Does the Hebrew Bible matter for Christians? In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete is joined by Nerds-in-Residence Anna Sieges-Beal, Aaron Higashi, and Cynthia Shafer-Elliott to answer your...

Does the Hebrew Bible matter for Christians? In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete is joined by Nerds-in-Residence Anna Sieges-Beal, Aaron Higashi, and Cynthia Shafer-Elliott to answer your...

What parts of our faith are worth holding onto? In this episode of Faith for Normal People, Presiding Bishop Michael Curry joins Pete and Jared to discuss ways to think differently about scripture and the...

Should Christians use the Bible as a template for a healthy marriage? In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Dr. Jennifer Bird joins Jared and Angela Parker to bust the myth of “biblical” marriage....

In this episode of Faith for Normal People, Lee Camp joins Pete and Jared to discuss the relationship between Christianity and politics, challenging the idea that Christianity is apolitical by arguing that...

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete dives into the story of Abraham in Genesis. Pete explores Abraham’s importance as a pivotal figure in the Bible, detailing his journey, covenants with God,...

In this episode of Faith for Normal People, Elizabeth Orr joins Pete and Jared to discuss the Enneagram and its role in fostering self-compassion and personal growth. Together they highlight how understanding...

In this bonus episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete and Jared continue their conversation with Jon D. Levenson about the theme of child sacrifice in the Bible, focusing on how the idea evolved from...

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete and Jared are joined by Jon D. Levenson to discuss the complex and ancient practice of child sacrifice, focusing on biblical and ancient Near Eastern...

In this episode of Faith for Normal People, Pete and Jared talk with Valarie Kaur, a renowned Sikh activist, lawyer, and author, about the Sikh tradition and her philosophy of Revolutionary Love. Together...

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete and Aaron Higashi talk to Madhavi Nevader about the rise and fall of monarchy in ancient Israel and its representation in the Bible. Together they explore...

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete continues his exploration of the Book of Genesis, diving into Genesis 5-11 by examining the complexities of the genealogies and the flood narrative,...

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete and Jared are joined by Greg Carey to explore the concept of apocalyptic literature within the Bible and its broader implications. Greg delves into the...

In this episode of Faith for Normal People, Jared and J. Aaron Simmons delve into the philosopher Søren Kierkegaard’s radical critique of Christendom, explaining why he thought institutionalized religion had...

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete and Jared talk with Amy-Jill Levine about misconceptions surrounding the Pharisees and how to understand them in their context. The conversation delves...

In this episode of Faith for Normal People, Jared and Angela Parker talk to Yolanda Pierce about the different paths of deconstruction, how womanist and intersectional theology provides plenty good room, and...

A tale as old as time…Pete is ruining the book of Genesis! In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete lovingly dissects Genesis 1-4 and the biblical story of “how things began.”  Show Notes...

In this episode of Faith for Normal People, Pete talks to David Dark about the necessity of doubt in the life of faith and the human experience. Show Notes → ********** This episode is sponsored by AG1. If...

What makes biblical studies different from theology, and vice versa? Why does it matter? In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete and Jared ruminate on the goals, methods, and focus of each...

In this episode of Faith for Normal People, Jared and Jennifer Garcia Bashaw talk with Regina Shands Stoltzfus about the intersection of faith and nonviolence, how theology taught in church moves us to...

Who was really responsible for the execution of Jesus—Roman soldiers or Jewish leaders? In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, J. Christopher Edwards joins Pete and Jared to explore early Christian...

What does Nehemiah have to teach us about the challenge of hermeneutics and theology today? In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete ruins the book of Nehemiah by illuminating the key concepts,...

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Jennifer Garcia Bashaw joins Pete and Jared to discuss how various atonement theories attempt to explain Jesus’s death. This is a reissue of The Bible for...

In this episode of Faith for Normal People, Pete and Anna Sieges Beal talk to Anna Case-Winters about incarnation and crucifixion, the coexistence of humanity and divinity in Jesus, and how process theology...

Is the biblical author John the person we think he is? In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Hugo Méndez joins Jared and Jennifer Garcia Bashaw to talk about some of the theories on the authorship...

In this episode of Faith for Normal People, Pete and Jared discuss religious trauma with Candice Czubernat, a therapist and founder of The Christian Closet. Together they identify religious trauma, examine...

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete ruins the book of Ezra by examining the themes, characters, issues, and connections found within the text; diving into the Moses-like leadership of Ezra,...

Tamice Spencer-Helms joins Jared in this episode of Faith for Normal People for a conversation about the integration of faith and identity. Tamice shares their journey of navigating life as a queer and Black...

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Charles Halton joins Pete and Jared to discuss how the Bible portrays God as being humanlike, the origin of resistance to seeing humanlike characteristics of...

In this episode of Faith for Normal People, Jared and Pete have a candid conversation with Sarah Bessey about the highs and lows of her own evolving faith journey and how we can learn to embrace the...

Cain is a cannibal, Eve tells her own version of the fall of man, and the Garden of Eden has a dividing wall? In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete and Jared talk to Jack Levison about the...

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete makes the case for why you shouldn’t skip 1 and 2 Chronicles after slogging through Samuel and Kings. He explores the Chronicler’s distinct theology,...

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete and co-host Cynthia Shafer-Elliott learn from Jamal-Dominique Hopkins about the history of sacrifice in the Qumran community and the significance of the...

In this episode of Faith for Normal People, Jared talks with J.S. (Joon) Park about his experiences with death, grief, and loss as a hospital chaplain for a Level 1 Trauma Center. Together they discuss the...

Whose contributions to the production of the Bible have been historically overlooked? In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete and Jared have a fascinating conversation with Candida Moss about...

In this episode of Faith for Normal People, Pete and Jared tackle your questions about faith, identifying a common theme of the tendency toward dualism and binary thinking and exploring how to think more...

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete is back to his usual antics ruining a book of the Bible. This time he’s conquering 2 Kings, uncovering the historical context, socio-political influences,...

In this episode of Faith for Normal People, Grace Baldridge (known by the artist name Semler) joins Pete and Jared to talk about the moving target of faith, whether leaving church is leaving God, and Grace’s...

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Aaron Higashi joins Pete to talk about five key points in understanding 1 & 2 Samuel—and why our reading of this biblical tragedy doesn’t have to be...

We’re back for our second season of Faith for Normal People! Comedian Pete Holmes joins Pete and Jared to contemplate oneness with God, what it means to identify as a Christian, the parable of the prodigal...

We’re back for our eighth season of the podcast! In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, New Testament scholar Bart Ehrman joins Pete and Jared to discuss the historical reliability of the Gospels,...

Merry Christmas and happy holidays! Podcast producer Brittany and audio engineer/editor Stephen have joined forces to bring you a special blooper episode with behind-the-scenes clips from Season 7 of The...

Join us for the final episode of The Bible for Normal People Season 7 as Pete and Jared end the year on an easy note by tackling the cultural, historical, and societal context of the birth of Jesus as found...

In this episode of Faith for Normal People, Pete and Jared are joined by Adil Hussain Khan to talk about the story of Abraham in the Islamic tradition, how Islam differs from Judaism and Christianity, and...

Is the phenomenon of speaking in tongues purely ecstatic or purely linguistic? Join Pete and Jared in this episode of The Bible for Normal People as guest Ekaputra Tupamahu analyzes the history and...

In this episode of Faith for Normal People, hosts Pete Enns and Jared Byas speak with Irish poet and theologian Pádraig Ó Tuama, delving into the appreciation and understanding of the Bible through the lens...

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Jacob L. Wright joins Pete and Jared to discuss the origins of the Hebrew Bible, moving beyond just the “how” and asking the deeper question of “why” the Bible...

In this episode of Faith for Normal People, Pete and Anna talk to Grace Ji-Sun Kim about how theology impacts marginalized communities, what intersectionality means, and how theology and biography are...

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete and Jared are joined by Robyn Whitaker to discuss the themes, movements, and symbolism found within the book of Revelation, as well as the various ways the...

In part two of our series on the problem of evil, Jared and Pete talk with Tom Oord about why people struggle to reconcile evil and suffering with a good God, theological solutions to the problem throughout...

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Marc Brettler and Alan Lenzi join Pete and Jared to discuss the context of evil in the Bible and other ancient Mesopotamian texts, giving insight into how...

In this episode of Faith for Normal People, Christin Fort and Jared discuss how attachment theory plays into our perceptions of God, the impact of theology on mental health, and how understanding ourselves...

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, our resident destroyer Pete is on a mission to ruin the book of 1 Kings by delving into the historical context and narrative themes of this ancient text which...

Matthias Roberts joins Jared and Angela Parker in this episode of Faith for Normal People to talk about his work as a psychotherapist, the path to healing from religious trauma, and what faith after religious...

Nerd alert—we’re diving into biblical studies in this episode of The Bible for Normal People as Pete and Jared talk with Barbara Leung Lai about her work studying the inner life of characters in the Hebrew...

In this episode of Faith for Normal People, Eddie Howells joins Pete and Jennifer for an enlightening conversation on the history and theology of Christian mysticism, talking about three strands of its...

Pete and Jared are joined by renowned scholar John Dominic “Dom” Crossan in this episode of The Bible for Normal People as they take a tour of the gospels that didn’t make the cut for the New Testament....

Cole Arthur Riley joins Jared on this episode of Faith for Normal People to talk about the harm done by disembodied theology, the value of intergenerational spirituality, the hard work of remembering well,...

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete and Jared talk with Richard Kalmin about the origins and history of the Talmud, why it was written, and how the text has functioned not just within Jewish...

In this episode of Faith for Normal People, Felipe Hinojosa joins Pete and Jared to talk about the history of the Latino Mennonite tradition in the United States, Latino political and religious resistance,...

We’re uncovering more than Boaz’s feet in this episode of The Bible for Normal People as Judy Fentress-Williams joins Pete and Jared to take a historical-critical look at the symbolism, cultural context, and...

In this episode of Faith for Normal People, moral theologian Lisa Fullam joins Jared to explore virtue ethics, Ignatian spirituality, matters of conscience, and practical methods for moral decision...

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Steed Davidson joins Pete and Jared to explain the origin of postcolonial biblical studies, the outcome of reading Scripture through a postcolonial lens, and...

In this episode of Faith for Normal People, Pete and Hans Halvorson ponder the origins of the universe, quantum theory, entanglement, the existence of God, and the tension (or lack thereof) between science...

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, we continue on the ruinous journey through the Deuteronomistic History as our troop leader Pete fearlessly guides us through the book of 2 Samuel. Show Notes...

In this episode of Faith for Normal People, Jared continues his journey of vulnerability and shares how his self-perception, desire for belonging, and struggle with his childhood traditions molded his faith...

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Safwat Marzouk joins Pete and Jared for a deep dive into the book of Ezekiel, exploring its historical and geopolitical context, the dual callings of Ezekiel as...

Can science explain our personal religious experiences? In this episode of Faith for Normal People, Pete and Jared are joined by Sarah Lane Ritchie to talk about the advancements and limits of cognitive...

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Jared talks with Father Shannon T.L. Kearns, cofounder of Queer Theology, about engaging with Scripture as a transgender Christian, finding a better way to...

In this episode of Faith for Normal People, Pete and David Bentley Hart journey through an abridged history of the origin of the Christian creeds and discuss the purpose the creeds have served in the story of...

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Cheryl B. Anderson joins Pete and Jared to discuss ethics, law, and how we read the Bible. This is a reissue of The Bible for Normal People Episode 173 from...

In this episode of Faith for Normal People, Ally Henny joins Jared to talk about the history of using her voice, what it means to embrace your Holy Hell No, and how speaking the truth can set you free in a...

What do people mean when they say they take the Bible literally? In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Jared breaks down how words in this common phrase are overworked and underpaid, how it...

In this episode of Faith for Normal People, Pete and Jared sit down with Brian McLaren to discuss stages of faith, the prevalence of doubt, and what paths to faith after doubt might look like. This is a...

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Jared and Pete are joined by Amy Kalmanofsky to reveal the narrative role of sisters in the Hebrew Bible, explain three categories of sister relationships, and...

Dale C. Allison Jr. joins Pete in this episode of Faith for Normal People to talk about his own mysterious divine encounters, how testimony can become data, and why it’s important to acknowledge the limits of...

Everything you thought you knew about Mary Magdalene is questioned in this episode of The Bible for Normal People, in which Elizabeth Schrader Polczer joins Pete and Jared to discuss textual criticism, the...

In this episode of Faith for Normal People, Danté Stewart joins Pete and Jared to share how reading the works of Black authors shaped his spiritual journey and how viewing Black literature as sacred can make...

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete and Jared are joined by Manuel Cruz to discuss the philosophy of being moral, how morality intersects with the Christian spiritual life, and what we can...

In this episode of Faith for Normal People, Kaitlin Curtice joins Pete and Jared to talk about her new book Living Resistance and how a life of faith can thrive if we let go of the need for linear success and...

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete and Jared answer questions from community members in The Society of Normal People, pulling on a common thread of how to move beyond dualism and find wisdom...

In this episode of Faith for Normal People, Jared and co-host Jennifer Garcia Bashaw talk with sex educator Erica Smith, M.Ed. about the harmful effects of purity culture and the work she does to empower...

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete and Jared are joined by Lisa Marie Bowens to peel back the layers within 2 Corinthians, examining the themes, rhetoric, and narrative purpose of the cosmic...

In this very special episode of Faith for Normal People, Pete and Jared are graced by the presence and wisdom of Rainn Wilson, whose new book Soul Boom prescribes a spiritual revolution to treat our...

Murderous kings, political turmoil, and charismatic shepherds—oh my! In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete outlines the thematic underpinnings, historical context, and biblical scholarship...

In this episode of Faith for Normal People, Pete and Jared talk with D. Danyelle Thomas about how decolonizing Christianity is an act of love toward marginalized communities, and why deconstruction doesn’t go...

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Jared and Pete talk with Dan McClellan about divine agency in early Israelite thought, and how cognitive linguistics helps us to make sense of the complications...

In this episode of Faith for Normal People, our beloved co-host Jared Byas bestows upon us the rare gift of vulnerability as he shares his own story of shifting faith through childhood and young adulthood,...

What does it mean for the Bible to be authoritative? In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Cameron B. R. Howard joins Pete and Jared to discuss how tradition has impacted the idea of authority of...

Cultural anthropologist Joseph Henrich joins Pete and Jared in this episode of Faith for Normal People to explain how the unique psychology of modern Western society was shaped by particular rules about...

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete and Jared are joined by Josh James to embark on an adventure through the Book of Psalms, unpacking the biblical scholarship surrounding this beloved,...

In this episode of Faith for Normal People, Pete hosts a conversation with Robin Parry about the historical roots, biblical references, and common misunderstandings related to universal salvation in the...

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Sam Boyd joins Pete and Jared to uncover the misconceptions which are often read into the Tower of Babel story and get to the heart of the political and...

In this episode of Faith for Normal People, social psychologist Jonathan Jong joins Pete and Jared to talk about the history and science behind death anxiety and how the reality of mortality impacts people...

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete and Jared consider how elevating the Bible to a special status can cheapen our experience of reading it as a multi-vocal anthology of literature. Show...

In this episode of Faith for Normal People, Jared talks with author and trauma-informed counselor K.J. Ramsey about the impact of trauma, finding hope through loss, and trusting the wisdom of our emotions and...

Aaron Koller joins Pete and Jared in this episode of The Bible for Normal People to explore the book of Esther, discussing scholarly opinions of its historical accuracy, major themes within the narrative,...

Bekah McNeel joins Jared and co-host Jennifer Garcia Bashaw in this episode of Faith for Normal People to talk candidly about the challenges of parenting in the midst of a shifting faith—the good, the bad,...

Hold onto your communion wafers, folks! In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Meredith J. C. Warren guides Pete and Jared through eight weird verses in John 6:51-58, exploring whether or not the...

In this episode of Faith for Normal People, cognitive neuroscientist Anil Seth leaves no brain region unused as he joins Pete and Jared to talk about consciousness, experience, perception, what it means to be...

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, our beloved book ruiner Pete brings the gavel down on Judges, examining the historical and literary context of the book and revealing the driving force of the...

In this episode of Faith for Normal People, Pete and Jared are joined by Rhett and Jessie McLaughlin to talk about their own journey of shifting faith as individuals and as a married couple, what it was like...

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete and Jared talk with David Lambert about how scholars define “scripture,” how communities throughout history have changed the meaning and nature of biblical...

Welcome to Faith for Normal People, the only other God-ordained podcast on the internet—brought to you by Pete Enns and Jared Byas of The Bible for Normal People. In this episode, Pete and Jared introduce the...

We’re back for the seventh season of The Bible for Normal People and we’re kicking things off with Beth Allison Barr! In this episode, Beth joins Pete and Jared to talk about the historical and cultural...

We’re bringing a little bah and a little humbug to the Christmas pageant in this episode of The Bible for Normal People as Pete and Jared do their very best to ruin Christmas! Find out what Christmas means to...

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Joel Marcus breaks down the history and intricacies of how, when, and why the Christian religion broke away from Judaism, and how that turn toward independence...

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People Podcast, Pete and Jared talk with Emilie Townes about womanist ethics, interpreting the Bible, and hope. Show Notes → Learn more about your ad choices. Visit...

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete ruins the book of Joshua and evangelical home décor in one fell swoop by examining the historicity of the conquest narrative and the theological...

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Meredith Riedel gives an overview of Byzantine Christianity—what it is, when it happened, how it evolved, and why Western Christians should care about it.  Show...

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Daniel Kirk joins Pete and Jared to explain the major themes in the book of Romans, why the Romans Road view of salvation is insufficient, and how a focus on...

Happy Halloween! Pete and Jared embrace spooky season in this episode of The Bible for Normal People as Gregory Mobley discusses the biblical roots, origin stories, and cultural myths surrounding the Satan...

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Jared explains the philosophical concept of deconstruction, where it came from, and three misconceptions about deconstruction as related to the Bible. Show...

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete and Jared are joined by Jewish New Testament scholar Pamela Eisenbaum to talk about the many misunderstandings surrounding Paul, one of the most...

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete and Jared reflect on all the ruining they’ve been doing, what it means for how we read and connect with the Bible going forward, and how they’ve been...

Are the stories written about the biblical character David fact or fiction? Find out in this episode of The Bible for Normal People as Jared, Pete, and professor Joel Baden pull back the curtain to reveal how...

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Jemar Tisby joins Jared and Pete to talk about the legacy of systemic racism in the white American evangelical church, and how white Christians can practice...

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete ruins Deuteronomy by explaining the influence of ancient Near Eastern culture on the laws and the historical narrative of the time, while also exploring...

Hold onto your thinking cap, because this episode of The Bible for Normal People is going to get really, really nerdy. Pete and Jared are joined by psychologist, professor, and priest Jonathan Jong to talk...

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Rev. Dr. Angela N. Parker joins Pete and Jared to talk about the impact of white supremacy in the field of biblical interpretation, whether we can truly read...

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete and Jared unpack the centrality of the monarchy in the Hebrew Bible, the function of monarchy within the biblical narrative arc, and how not every story or...

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Jared and Pete talk with Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg about the practice of repentance and the pursuit of repair in Judaism based on five steps from the medieval...

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Amanda Held Opelt joins Pete and Jared to talk about how her faith was impacted by her own experience with grief, and how rituals of mourning practiced by other...

Get your calculators ready…in this episode of The Bible for Normal People Podcast, Pete explores the book of Numbers in all its numerical and narrative glory—census lists, marches around the tabernacle,...

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People Podcast, Pete and Jared talk with David P. Gushee about the role of the Bible in Christian ethics and how those ethics can guide our morality as global citizens...

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Dr. Sidnie White Crawford joins Pete and Jared to discuss the most important manuscript find in Hebrew Bible studies and how it impacts the New Testament. Show...

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People Podcast, Jared Byas concludes his four-part series exploring the shortcomings of evangelicalism’s ties to the modern mindset and how leaving the modern mindset...

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, David Farrier joins Pete and Jared to discuss what he has uncovered while researching the downward spiral of megachurches. Show Notes → Learn more about your ad...

Does the Bible address modern moral questions? In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete and Jared dive into a discussion on the uniquely modern tension between an ancient text and modern...

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Dale Allison joins Pete and Jared to discuss historical criticism and the resurrection. Show Notes → Learn more about your ad choices. Visit...

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Amy Kenny joins Pete and Jared to discuss what we have been taught about disability and invites us to reconsider how we think about disability being portrayed...

We almost named this episode of The Bible for Normal People “Pete Rescues Leviticus,” because for most of you, Leviticus is ruined already. Not easily deterred, Pete Enns dives right in and helps us wrap our...

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Andre Henry joins Pete and Jared to discuss the cultural and theological underpinnings of systemic racism in the church. Show Notes → Learn more about your ad...

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Jeff Chu joins Pete and Jared to discuss what the Bible has to say about grief and what grief looks like as a personal, communal, and spiritual practice. Show...

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Jeff Chu joins Pete and Jared to discuss what the Bible has to say about grief and what grief looks like as a personal, communal, and spiritual practice. Show...

How are faith and nature interwoven? In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Debra Rienstra joins Pete and Jared to discuss the value of the created world in scripture and what it looks like to care...

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete and Jared celebrate their two-hundredth episode by discussing why the Bible still matters, looking at the Bible as a book of wisdom, and approaching the...

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Becca Stevens joins Pete and Jared to share how the embodiment of faith can be an engine toward great good in the world. Show Notes → Learn more about your ad...

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Anna Sieges joins Pete and Jared to elaborate on the benefits of viewing the Minor Prophets as a literary whole. Show Notes → Learn more about your ad choices....

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People Podcast, Jared Byas explores how fundamentalist evangelicalism has bought into the modern mindset in some important ways, while condemning it in other ways. Show...

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Chris Hoklotubbe joins Pete and Jared to discuss the concept of the trickster, the value of learning from nature, and what a few biblical stories look like...

How does the Bible interact with history? In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Gary Rendsburg joins Pete and Jared to discuss how history, epic, and theology are interwoven to create the biblical...

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete works through some common issues that make it hard to stay Christian and shares a few personal reasons why he stays Christian anyway. Show Notes → Learn...

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People Podcast, Lisa Sharon Harper joins Pete and Jared to discuss the impact that colonization and enslavement had on Scripture and how to begin the humble business of...

What parts of our faith are worth holding onto? In this episode of The Bible for Normal People Podcast, Presiding Bishop Michael Curry joins Pete and Jared to discuss ways to think differently about scripture...

In this episode, Pete & Jared discuss the inevitability of reading our own context into the Bible and how reading the Bible creatively can help connect it to our own universe. Show Notes → Learn more about...

In this episode, Austin Channing Brown joins Pete and Jared to discuss her experience within various faith traditions and the importance of the Bible, sermons, and community within the Black church. Show...

In this episode, Austin Channing Brown joins Pete and Jared to discuss her experience within various faith traditions and the importance of the Bible, sermons, and community within the Black church. Show...

Why is the adjustment of beliefs based on experience often misunderstood or even maligned? In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete Enns explores how our formational experiences are not the enemy...

Isn’t Acts just about the founding of the church? In this episode, Willie James Jennings joins Pete and Jared to discuss how the book of Acts reconstitutes what it means to be the people of God. Show Notes...

In this episode, Kirsten Powers joins Pete and Jared to discuss toxic public discourse, non-dualistic thinking, and a look at how grace might hold a different meaning than we previously imagined. Show Notes...

In this episode, Jared Byas explores the impact of reason and rationalism as he continues his deep dive into the origins of the modern mindset. Show Notes → Learn more about your ad choices. Visit...

In this episode, Randy Woodley joins Pete and Jared to discuss the impact of dualistic thinking on theology and how Jesus can be accessed outside of scripture. Show Notes → Learn more about your ad choices....

What comes to mind when you think about monsters? In this episode, Heather Macumber joins Pete and Jared to discuss monster theory and how monsters are more prevalent in scripture than most people...

In this week’s episode, Jennifer Bashaw joins Pete and Jared to discuss how various atonement theories attempt to explain Jesus’s death. Show Notes → Learn more about your ad choices. Visit...

Can Christianity and evolution coexist? In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete and Jared discuss a path forward for Christians who accept evolution and want to take the Bible seriously. Show...

In this week’s episode, Kate Bowler joins Pete and Jared to discuss how suffering can cause us to adjust what we think God is like and how harmful the prosperity gospel can be. Show Notes → Learn more about...

The book of Revelation is just plain weird. For this episode, Pete and Jared sit down with Brian K. Blount to discuss how to read and understand the book of Revelation. Show Notes → Learn more about your ad...

On this episode, Pete and Jared sit down with Paul Deal to discuss the intersection of mental health, psychology, and faith. Show Notes → Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of the Bible for Normal People, Pete Enns continues his habit of ruining things for everyone. Today’s topic is the book of Isaiah, and Pete shares five fun facts that biblical scholars like to...

For this episode, Pete and Jared are joined by Obery M. Hendricks, Jr., who walks us through pervasive biblical evidence for social justice. Show Notes → Learn more about your ad choices. Visit...

For this episode, Jared Byas takes a deep dive into the origins of the modern mindset and how understanding our own context impacts our study of the Bible. Show Notes → Learn more about your ad choices. Visit...

In this episode, Pete and Jared sit down with Jodi Magness to discuss what archaeology can teach us about Jesus in his Jewish context. And also - quiches, frittatas, and toilets. Oh my! Show Notes → Support...

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete and Jared sit down with Brian McLaren to discuss stages of faith, the prevalence of doubt, and what paths to faith after doubt might look like. Show Notes...

Can biblical interpretation have an ethical impact? Our guest this week, Cheryl B. Anderson, combines her background as a practicing attorney with her Ph.D. in Biblical studies to create a compelling...

In this episode, Pete looks at Genesis from an angle we’re guessing will be new to many of you. We’re going to focus on the big picture. What is Genesis as a whole about? For what purpose was it written? What...

The word of the day is "complicated" and the nerd-o-meter is set to the max. Join us on this week's episode as Pete & Jared explore the messiness of history and the origins of Yahweh with Dr. Ted Lewis. Show...

Where did white Evangelical support for men like Donald Trump come from? Pete & Jared sit down with Kristin Kobes Du Mez to discuss toxic patterns of masculinity and patriarchy that have surfaced over the...

What do you do when you notice something in the Bible that doesn’t pass the muster of historical research? In this episode, Pete & Jared discuss the problem of history found within the pages of the Bible and...

In this reissued episode, Pete & Jared converse with Xavier Pickett about ways in which the Bible and the church have been shaped by hundreds of years of systemic racism and white privilege.  Show Notes...

In this reissued episode, Pete & Jared converse with Xavier Pickett about ways in which the Bible and the church have been shaped by hundreds of years of systemic racism and white privilege.  Show Notes...

On this episode, Joshua Harris discusses his public deconstruction and how he has wrestled with questions of accountability for harmful ideas while also making room for grace. Show Notes → Support this...

How should we talk to our kids about God and the Bible? On this episode, Matthew Paul Turner discusses the importance of allowing children the space to explore spirituality and ask questions about God. Show...

We invited Stephanie Tait to discuss the cultural lens of ableism and how disability theology shapes the way she views God and the Bible.  Show Notes → Support this podcast at —...

On this episode, Pete talks about where our Bible comes from, its messy history, and what that means for us today.  Show Notes → Support this podcast at —...

We brought in Tripp Fuller, host of the podcast Homebrewed Christianity, to share his perspective on the Jesus of history and the Christ of theology and its relevancy in our lives today.  Show Notes → Support...

Wondering how Jared and his wife, Sarah, have navigated parenting amidst their transitions of faith? They cover what they tell their kids about Christianity, the Bible, and how their parenting is different...

Why were the stories of the Bible written down? On this episode Amanda Mbuvi shares about how the Bible plays a role in identity formation and how that affects how we read it.  Show Notes → Support this...

Why is Bible inerrancy so hard for people to give up? Pete and Jared dive into some possible explanations and take a look at the history of the belief that the Bible is inerrant.  Show Notes → Support this...

We love a good discussion on the formation of the Bible. Listen in as we talk to scholar Richard Elliott Friedman about the various texts that make up the Hebrew Bible, what clues we have to date them, and...

There’s many difficult stories the Bible but one people struggle with the most are those dealing with the death of children. On this episode, we are joined by Maria Doerfler who shares rich perspectives on...

We had a great conversation with Nadia Bolz-Weber about what is compelling about Christianity, why we all need to stop trying so hard, and what in the world there is to be hopeful about.  Show Notes → Support...

In this episode we are answering some of the most asked questions on our Ask Pete page. We get into a lot of topics like how other cultures interpret Jesus, how normal people can study the Bible on their own,...

Praying can feel difficult during hard times and especially after a faith deconstruction. Sarah Bessey joins us on this episode of the podcast to talk about what inspired her to write a book on prayer and...

It shouldn’t be a surprise to us now that people can read the same text and walk away with vastly different meanings. On this episode of the podcast, we’re talking with Amy-Jill Levine and Marc Brettler who...

James Kugel is back on the podcast sharing about how people during the biblical period understood God and how their views changed overtime. How does their understanding of God influence our understandings...

We’re back with Season 5! On this episode, Pete shares what makes Christianity distinct for him. He discusses the beginning of the Jesus movement, explains how New Testament writers probably understood their...

2020— What a year. We’re wrapping up the year and the fourth season of the podcast with a look back onto what we learned from this season and from the year as a whole. Show Notes → Support this podcast at —...

This episode features linguist and professor Christopher Rollston who helps us understand the importance of studying languages when it comes to dating and understanding the Bible. We talk about other ancient...

Many of us have encountered a type of Christianity that preaches an impending rapture and a call to repent of our sins as soon as possible. But where did that interpretation of Christianity come from? On this...

How has theology developed alongside the findings of science? On this episode, Pete is sharing his reflections on what quantum physics and the theory of evolution tell us about the Bible and how we should...

Benjamin D. Sommer is back on the podcast telling us all about his work on a biblical understanding of God’s body. He takes us through the history of thought on God’s body, the material God’s body is made out...

Jared has been breaking down Jonah for us on his solo episodes this year and this is his last segment! He delves into what the over all message of Jonah is, what questions it leaves us with, and what it...

We invited Emilie Townes on the podcast to talk about womanist ethics but our conversation morphed into so much more. We touched on the role of the Bible in ethics, the relevance of the Bible in our lives...

In this reissued episode, Pete and Jared sit down with Austen Hartke to discuss what the Bible has to say about transgender people. They get into unexamined Bible passages, mysterious Hebrew words, and how to...

Getting into the Halloween spirit? Don’t miss this spooky episode talking about all things apocalypse in Second Temple Judaism! Our guest Martha Himmelfarb is an expert on the subject and she tells us all...

This episode is the second installment of Jared’s deep dive (no pun intended) into the book of Jonah. In this episode, Jared gives us a taste of how rich this book is in metaphors and how a fuller...

John Franke joins the podcast to discussing his new book, Missional Theology. John shares some key components of missional theology and discusses how to overcome plurality, what evangelizing looks like...

We are so excited about the Everyday Life in Ancient Israel class Cynthia is teaching for us we just had to reissue her podcast episode from back in season 2. Cynthia talks with Pete and Jared about what she...

What separated Judaism from the Christian movement during the Second Temple Period? In this episode, Paula Fredriksen breaks down the beginnings of the Jesus movement and how it came to flourish. She gets...

This episode of the podcast is filled with listener question from our Ask Pete and Jared page on the website. Pete answers questions about Job, ancient Egyptian letters, the world of biblical scholarship,...

What does it mean to “speak the truth in love?” On this episode we’re taking about Jared’s new book Love Matters More and what it should actually look like for Christians to interact with people they disagree...

Ancient interpreters made all sort of assumptions about the Bible much like we do today. What do their assumptions tell us about how to interpret the Bible today? James Kugel breaks down the function of the...

Just because someone claims to hold the truth doesn't mean they actually do. On this episode, investigative journalist Ariel Sabar tells us the fascinating story of how a Harvard professor was duped into...

What is sin? It’s something we talk about often but rarely take the time to define. Gary Anderson has written a book on the subject so we brought him on the show to explain it to all us normal people. He...

On this episode, Pete and Jared discuss the intersection of faith and science with scientist and theologian Ilia Delio. They get into why these two subjects have historically been at odds and why it holds us...

What's the deal with Job? In this episode, Pete gives an overview of the book, pushes back on some readings you might have heard in the past, and points out some significant features that can help us better...

Joe Gordon is a professor at Johnson University in Tennessee. In this episode, we talk with him about his book Divine Scripture in Human Understanding. We discuss what it means for the Bible to be inspired...

We’re answering some listener questions from the Ask Pete page and answering the bigger question: Did the Bible get it wrong? We talk about the return of Jesus, David being a man after God’s own heart, and if...

We’re revisiting an episode from Season 1 in which Dr. Drew G. I. Hart shares about the Bible and white supremacy. We get into what exactly white supremacy is and how it has influenced how we read the Bible...

Brooke Prentis is an Aboriginal leader and CEO of a Christian organization in Australia called Common Grace. On this episode, she shares with us some Aboriginal perspectives on the Bible and how the Bible...

What happened during the time the writings of the Old Testament stopped and the New Testament writings began? People didn’t stop writing and what they wrote helps us better understand the context of the...

Many of us believe that our interpretations of the Bible are generally the same as everyone else's. But does that make them them good? On this podcast episode, we talk with Professor of Social Ethics and...

In this episode, Jared and Pete are joined by political correspondent Kirsten Powers, to talk about her journey of faith, her openness to the mystery of God, and how she’s learning to treat others with a...

Biblical scholarship has grown a lot over the centuries but there are some ideas that are just so good they never go away! On this episode of the podcast, Pete looks at one of those foundational ideas: Julius...

Under the hood of America, we see an interesting history of using the book of Revelation to talk about immigration. Our guest, NT scholar Yii-Jan Lin walks us through the profound impact the book of...

In this episode Jared begins to tackle the book of Jonah by asking, “What kind of book is this?” as well as introducing the first chapter. Just because Jesus mentions Jonah does that mean we have to believe...

The writings of formerly enslaved people tell us a lot about how they viewed the Bible. We sat down with Professor Emerson Powery to talk about how the Bible was used around the institution of slavery and how...

On this week's episode, Pete and Jared are talking about the afterlife. What is it and what does the Bible say about it?  Show Notes →   Support this podcast at —...

If we look under the surface, we find a fascinating conversation about the Spirit of God in the Bible. Considering the word for Spirit, Wind, and Breath of God is often the same in the Bible, how are we to...

Dr. Martin Luther King says “All people are caught in an Inescapable network of mutuality.” So what does that mean when it comes to the gospel, the Bible, and how we navigate racial equality? In this episode,...

This week Pete & Jared talk to Meghan Henning about hell. She shares with us her knowledge of the ancient world Jesus and the New Testament writers were familiar with and how they might have understood...

That 50 cent word describes something many Bible readers have noticed: the way the New Testament writers quote the Old often has little to do with what the Old Testament writers were actually trying to say....

Translating the Bible is more than just about being woodenly accurate. We’re humans after all. In this episode, Pete and Jared talk to Sarah Ruden, who talks about using our imaginations to put ourselves in...

Sometimes it can be easy to forget the psychological ramifications of our faith. The way our faith shapes the language we use to talk about tragedies and sadnesses in our life can be life-giving or it can...

It’s hard to know where the Bible fits into our political views, our ethical stances, and how we live out life. Pete and Jared point out how many of us might be using the Bible in disrespectful and...

Christianity is diverse and so are all the ways Christians have read the Bible through the centuries. James Martin helps us understand a Jesuit practice of reading Scripture that engages both the head and...

Here's what's coming up in Season 4 of The Bible For Normal People podcast Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-bible-for-normal-people/donations Advertising Inquiries:...

Here in our last episode for Season 3, Pete & Jared take a deeper dive into Pete’s latest book and how we can further answer these questions, “What is the Bible and what do we do with it?”  Show Notes...

This week, Pete & Jared sit down with Tom Oord and discuss the things God can and cannot do and how that affects our view of the world, the Bible, and salvation.   Show Notes →   Support this podcast at —...

In this final episode of the Dundee Award Winning series, Pete looks at the significance and symbolism of the tabernacle, which takes up a whopping 13 chapters, and the Golden Calf episode, which threatens to...

On this episode of the Bible For Normal People, we look back to Season 1 when Pete and Jared talked with theologian Megan DeFranza on a topic that deeply affects the lives of many, but that few Christians are...

On this episode of the Bible For Normal People, we look back to Season 1 when Pete and Jared talked with theologian Megan DeFranza on a topic that deeply affects the lives of many, but that few Christians are...

You may have noticed that we’re in a political season with a lot of charged rhetoric, so we decided to bring on someone who isn’t like that. Like at all. We have Pete Wehner, political commentator and...

A lot of parents who no longer hold to the same beliefs about the Bible and God they did when they were children are left wondering, “But how do we raise our kids?” Author and speaker Cindy Wang Brandt helps...

When we ask, “What does this passage mean?” the answer is a little more complicated than we might expect. Jared looks at some basic principles of biblical interpretation and how they might help us better read...

This episode originally aired as Episode 46 on April 23, 2018 This week, Jared & Pete talk to Wil Gafney about womanist interpretation of the Bible. In their discussion, Wil brings up fascinating nuances in...

This episode originally aired as Episode 46 on April 23, 2018 This week, Jared & Pete talk to Wil Gafney about womanist interpretation of the Bible. In their discussion, Wil brings up fascinating nuances in...

This week’s guest is Jeff Chu—author, journalist, advocate, co-creator of Evolving Faith—and our topic is grief, a universal experience that is often difficult to talk about it. We experience grief when...

Pete continues his award-winning, mind-bending—almost surreal—series on the book of Exodus. In this episode he looks the laws in chapters 20-24, namely the 10 Commandments and the so-called “Book of the...

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People Podcast, Pete and Jared talk with Jonathan Martin about the beauty of Pentecostalism, the value of being taught to listen to the Holy Spirit from a young age,...

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People Podcast, Pete and Jared talk with Andrew Perriman about the eschatology found in the Bible and how history helps us understand these apocalyptic texts.   Show...

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People Podcast, Pete and Jared talk about the themes in their newly upgraded book: Genesis for Normal People! They give us a taste of the multifaceted nature of...

This week Pete & Jared talk with Jennifer Knust.   Show Notes → Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-bible-for-normal-people/donations Advertising Inquiries:...

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People Podcast, actor, comedian, and enlightened guru Pete Holmes joins Pete & Jared to talk about his interesting journey of faith and the importance of moving from...

In this episode, Pete continues his deep dive into the book of Exodus covering chapters 14-19: the departure from Egypt and three-month journey to Mt. Sinai.  Show Notes → Support this podcast at —...

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People Podcast, Jared responds to Skillet lead singer, John Copper, and his public statement, "What in God's Name is Happening in Christianity?" Jared unpacks Christian...

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People Podcast, Pete and Jared talk with theologian and professor Dr. Cheryl Bridges Johns about how feminism has changed over the years and the importance of both...

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People Podcast, Pete and Jared tackle the question: Do we know God is good from the Bible? If you have a question for Pete & Jared, submit it on the Ask Pete page of...

This week Biblical Scholar Dr. Sylvia Keesmaat and Theologian Dr. Brian Walsh talk about what Paul was up to in the book of Romans. We visit topics like salvation and politics and how maybe those words don’t...

On this episode of The Bible for Normal People Podcast, we look back to our time with Dr. Amy-Jill Levine on understanding Jesus is his Jewish context. Levine is University Professor of New Testament and...

Pete continues his award-winning (his cat seems to like it) and mind-altering series on Exodus by diving into chapters 5-13: Moses and Aaron’s first confrontation with Pharaoh (which did and did not go well)...

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People Podcast, Pete and Jared talk with Richard Rohr about the (biblical) universal Christ and how this concept of Christ can expand our understanding of ourselves,...

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People Podcast, Pete and Jared take a close look at the call of David and the battle with Goliath (1 Samuel 16-17) to show how these biblical stories already portray...

This week’s episode with Rachel Held Evans is among her last podcast interviews, recorded 2 months before her untimely passing on May 4. We offer this episode, unedited, in Rachel’s honor and as a testimony...

Robert Alter has spent most of his life committed to studying the Bible and the last two decades creating an entirely new translation of the Old Testament. Pete and Jared talk about some of the insights he...

Pete continues his series in Exodus chapters 3 and 4. God reveals his plan to use Moses to deliver the Israelites from Egypt and Moses does everything he can think of to get out of it. He finally gets on...

Austen Hartke shares his journey of being a transgender Christian and discusses how the Bible might speak to the inclusion of all people into the people of God. LINKS "Transforming: The Bible and the Lives of...

Why does Paul say there are no longer slaves but then turns around and tells slaves to obey their masters? What gives? Do wives need to submit to their husbands just because Paul says so? Geez, Paul can be so...

What is Matthew all about? Why does it look the way it does? In this episode Judy Stack takes us to school and helps us to see the Gospel in a new...

Having grown up being told her body was bad, Linda Kay Klein was on a mission to hear from women about their own experiences with Purity Culture. In this episode we talk about what the Bible has to say about...

When people find out that the Bible is ancient, ambiguous, and diverse, they often ask, "Is the Bible true then?" Pete and Jared dive into the topic and talk about how truth–in the Bible–is...

What does it mean to remain faithful to the Bible but also have a moral imagination that might extend beyond the Bible? How can that be done? We talk with Jonathan Walton about how he connects those dots and...

This week on The Bible for Normal People, we have Austin Channing Brown as our guest. She shares about her experience growing up in various churches and what we can learn from black churches - especially when...

There’s a lot more going on in the book of Exodus than what you’ve seen on the big screen or heard in church. More than a story of deliverance, Exodus is a subtle literary creation that contains many...

Anxiety in the life of faith is a conversation that needs to happen more often. Elizabeth Enns Petters talks with us about her journey and how her old views on the Bible contributed to her anxiety and how her...

In this episode, Pete & Jared talk to Xavier Pickett about the Bible and slavery, the Bible and race, and the importance of theologian James Cone.   RESOURCES Reformed Blacks of America "The Civil War as a...

We talk often about how the Bible isn’t opposed to culture but is deeply embedded in it. Rhonda Burnette-Bletsch shows us how true that is in film by walking us through a few popular movies and how they...

All human beings are encultured creatures and limited by their humanity—as were the Biblical writers, and evidence for that jumps out at us at every page. The raw and limiting humanity of Scripture is to be...

Hip Hop artist Propaganda joins Pete and Jared for the season 3 opener and shares some deep—and we mean deep—thoughts about the music industry, artistic integrity, and what being Christian in all that means...

Here's a sneak peek of what's coming in Season 3 of The Bible For Normal People podcast.   http://www.thebiblefornormalpeople.com https://peteenns.com https://www.patreon.com/thebiblefornormalpeople Support...

In this episode, Jared and Pete look back at all of their guests in Season 2 to talk about language, history, and how personal experiences can't help but affect how we read the Bible. All in the effort to ask...

In this episode, Jared & Pete talk to Brad Jersak about how Orthodoxy views the Bible, and some other things, and how those differ from Evangelicalism.   Resources mentioned in this episode: "The Mirror of...

In this episode, Pete responds to an article from The Gospel Coalition entitled, "3 Beliefs Some Progressive Christians and Atheists Share." He takes issue with the harmful rhetoric that polarizes...

In this episode, Pete and Jared speak with Daniel Kirk about the Gospel of Mark. Mark's gospel goes to great lengths to provide unparalleled detail and symbolism that get more and more meaningful the deeper...

In this episode, Pete & Jared speak with Trey Pearson, former lead singer of the popular Christian band Everyday Sunday. Two years ago, Trey came out publicly and lost the support of his record label, church...

In this episode, Pete & Jared talk to Jonathan Merritt about the language of scripture, how it's changed over the years and how our interpretation and understanding must adapt to fully appreciate what the...

In this episode, Jared takes us into the book of Jeremiah and delves into some of the historical and cultural signifigance of the text.   A Commentary on Jeremiah: Exile and Homecoming by Walter...

In this episode from Season 1, Jared and Pete talk to Dr. Kent Sparks about the origins of the Israelites. Along the way they get into the nature of the Bible, the nature of the Christian faith, fundamental...

This week Pete & Jared sit down with Kevin Makins, founding pastor of Eucharist Church in Hamilton, Ontario. They talk about community, how he reads the Bible and how it informs the culture of his faith...

What does the Bible have to say about politics? Nothing, really. On the other hand, a lot—but not the way many tend to think. Rather than supporting a political agenda, the biblical story challenges us to...

This week, Jared & Pete talk to Brent Strawn about the Old Testament. They discuss some of the common criticisms of the Old Testament and how the modern Church has over-emphasized the New Testament much to...

In this episode, Pete & Jared discuss the value that creeds have in shaping the way we practice our faith. And how they can sometimes fall short, as demonstrated by the modern Statement on Social Justic & The...

In this episode, Jared & Pete talk to Mark Smith about the origin of Yahweh and how the term was understood in the first century.   RESOURCES: The Early History of God The Origins of Biblical...

In this episode, Jared tackles the question of how to engage with people that believe differently that we do. Many times we're guilty of shutting down the conversation and alienating people with opposing...

In this episode, Jared & Pete talk to William M. Schniedewind, professor of Near Eastern Languages & Cultures at UCLA. They discuss the challenges of accurately capturing the oral tradition of the Hebrew...

The Bible for Normal People podcast LIVE from the Wild Goose festival   web http://www.thebiblefornormalpeople.com https://peteenns.com     Patreon https://www.patreon.com/thebiblefornormalpeople     Wild...

In this episode, Pete Enns unpacks some of the problems presented by the Bible   additional resources mentioned in this episode: Benjamin D. Sommer, "Revelation & Authority" Benjamin D. Sommer, "Jewish...

In this reissue from Season 1, Jared and Pete talk to Rachel Held Evans on wrestling with doubt, how women are portrayed in the Bible and loving the scriptures even through personal doubt and...

In this episode, Jared & Pete answer questions submitted from The Bible For Normal People community.   resources mentioned in this episode: The New Interpreter's Study Bible The HarperCollins Study Bible...

In this episode, Pete & Jared talk with Sarah Bessey about her background in the Word of Faith movement, her deconstruction, and her journey to finding freedom in the Scriptures as she learned to read and...

In this episode, Pete takes a look at 9 things you need to know to get the somber book of Ecclesiastes. He cautions us against an optimistic reading as the author intends to question everything—even God....

In this episode, Pete and Jared talk with Jamie Wright, whose experience as a missionary in Costa Rica had led her to question the church, missions and evangelicalism all while retaining her deep love for and...

)In this episode, Jared & Pete talk with Rob Bell about his new book, "What is the Bible" and his own evolution in his thinking about the Bible [re-broadcast of Episode 1 from March 20, 2017]   The Bible for...

In this episode, Pete & Jared define critical thinking and unpack what it means to read the Bible critically. They suggest that a "God said it, that settles it" approach to scripture may not factor in the...

In this episode, Pete & Jared speak with Jeffrey Stackert about the origins of the Pentateuch, or the first five books of the Old Testament. Rather than looking at the books as separate works written by...

In this episode, Pete & Jared speak with recording artist Audrey Assad about her music, her theology, and the shift from her conservative fundamentalist roots to...

In this episode, Jared & Pete talk to Wil Gafney about the Womanist interpretation of the Bible. In their discussion, she brings out fascinating nuances in the text and challenges the predominantly...

In this episode, Pete (joined by his cat Marmalade) shares 10 things essential to understanding the book of Romans. He's quick to point out a number of varying opinions about this important letter and...

In this episode, Jared & Pete talk to Craig Allert about how the canon of scripture was curated. They also discuss the doctrine of "sola scriptura" and how the intertestimental books can be beneficial in...

This week Jared walks us through the ways in which the Bible is true and in some ways untrue. He'll start by unpacking what we mean when we talk about truth and give us some helpful insights into how we can...

In this episode, Jared & Pete talk to author, teacher and Episcopal priest Barbara Brown Taylor. They discuss the many different stages and "human fingerprints" involved in getting the Bible from the original...

In this episode, Pete & Jared talk to William Paul Young, author of the NY Times bestselling book and feature film, "The Shack." Young describes his thought process behind his controversial portrayal of God...

On this week's episode we have Fr. Richard Rohr to talk about a contemplative approach to the Bible. [re-broadcast from March 26, 2017 (Episode 2)] Support this podcast at —...

In this episode, Pete and Jared discuss Deuteronomy, the so-called “Deuteronomistic History,” and why God in these books is so over-the-top angry most of the...

On this episode, we talk with Peter Rollins about how Christians have made the Bible (along with their views of God) into a "sacred object.” And, spoiler alert: that's actually not a good thing. Support this...

Archaeologist Cynthia Shafer-Elliott turns a 2D Bible into a 3D picture by digging up artifacts from everyday ancient Israelite life. These were real people with real habits and customs that we never really...

In this episode, Pete Enns works through 7 big-picture issues that help us see what Proverbs is all about and why the idea of Wisdom is such an absolutely central and vital biblical concept that many know...

Jared & Pete talk with Brian McLaren about the dangers of a "weaponized Bible" and how our own bias and interpretation may cause us to reach some incomplete conclusions Support this podcast at —...

In this season 2 opener, Pete & Jared talk with Jen Hatmaker about what can happen, emotionally and relationally, when you change your mind about the Bible. And how to survive it with your faith...

Here's a glimpse of what's coming in season 2 of The Bible for Normal People, featuring Jen Hatmaker, Barbara Brown Taylor, William Paul Young, Brian McLaren, and Cynthia Shafer-Elliot. Support this podcast...

Season 1 wrap-up. Pete and Jared reflect on the first season of guests and topics and how they helped inform the big questions that drive this podcast. Season 2 is coming late January or early...

On this episode, Pete and Jared speak with Carolyn Custis James. Carolyn is an award-winning author who thinks deeply about what it means to be a female follower of Jesus in a postmodern world. Support this...

In our continuing effort to corrupt the minds of college students (because college students don't already have currupt minds), Pete and Jared recently took a road trip to Penn State to record an episode of...

On this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete Enns—without any adult supervision whatsoever—gives his own take on divine violence, specificially: the Flood story, the curses in Deuteronomy 28, and, of...

On this episode, Pete and Jared speak to New Testament scholar Anthony Le Donne about The Gospels as memories of Jesus rather than strictly speaking "historical" accounts. Le Donne is the author of several...

The week’s guest is pastor and author Greg Boyd, and our topic is how the crucifixion of Jesus helps us see divine violence in the Old Testament from a fresh angle. Support this podcast at —...

On this week's episode, Pete and Jared riff with great eloquence and profundity on three big words that come up sooner or later whenever you start talking about the Bible, especially when you start thinking...

On this episode, Pete and Jared speak with Drew Hart about race and the Bible. Hart is assistant professor of theology at Messiah College, author of Trouble I’ve Seen: Changing the Way the Church Views...

On this week's episode, Jared digs deep into that theologically deep, literarily complex, and definitely not "children's story," the book of Jonah. Support this podcast at —...

This week's episode looks at Womanist Biblical Interpretation with Pete and Jared’s guest Nyasha Junior, assistant professor in the department of religion at Temple University in Philadelphia. She writes,...

This week, Jared and Pete speak with Beverly Gaventa. Beverly is Distinguished Professor of New Testament Interpretation at Baylor University and Helen H.P. Manson Professor of New Testament Literature and...

In this week's episode, Pete Enns lays out 5 things to keep in mind when reading the Adam story that will challenge your preconceptions, offer fresh points of view, and likely turn our entire political...

On this episode, Pete and Jared talk with Hebrew Bible scholar and theologian Jon D. Levenson about where the idea of resurrection shows up in the Hebrew Bible and early Judaism, what it means when it does,...

This week Pete and Jared talk with speaker, author, and theologian Diana Butler Bass about her love for the Bible that has led her beyond code words and conventions to something deeper and more spiritually...

On this episode of the Bible For Normal People, Pete and Jared talk with theologian Megan DeFranza (actually, Megan educates us) on a topic that affects deeply the lives of many, but that few Christians even...

This week, Jared Byas takes on his first solo episode. Since he's a plebeian and doesn't have his own Wikipedia page (unlike Pete), he begins with a little autobiography and the recurring theme of taking the...

This week on The Bible for Normal People, Pete and Jared speak to Denis Lamoureux on a topic that never seems to go away. Lamoureux is associate professor of science and religion at St. Joseph’s College in...

On this episode, Pete and Jared talk with Ellen Davis, Amos Ragan Kearns Professor of Bible and Practical Theology at Duke Divinity School, about the value of the Old Testament for Christians.   Support this...

On this week's episode, Pete and Jared speak with Brian Zahnd about violence in the Bible. Brian Zahnd is the founder and lead pastor of Word of Life Church (Saint Joseph, MO), and he writes, blogs, and...

On this episode of the Bible For Normal People, Pete and Jared talk with Matthew Vines, author of God and the Gay Christian, about the complexities of biblical interpertation surrounding human...

On this episode, Pete and Jared talk with Marc Brettler on the conversation between the insights biblical scholarship, Jewish tradition, and the nature of the Bible. Support this podcast at —...

On this episode, Pete and Jared discuss how doubt in the life of faith is normal, biblical, and spiritually beneficial. Support this podcast at —...

On this week's epsiode, Jared and Pete speak with Ben Sommer, professor of Bible at the Jewish Theological Seminary (NYC). Christians have A LOT to learn from Jews about how their Bible works.   Support this...

In this week’s episode, Pete Enns explores "monolatry," the ancient Israelite belief that many gods existed but only one God, Yahweh, was worthy of worship. The ancient Israelites were not monotheists, and...

New Testament scholar Daniel Kirk joins us this week to discuss the humanity of Jesus and why that shouldn't be obscured.  Support this podcast at —...

On this week's episode Pete and Jared talk with historian and Old Testament professor Kent Sparks about the mysterious origins of the Israelites. Support this podcast at —...

On this week's episode Jared and Peter talk about their experiences with the challenge of teaching the Bible to children.  Support this podcast at —...

On this week's episode of The Bible for Normal People, we speak with Amy-Jill Levine on understanding Jesus is his Jewish context. Levine is University Professor of New Testament and Jewish Studies at...

On this week's episode, we talk with Mike McHargue about science and faith. Mike is the author of Finding God in The Waves and the host of two popular podcasts, The Liturgist Podcast and Ask Science...

This week's podcast is a discussion of the state of the Bible in the mainline church with Old Testament scholar and theologian Walter Brueggemann. Support this podcast at —...

On this week's episode, we speak with Rachel Held Evans on unraveling and re-raveling the Bible. Rachel has written three best-selling books exploring her evolving journey of faith. Support this podcast at —...

On this week's episode we have Fr. Richard Rohr to talk about a contemplative approach to the Bible.  Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-bible-for-normal-people/donations Advertising...

On this week's episode we talk to Rob Bell. He is the author of the upcoming book What Is The Bible? and the controversial New York Times Best-Seller Love Wins. Support this podcast at —...

This is the introduction to Bible for Normal People: The Only God Ordained Podcast on The Internet. Serious Talk About the Sacred Book with Pete Enns and Jared Byas. Support this podcast at —...