The Bible For Normal People

In this episode of Faith for Normal People, Pete and Jared talk with David P. Gushee about what it means to take seriously the moral teachings of Jesus. They dig into how Jesus’s teachings are anchored in cultural context, yet still speak to real-life questions about freedom, forgiveness, status, and what it looks like to live well and love others.  Show Notes → https://thebiblefornormalpeople.com/episode-61-david-p-gushee-living-the-teachings-of-jesus/  Watch this episode on YouTube → https://youtu.be/rkaqc-0AT8I ********** This episode is brought to you by Skylight. The Skylight Calendar is here to keep your family organized! This beautifully designed digital display syncs with your existing calendars, making it effortless to track events, appointments, and reminders in one easy-to-see place. Right now, Skylight is offering our listeners $30 off their 15 inch Calendars by going to SkylightCal.com/BIBLE. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete and Jared take on a central question: Is the Bible still relevant—and if so, how? They explore how modern views, especially the doctrine of biblical inerrancy, have shaped people's expectations and often led to disillusionment. Drawing from church history, ancient reinterpretations, and personal experiences, they offer insight into how the Bible can remain meaningful—through tradition, creative engagement, and thoughtful community practice. Show Notes → https://thebiblefornormalpeople.com/episode-303-pete-enns-jared-byas-is-the-bible-even-important-anymore/  Watch this episode on YouTube → https://youtu.be/CmnIF7aX1XE Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of Faith for Normal People, Beau Underwood and Brian Kaylor join Pete and Jared to explore the history of how mainline Protestants have contributed to Christian nationalism in the United States. They explain how patriotic worship practices, uncritical support for the state, and assumptions about the nation’s “Christian” identity have shaped the movement—and how churches today can begin to untangle faith from nationalism. Show Notes → https://thebiblefornormalpeople.com/episode-60-beau-underwood-brian-kaylor-christian-nationalism-across-the-political-spectrum/ Watch this episode on YouTube → https://youtu.be/KtmnH_URiAE ********** This episode is sponsored by Greenlight. Greenlight is the easy, convenient way for parents to raise financially smart kids and families to navigate life together. Don’t wait to teach your kids real-world money skills, start your risk-free Greenlight trial today at greenlight.com/normalpeople.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Dr. Julie Faith Parker joins Pete and Jared to reexamine the story of Eve through a feminist lens, challenging the long-held belief that Eve is the source of original sin. She unpacks how patriarchal interpretations have shaped cultural attitudes toward women for centuries—often in ways the biblical text doesn’t actually support.  Show Notes → https://thebiblefornormalpeople.com/episode-302-julie-faith-parker-how-interpretation-made-eve-a-villain/  Watch this episode on YouTube → https://youtu.be/s-k3JXZl3JM Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this reissue episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete and Jared sit down with the late Walter Brueggemann to reflect on how the Bible can be reclaimed in the mainline church after generations of historical criticism. He challenges both liberal and evangelical tendencies to reduce Scripture to rigid certainties, instead offering a vision of the Bible as a dynamic, imaginative script meant to be performed. With insights on authority, contradiction, justice, and the role of the church, Brueggemann invites us to take the Bible seriously—without taking it literally. This is a reissue of The Bible for Normal People Episode 4 from April 2017 in loving memory of our dear friend Walter (1933-2025).  Show Notes → https://thebiblefornormalpeople.com/episode-301-walter-brueggemann-resurrecting-the-bible-in-the-mainline-church-reissue/  Watch this episode on YouTube → https://youtu.be/nKt3oqEnwwk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of Faith for Normal People, Pete and Jared sit down with Malcolm Foley to explore the connection between racism and greed in American history, and the calling of Christians to live differently. Drawing from his book The Anti-Greed Gospel, they discuss how economic self-interest has fueled racial injustice, how the church has been both complicit and resistant, and what it means to practice economic solidarity rooted in the life of Jesus. Show Notes → https://thebiblefornormalpeople.com/episode-59-malcolm-foley-the-connection-between-racism-and-greed/  Watch this episode on YouTube → https://youtu.be/5SJuPmry2_g Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete and Jared sit down with Caroline Blyth and Emily Colgan to dive into the many forms of violence in the Bible, including violence attributed to God. They discuss how ancient context, gender dynamics, and structural power inform these texts, why confronting them matters, and how faith communities can engage these difficult passages with honesty and care. Show Notes → https://thebiblefornormalpeople.com/episode-300-caroline-blyth-emily-colgan-what-to-do-about-violence-in-the-bible/  Watch this episode on YouTube → https://youtu.be/sD43EBvkAGM Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of Faith for Normal People, Pete and Jared sit down with Adis Duderija to discuss the rich diversity of belief within Islam. Adis outlines various expressions of the faith, challenges the idea of Islam as monolithic, and explores some of the history behind how these iterations came to be.  Show Notes → https://thebiblefornormalpeople.com/episode-58-adis-duderija-the-diversity-of-islam/ Watch this episode on YouTube → https://youtu.be/jYinHLAHSHc ********** This episode is brought to you by Skylight. The Skylight Calendar is here to keep your family organized! This beautifully designed digital display syncs with your existing calendars, making it effortless to track events, appointments, and reminders in one easy-to-see place. Right now, Skylight is offering our listeners $30 off their 15 inch Calendars by going to SkylightCal.com/BIBLE. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete and Jared talk with Garrick Allen about the concept of paratexts—elements like chapter numbers, footnotes, titles, and formatting that surround the biblical text—and how these often-overlooked features significantly shape how we interpret Scripture. Together they explore how the Bible is a dynamic, evolving tradition influenced by centuries of human interaction and editorial choices. Show Notes → https://thebiblefornormalpeople.com/episode-299-garrick-allen-somethings-hiding-in-the-margins-of-your-bible/  Watch this episode on YouTube → https://youtu.be/VB3xThCuCEU Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this reissue of The Bible for Normal People Episode 133: The Book of Job, Pete takes us on a provocative journey through Job, challenging traditional interpretations of suffering, divine justice, and the nature of God. Rather than seeing Job as a lesson in patient endurance, Pete explores the book as a complex, layered critique of transactional theology—and even a possible parable of Israel’s exile. Show Notes → https://thebiblefornormalpeople.com/episode-298-pete-enns-pete-ruins-job-reissue/  Watch this episode on YouTube → https://youtu.be/fnssF8y2vk0 ********** This episode is brought to you by Hims. Start your free online visit today at hims.com/NORMALPEOPLE. Results vary. Based on studies of topical and oral minoxidil and finasteride. Prescription products require an online consultation with a healthcare provider who will determine if a prescription is appropriate. Restrictions apply. See website for full details and important safety information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices