The Christians Luther and Calvin Tried to Silence
Soteriology 101 w/ Dr. Leighton Flowers
teaching
August 21, 2026
What happened to the Christians who rejected infant baptism, defended human free will, and sought to live according to the teachings of Jesus during the Protestant Reformation?
In this conversation, David Bercot joins Leighton Flowers and Warren McGrew to discuss the often-overlooked history of the Anabaptists. Bercot explains why he identifies as an Anabaptist, how their theology differed from Catholic, Lutheran, and Reformed traditions, and why many early Anabaptists faced severe persecution.
The discussion also examines the historic debate over free will and predestination, Luther's response to Erasmus, the suppression of Anabaptist writings, and the striking reputation many Anabaptists developed for sincere Christian living even among their theological opponents.
Rather than treating church history as infallible, this conversation asks an important question: What can Christians learn by going back to the historical sources for themselves?
📖 IN THIS VIDEO:
✅ Why David Bercot identifies as an Anabaptist
✅ The Anabaptist view of free will and salvation
✅ Luther's response to Erasmus on human ability
✅ Why Anabaptists were persecuted during the Reformation
✅ How Anabaptist books and writings were suppressed
✅ Whether persecution affected which theological traditions survived
✅ What the lives of early Anabaptists can teach Christians today
This discussion comes from Soteriology 101 with Leighton Flowers and guests David Bercot and Warren McGrew.
Watch the full video here:
https://www.youtube.com/live/A_OTUHHABA4?si=B2_fOD7eOdIciDAk
TIMESTAMPS:
00:00 Why David Bercot Became an Anabaptist
01:06 Anabaptists, Infant Baptism & Free Will
03:24 Why Would God Command What We Cannot Do?
04:10 Salvation Is Open to Everyone
04:22 The Persecution of the Anabaptists
05:28 Were Anabaptist Writings Suppressed?
05:42 Could Anabaptists Have Dominated the Reformation?
06:18 Why Free Will Never Got a Fair Hearing
07:21 Reformers Praised Anabaptist Lives—But Still Opposed Them
08:01 Does Someone's Life Prove Their Theology?
08:32 The Fruit of Free Will vs. Determinism
09:32 Convince Them With Prayer and Patience
10:28 Jesus Said You Will Know Them by Their Fruit
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Topics
anabaptistsanabaptismprotestant reformationdavid bercotleighton flowerssoteriology 101warren mcgrewcalvinismfree willpredestination












