In this episode of Faith for Normal People, Jared and Jennifer Garcia Bashaw sit down with Mariko Clark to explore how adults can help kids encounter the Bible in ways that move beyond rigid rules and binaries. Together they discuss practices that cultivate curiosity, imagination, and a more expansive vision of God and faith. Show Notes → https://thebiblefornormalpeople.com/episode-63-mariko-clark-helping-kids-grow-an-expansive-faith/  Watch this episode on YouTube → https://youtu.be/dngFMEP1aIQ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete is joined by our Nerds-in-Residence to tackle some of your biggest questions about the Old Testament. They discuss contradictions in Ecclesiastes, the influence of ancient Near Eastern literature, the meaning and function of sacrifice, and the formation of the Hebrew Bible. Show Notes → https://thebiblefornormalpeople.com/episode-306-pete-enns-the-old-testament-nerds-ask-a-scholar-anything-about-the-hebrew-bible/  Watch this episode on YouTube → https://youtu.be/oa8cQ5VTKS4 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of Faith for Normal People, Pete and Jared are joined by Zach Lambert to talk about the journey from biblical literalism to a more liberative approach to scripture. They explore four harmful interpretive lenses—literalism, apocalypse, hierarchy, and moralism—and offer four healthier alternatives focused on Jesus, context, flourishing, and fruitfulness. Show Notes → https://thebiblefornormalpeople.com/episode-62-zach-lambert-the-lenses-through-which-we-read-the-bible/Watch this episode on YouTube → https://youtu.be/qJkxFELNr5U ********** This episode is brought to you by Brooklyn Bedding. Brooklyn Bedding knows sleep isn’t one-size-fits-all. That’s why they offer mattresses for every body, every sleep style – even in hard-to-find sizes. Not sure which mattress is right for you? Just take the Brooklyn Bedding Sleep Quiz and find your perfect match in under 2 minutes. Go to brooklynbedding.com and use our promo code BIBLE at checkout to get 30% off sitewide. This offer is not available anywhere else. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The book of Revelation is just plain weird. In this reissue of episode 180 of The Bible for Normal People, Rev. Dr. Brian K. Blount joins Pete and Jared to discuss how to read and understand the book of Revelation.  Show Notes → https://thebiblefornormalpeople.com/episode-305-brian-k-blount-revelation-for-today-reissue/  Watch this episode on YouTube → https://youtu.be/-K8lPK2ygHs ********** 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. ********** This episode is sponsored by Greenlight. Greenlight is a debit card and money app made for families: parents can send money to their kids and keep an eye on kids’ spending and saving, while kids and teens build money confidence and lifelong financial literacy skills. Sign up for Greenlight today at greenlight.com/normalpeople. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete takes a deep dive into the Psalms—who really wrote them, how they were edited, and why they’ve endured for thousands of years. He explores how these ancient prayers reflect the full range of human experience with God—raw lament, joyful praise, and everything in between.  Show Notes → https://thebiblefornormalpeople.com/episode-304-pete-enns-pete-ruins-psalms/  Watch this episode on YouTube → https://youtu.be/RpJv56oVfa8 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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

In this episode of Faith for Normal People, Pete Enns and Anna Sieges Beal talk with theologian Janet Williams about apophatic theology, a tradition that emphasizes the mystery of God by acknowledging the limits of human language and understanding. Janet explores how describing God by what God is not—rather than what God is—can open up a deeper, more expansive experience of the divine. Show Notes → https://thebiblefornormalpeople.com/episode-57-janet-williams-what-we-can-and-cant-say-about-god/  Watch this episode on YouTube → https://youtu.be/i4BPhsMg41k ********** 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

Please note: this interview does include mention of assault and sexual abuse in the context of the Hebrew Bible. In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete and co-host Cynthia Shafer-Elliott talk with Alexiana Fry about reading the Hebrew Bible through the lens of trauma, gender, and migration. Reflecting on texts like Hosea and Judges 19, Alexiana challenges traditional interpretations and highlights the importance of reckoning with the pain and complexity woven into the text. Show Notes → https://thebiblefornormalpeople.com/episode-297-alexiana-fry-trauma-in-the-hebrew-bible/ ********** 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

This is a teaser of our April 2025 bonus episode! Jared Byas, Angela N. Parker, and Jennifer Garcia Bashaw answer supporter questions all about the New Testament. Want to hear the rest of the episode? Join our online community the Society of Normal People and you'll get monthly bonus episodes; livestreams of guest interviews; Q&As with Pete, Jared, and the Nerds; and an all-access pass to our classes and courses. Head to www.thebiblefornormalpeople.com/join and become a member of SoNP for as little as $12/month and support us as we bring the best in biblical scholarship to everyday people. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of Faith for Normal People, nerds-in-residence Anna Sieges-Beal and Dr. Angela N. Parker talk with Dr. Wylin D. Wilson about the intersection of faith, justice, and healthcare through the lens of womanist bioethics. They explore how Black women’s lived experiences reveal deep ethical gaps in the medical system and how centering the most vulnerable offers a path toward collective healing and solidarity. Show Notes → https://thebiblefornormalpeople.com/episode-56-wylin-d-wilson-womanist-wisdom-for-a-wounded-world/  Watch this episode on YouTube → https://youtu.be/Nw6hWhjKvRg Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete and Jared again sit down with Richard Rohr, who returns to discuss the biblical prophets—not as predictors of Jesus or future events, but as truth-tellers who confronted the moral failures of their time. Drawing from The Tears of Things, Rohr highlights how prophets spoke to collective injustice—systems of power, wealth, and religion gone wrong—not just individual sin.  Show Notes → https://thebiblefornormalpeople.com/episode-296-richard-rohr-seeing-through-the-eyes-of-the-prophets/  Watch this episode on YouTube → https://youtu.be/7CkaWW1vhec Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices