangelical engagement.

Sermon Version-When Offenses Turn to Stone

Full video here

Veiled Truth: The Head Covering Debate

Jerry Eicher of Anabaptist Theological Perspectives examines the practice of head veiling for women, tracing its near-2,000-year history, the 1960s feminist challenge, and how the issue shifted from mainstream to fringe. He unpacks the spiritual and cultural stakes behind a seemingly simple cloth.
This episode includes a close reading of 1 Corinthians 11—exploring Paul’s language about tradition/ordinances, representation (man/Christ/woman/God), nature’s covering (hair), and the role of angels—plus practical discussion of how the practice has been upheld (Amish, Mennonite, Catholic examples), critiques of “Sunday-only” observance, and the effects of modern grassroots and internet debates.
Key takeaways: why the veil has symbolic spiritual force, how consistency and representation shape its practice, and practical principles for understanding what “covering” aims to protect—the glory of the hair and the church’s witness.

Nothingness & The Divine: Rethinking 'Ex Nihilo'

Host Jerry Eicher (Anabaptist Theological Perspectives) leads a solo deep dive into the doctrine of creation ex nihilo — creation out of nothing — and its implications for Christian theology. The episode examines the long-standing Greek philosophical model (Plato) that treats “nothing” as non‑being, and contrasts that with thinkers who challenged this foundation, notably Martin Heidinger and the work of Carl Jung, as well as the cultural influence of Jordan Peterson.Topics covered include the tension between traditional Christian affirmations (God as the source of all being) and the philosophical claim that nothing cannot produce anything; whether “nothing” could be the origin or source of certain forms of evil; how Augustine, C.S. Lewis, and modern movements like open theism interact with these assumptions; and practical theological consequences for doctrines of evil, freedom, and divine sovereignty.Key points: Christians often affirm creation out of nothing while implicitly using Greek metaphysics that deny nothing’s reality; Heidinger’s critique opens space to consider nothing as an active factor in antagonism, merciless prohibition, and other painful realities; open theism’s rejection of classical constraints may leave theological gaps; and Eicher calls for renewed study and caution in reshaping theological foundations.