Discussion Jumpstarter
Study leader reference - not a definitive answer
Question 5
Dean warns about “the leaven of Herod” getting into Anabaptist people—what did he seem to mean by that leaven in this conversation (tone, loyalties, hopes, methods), and where do you see those same ingredients shaping Christian thinking today?
Another way to ask: In this talk, what did Dean mean by the “leaven of Herod” getting into Anabaptists (like tone, loyalties, hopes, or methods), and where do you see the same pattern in Christians today?
Discussion Jumpstarter
Direct Answer
Based on the speaker’s teaching, “the leaven of Herod” means adopting the political spirit of worldly power—its loyalties, hopes, and methods—so that Christians start thinking like partisan activists rather than kingdom people. He sees it showing up in campaigning, celebrating political leaders, and trusting elections to fix what only Jesus can heal.
- Dean says people are “imbibing… this whole… way of thinking of the current presidency,” which he calls “very scary.”
- He connects it directly to Jesus’ warning: “Jesus warns of the leaven of Herod. And this leaven… is getting into our people.”
- He describes behavior shifts: “I was disappointed by the behavior… as I saw this campaigning.”
- He gives an example of loyalty/celebration: young people “had toasted… Trump’s birthday,” and he asked, “what happened to all my teachings…?”
- He clarifies he is not promoting another party: “it’s not like at all that I want to campaign for the other party.”
- He defines the leaven’s core: looking to “American politics… to fix our problem,” rather than trusting that “Jesus has the answers.”