The Bible For Normal People

On this week’s episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete and Jared are joined by Kent Sparks to unpack the early religious history of ancient Israel. Kent explores how ancient Israelites first gave God the name Yahweh, how Israelites understood Yahweh in relation to other ancient Near Eastern deities, and how the roots of monotheism emerge from a far more diverse and evolving set of beliefs than many assume. Show Notes → https://thebiblefornormalpeople.com/episode-315-kent-sparks-the-beginnings-of-israelite-religion/  Watch this episode on YouTube → https://youtu.be/JsRPR59pX54 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this week’s episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete Enns and Anna Sieges Beal sit down with Shayna Sheinfeld to talk about the Second Temple period, spanning from 586 BCE to 70 CE. Shayna presents texts from that time that illuminate events glossed over by most Bibles, and explores the often-overlooked roles played by women wielding power in those communities. Show Notes → https://thebiblefornormalpeople.com/episode-314-shayna-sheinfeld-the-complicated-world-of-second-temple-judaism/  Watch this episode on YouTube → https://youtu.be/92i5Pc9CRI4 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the final Pete Ruins episode of 2025, Pete Enns speaks to everyone who has ever read Song of Songs and wondered “why the heck is this in the Bible?” Show Notes → https://thebiblefornormalpeople.com/episode-313-pete-ruins-song-of-songs/  Watch this episode on YouTube → https://youtu.be/FmFfQL2ahqc Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this week’s episode of The Bible for Normal People, Jared sits down with Sarah Emanuel to discuss the concept of “Messiah” from a Jewish theological perspective. Sarah explores what post-exilic Israelites might have thought and meant when they talked about a deliverer, what shapes those beliefs took near the time of Jesus’s life, and what sorts of misconceptions people have today when they use the word “Messiah.” Show Notes → https://thebiblefornormalpeople.com/episode-312-sarah-emanuel-the-meaning-of-messiah/  Watch this episode on YouTube → https://youtu.be/3wmCM2WMGY4 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete and Jared are joined by Chauncey Diego Francisco Handy to discuss the conquest narrative in the book of Joshua. Delving into what the themes of empire, displacement, a “promised land,” and identity meant to ancient peoples throughout Israel’s history, the conversation offers insight into what the preservation of these narratives can mean for people today navigating their own complicated relationships with empire. Show Notes → https://thebiblefornormalpeople.com/episode-311-chauncey-diego-francisco-handy-the-afterlife-of-the-conquest-of-canaan/  Watch this episode on YouTube → https://youtu.be/SCwcct_2IqI  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this reissue of The Bible for Normal People episode 56, Pete gets to the heart of the somber book of Ecclesiastes. He cautions against an optimistic reading as the author intends to question everything, even God; and explains why Ecclesiastes is his favorite book of the Bible. This episode originally aired in June of 2018. Show Notes → https://thebiblefornormalpeople.com/episode-310-pete-enns-pete-ruins-ecclesiastes-reissue/  Watch this episode on YouTube → https://youtu.be/C-x9izCs-OU ********** 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. ********** 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 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

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete and Elizabeth Shively show some love to the shortest gospel and tell us why it shouldn’t be underestimated when it comes to understanding the Messiah. Walking through the book’s literary framing of apocalypse, suffering, and discipleship, Elizabeth presents Mark’s gospel as an invitation to get to know the human Jesus. Show Notes → https://thebiblefornormalpeople.com/episode-309-elizabeth-shively-the-gospel-of-mark-explained/  Watch this episode on YouTube → https://youtu.be/QvjPeBDHTms Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete and Nerd-in-Residence Cynthia are joined by Bill Schniedewind to discuss who really wrote the Bible. Bill explains how different scribal communities each left their own mark on the texts they were writing, and how the diversity of the Bible’s human authors reflects the beauty and richness of the text itself. Show Notes → https://thebiblefornormalpeople.com/episode-308-bill-schniedewind-the-scribes-who-wrote-the-bible/ Watch this episode on YouTube → https://youtu.be/nqmbvERPVD8 ********** 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. ********** 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 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

In this reissue of The Bible for Normal People episode 36, Pete works through some big-picture issues that help us see what Proverbs is all about, such as the complexities of wisdom, the nature of folly, and how this ancient text is supposed to help us navigate life in the present day. This episode originally aired as “7 Things You Need to Know about How the Book of Proverbs Works” in February 2018. Show Notes → https://thebiblefornormalpeople.com/episode-307-pete-ruins-proverbs-reissue/  Watch this episode on YouTube → https://youtu.be/ub_heWtal-0 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

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 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 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 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 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

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Jared and co-host Aaron Higashi talk with Roberto de la Noval about the doctrine of universalism, the belief that all people will ultimately be reconciled with God. Rob addresses common misconceptions and its roots in the early Church, explaining how theology develops from biblical interpretation, and examining the evolution of doctrine and the role of historical context in shaping belief. Show Notes → https://thebiblefornormalpeople.com/episode-294-roberto-de-la-noval-universalism-as-a-doctrine/  Watch this episode on YouTube → https://youtu.be/zGafdFAMjfU  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete and Jared talk to Beth Allison Barr and Savannah Locke, the creators of our brand new mini-series All the Buried Women, about their journey uncovering the hidden history of women in the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) through archival research for Beth’s new book Becoming the Pastor’s Wife. Together they offer a picture of hope for change through truth-telling and historical accountability. Show Notes → https://thebiblefornormalpeople.com/episode-293-beth-allison-barr-savannah-locke-the-women-filed-away-by-the-southern-baptist-convention/  Watch this episode on YouTube → https://youtu.be/T625FTB-Xno  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices