Episode
315
Why I Left the Catholics, and How We Misunderstand Them
April 16, 2026
Why I Left the Catholics, and How We Misunderstand Them
Stephen Russell was raised a Roman Catholic and had ambitions of becoming a priest but ultimately left and joined the Anabaptists. In this episode, he explains the key doctrines that caused him to leave and where the Catholic church got several important points wrong. Mr. Russell explains some of the core Catholic beliefs, such as prayer to the saints and the Eucharist, while also showing how we oftentimes misunderstand key points of Catholic theology.
Episode Guest Info
Stephen Russell
Stephen Russell earned a degree in European Studies at George Mason University (1986-1988), and an M.A. in Church History and Theology at Wheaton Graduate School (1989). His voluntary service experiences include two summers in Germany (1978, 1982), Choice Books (1981), and a halfway house for parolees (1980). He taught in Christian schools for five years and worked at Choice Books for seventeen years. During a seven month stay in Israel (2006), he wrote a book on nonresistance, Overcoming Evil God’s Way.
Read MoreEpisode Host
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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