Episode
270
Do Anabaptists Affirm Early Church Creeds?
June 5, 2025
Do Anabaptists Affirm Early Church Creeds?
A listener asked: “Which early church creeds can Anabaptists affirm?” Jaran, Marlin, and Reagan discuss how the Anabaptists have engaged with the Apostle’s Creed and the Nicene Creed. What did the early Anabaptists believe about the Creeds?
The Complete Writings of Menno Simons
Lecture on the Trinity with David Bercot
Christina Moss’ statement about Anabaptists and creeds
2024 Motion to Add the Nicene Creed to the Baptist Faith and Message
Approaching the Great Tradition
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Episode Guest Info
Marlin Sommers
Marlin lives in Southeast TN. He is married to Meredith and father to Zadok, Katherine, Job, Jude, and Charis. He is a philosopher and carpenter by training and currently serves with Anabaptist Perspectives and Starr Mountain Academy. The tagline for the latter organization expresses what he wants to be and wants to help others be: a worshipful knower and servant king.
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Jaran Miller
Jaran Miller is a resident of Pennsylvania and a native of Tennessee. He received his K-12 education via homeschool, his college education at Lee University, and his most important education through the books he’s read and the human relationships he’s been privileged to have. Jaran enjoys living with his wife Sara. Together they engage in pursuits like playing the piano, reading books, and developing hospitality skills.
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Reagan Schrock
Reagan is a member of Wellspring Mennonite Church and lives with his wife Patricia in southeast Tennessee. Reagan, along with Jaran, started Anabaptist Perspectives in 2017, and serves in leadership in the organization, in addition to being deeply involved in overseas missions work.
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Marlin Sommers
2 weeks ago
Thanks Conrad! I am not quite sure what to make of that as a criticism of the Apostle’s and Nicene creeds. The “mere historical faith” that affirms things about Jesus without personal fidelity to the living Lord is certainly a problem and a temptation. But without a vivid awareness that Jesus is our one Lord, that he is the only son of God, that he suffered under Pontius Pilate, that he is ascended and is seated at the right hand of God, and that he will come to judge the living and the dead, our notions of obedience can become pretty flat. I don’t in fact think that Anabaptist theology is inappropriately humanistic, but I do see the danger there. And I certainly agree with the strong emphasis on knowing false and true prophets by their fruits.
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Conrad Hertzler
2 weeks ago
You all speculated about why, in our Mennonite churches, we don’t talk more about the creeds. I believe this is the case because the creeds, while they mention specifically the miraculous birth, death, resurrection, and future return of Jesus, they leave out a HUGE piece: that is the LIFE of Jesus. As Anabaptists, we view Scripture through the lens of Jesus and strive to walk as He walked. The creeds say virtually nothing about this, other than mentioning the Holy Universal Church. While it’s good to be reminded of the things that the creeds mention, we don’t typically emphasize those doctrinal things as conservative Mennonites. We are concerned more about the new birth and what it means for Jesus to be King in our lives. I would recommend N.T. Wright’s book, “How God Became King”. He makes this exact point about the creeds, and his point really struck home with me. Good discussion, though.