~ cueing up the show ~
~ pulling every episode ~
The Bible For Normal People — Every episode — OmList
om
list
Swipe
Tournament
Lists
Friends
All
Movies
TV
Books
Games
Music
Podcasts
People
▾
Sign in
Every episode
The Bible For Normal People
30 episodes
[Bible] Episode 334: Rony Kozman - The Weird Ways the NT Interprets the OT
Ep 334 · Aug 10, 2026 · 50 min
In this week’s episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete and Jared talk with Rony Kozman about how the New Testament interprets the Hebrew Bible, and why the apostles’ approach to Scripture often looks very different from the historical-grammatical method many readers have been taught. They explore how Matthew creatively reads the story of Jesus alongside Israel’s story, how Paul rereads Scripture in light of his encounter with Christ, and how New Testament authors draw on the interpretive tr…
[Faith] Episode 73: Ciarra Jones - Who Gets to Decide What The Bible Means?
Jul 27, 2026 · 51 min
In this week’s episode of Faith for Normal People, Pete and Jared talk with theologian and ethicist Ciarra Jones about who gets to decide what the Bible means and how our identities, experiences, and social locations shape the ways we interpret Scripture. Drawing on her own journey from Pentecostal Christianity to Black, queer, womanist, and liberation theology, Ciarra explores how dominant interpretations of the Bible have been used to justify slavery, white supremacy, sexism, and the marginali…
[Bible] Episode 333: Nathan MacDonald - The Messy History of the Priesthood
Ep 333 · Jul 13, 2026 · 48 min
In this week’s episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete and Jared talk with Nathan MacDonald about the origins of Israel’s priesthood, the role of the Levites, and why the Bible’s accounts of priests are far more complex than they first appear. They explore how biblical texts often function less as straightforward historical records and more as theological interpretations that seek to explain, shape, and reconcile Israel’s traditions. Together, they invite listeners to reconsider familiar as…
[Bible] Episode 332: Pete Ruins Everything with Dale Allison
Ep 332 · Jun 29, 2026 · 1 hr 5 min
In this week’s episode of Pete Ruins Everything, Pete talks with Dale Allison about the strengths and limits of biblical scholarship. They explore what historical research can and cannot tell us about Jesus, the Bible, and the ancient world, while reflecting on the value of expertise, intellectual humility, and the challenges of interpreting the past. Together, they discuss why scholars often disagree, how new evidence and perspectives can change long-held conclusions, and why faith and curiosit…
[Bible] Episode 331 : Jared Byas - 10 Aha Moments in Biblical Scholarship: Part 2
Ep 331 · Jun 15, 2026 · 1 hr 11 min
In this week’s episode of The Bible for Normal People, Jared continues his tour through the history of modern biblical scholarship, exploring five (or six) more “aha moments” that transformed how scholars understand the Bible. From Rudolf Bultmann’s challenge to interpret ancient texts in a modern world and the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls, to new insights about editorial shaping, literary criticism, and the role of readers themselves, he traces how scholarship increasingly revealed the Bib…
[Bible] Episode 330: Bruce Longenecker - The Vision of Galatians
Ep 330 · Jun 1, 2026 · 51 min
In this week’s episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete and Jared talk with Bruce Longenecker about Galatians, Paul’s understanding of the Torah, and the kind of community he believed the gospel creates. They explore how Paul reframes identity around participation in Christ rather than ethnic or religious hierarchy, and why Galatians is less about individual salvation and more about transformed relationships in a fractured world. Together, they invite listeners to see Paul’s vision as a radi…
[Faith] Episode 72: Roberto De La Noval & Jordan Wood - How the Early Church Read the Bible (Reissue from Bonus)
May 25, 2026 · 1 hr 6 min
In this week’s episode of Faith for Normal People, Jared talks with Roberto de la Noval and Jordan Wood about the church fathers, the development of doctrine, and how early Christians approached the Bible. They explore how figures like Augustine and Origen understood Scripture as something meant to transform people rather than simply provide literal answers, and why “problem passages” were often seen as invitations to think more deeply. Together, they invite listeners to see Christian tradition…
[Bible] Episode 329: Jared Byas - 10 Aha Moments in Biblical Scholarship: Part 1
Ep 329 · May 18, 2026 · 58 min
In this week’s episode of The Bible for Normal People, Jared takes listeners on a tour through the history of modern biblical scholarship, tracing key “aha moments” that changed how scholars understand the Bible. From source criticism and the Documentary Hypothesis to oral tradition and the rise of fundamentalism, he explores how new questions about the Bible’s origins reshaped both academia and the church. Together, these developments invite listeners to see the Bible not as a static text dropp…
[Bible] Episode 328: Vanessa Lovelace - Is Deuteronomy History?
Ep 328 · May 11, 2026 · 45 min
In this week’s episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete and Jared talk with Vanessa Lovelace about the Deuteronomistic history and why Deuteronomy plays such a central role in shaping Israel’s story. They explore how biblical writers interpreted Israel’s history through the lens of covenant, exile, and identity formation, and how these themes continue to influence modern readings of the Bible. Together, they invite listeners to see ancient texts not as a flat narrative, but as a rich convers…
[Bible] Episode 327: Douglas Campbell - Ripping Up the Romans Road
Ep 327 · May 4, 2026 · 49 min
In this week’s episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete and Jared talk with Douglas Campbell about rethinking the “Romans Road” and what Paul is really doing in his letter to the Romans. They explore how common readings have turned Romans into a step-by-step plan of salvation, often missing its original context and ethical focus. Together, they invite listeners to see Romans as a vision of God’s radical love and a call to live transformed, relational lives shaped by that reality. Show Notes…
[Bible] Episode 326: Chris Keith - How do Scholars Reconstruct the "Historical Jesus?"
Ep 326 · Apr 27, 2026 · 52 min
In this week’s episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete and Jared talk with Chris Keith about the historical Jesus, and how scholars approach the gap between the Jesus of history and the Jesus of the Gospels. They explore why the Gospels themselves raise questions about modern ideas of history, how different methods have tried to reconstruct Jesus, and why certainty can be elusive. Together, they invite listeners to approach both the Bible and their faith with greater humility, recognizing t…
[Bible] Episode 325: Pete Ruins Everything with Amy-Jill Levine
Ep 325 · Apr 20, 2026 · 60 min
In this week’s episode of Pete Ruins Everything, Pete talks with Amy-Jill Levine about supersessionism and its impact on how Christians understand Judaism and the New Testament. They explore how ideas like “replacement theology” show up in biblical texts, why these interpretations have caused harm, and how readers can engage the Bible more honestly and responsibly. Together, they invite listeners to wrestle with difficult passages and approach both traditions with greater humility and care. Show…
[Bible] Episode 324: Pete Enns & Jared Byas - A City on a Hill: A Ten Year Retrospective
Ep 324 · Apr 13, 2026 · 50 min
In this week’s episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete and Jared reflect on ten years and over 400 episodes of the podcast, revisiting what they thought they were doing and what they now see more clearly in hindsight. They explore themes that have emerged along the way, including the shift from certainty to wisdom in reading the Bible and the move from information to personal and communal formation. They also discuss how these conversations have been shaped by a wider range of voices and wh…
[Bible] Episode 323: Andrew Tobolowsky- The Myth of the Twelve Tribes
Ep 323 · Apr 6, 2026 · 54 min
In this week’s episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete and Jared talk with Andrew Tobolowsky about what scholars mean by “myth” and how that idea applies to the Bible. They explore the origins of the 12 tribes of Israel, examining the historical and textual evidence and why this tradition may be less straightforward than it seems. Together, they discuss how these stories developed over time and how they helped shape Israel’s identity, inviting listeners to think more critically about how th…
[Bible] Episode 322: Cynthia Shafer-Elliott - Where Archaeology Intersects with the Bible
Ep 322 · Mar 30, 2026 · 58 min
On this week’s episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete talks with archaeologist Cynthia Shafer-Elliott about what archaeology can—and can’t—tell us about the Bible. Cynthia explains how archaeologists excavate ancient sites, highlights key discoveries like the Tel Dan Stele and the Lachish reliefs, and explores what everyday artifacts reveal about life in ancient Israel and Judah. Together they discuss how material culture complicates simple claims that archaeology either proves or disprove…
[Bible] Episode 321: H. Daniel Zacharias and T. Christopher Hoklotubbe - Native American Biblical Interpretation
Ep 321 · Mar 23, 2026 · 1 hr 2 min
In this week’s episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete and Jared talk with Chris Hoklotubbe and Danny Zacharias about biblical interpretation through an Indigenous American perspective. They explore how cultural identity, history, and social location shape the way people read Scripture, and why Indigenous perspectives challenge assumptions many Christians take for granted. Together, they invite listeners to read the Bible more thoughtfully, remaining aware of their own context and open to v…
[Bible] Episode 320: Pete Ruins Everything on Jeremiah
Mar 16, 2026 · 55 min
In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete has another go at ruining something. This week, he’s unpacking the book of Jeremiah and its interlocking themes of anguish, confusion, and hope. Along the way, Pete picks out some of the iconic Jeremiah verses commonly quoted in churches and Facebook posts and puts them back in the context of the text. It might make those verses less applicable to a high school graduation card, but it also helps readers participate in the ongoing journey to se…
[Bible] Episode 319: Matthew Vines - The Bible Isn't Against Gay Marriage
Ep 319 · Mar 9, 2026 · 53 min
In this week’s episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete and Jared welcome back Season 1 favorite Matthew Vines to discuss how conversations about the Bible and same-sex relationships have shifted over the past decade. Matthew revisits common biblical arguments against same-sex marriage and offers thoughtful counterpoints grounded in Scripture and church history. The conversation explores how a deeper understanding of the Bible’s context can invite Christians to think more expansively about f…
[Bible] Episode 318: Mark S. Smith - The Many Gods of Israel
Ep 318 · Mar 2, 2026 · 1 hr 8 min
In this week’s episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete and Jared sit down with Mark S. Smith, a leading scholar of ancient Israelite religion, to explore the polytheistic background of Israel and the gradual emergence of monotheism in the Hebrew Bible. Drawing on biblical texts, ancient Near Eastern inscriptions, and comparative studies, Mark explains how early Israelites likely understood Yahweh as one deity among many before later theological developments came to affirm him as the sole go…
[Bible] Bonus Episode: Jennifer Garcia Bashaw & Aaron Higashi - Nobody “Just Reads” the Bible
Feb 27, 2026 · 13 min
This is a teaser of our February 2026 bonus episode! In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete and Jared are joined by longtime friends of the podcast Jennifer Garcia Bashaw and Aaron Higashi for a lively conversation about, of all things, interpreting the Bible. Together, they explore metaphors that celebrate the diversity of biblical interpretation, wrestle with the complexities of relativism, and invite listeners to move beyond inerrancy toward a more expansive, life-giving view of…
[Faith] Episode 71: Jared Stacy - The Evangelical to Conspiracy Theory Pipeline
Feb 23, 2026 · 58 min
In this week’s episode of Faith for Normal People, Pete and Jared talk with theologian and ethicist Jared Stacy about the rise of conspiracy thinking, especially within American evangelicalism. Drawing on his research, Jared Stacy explains how conspiracy theories tap into fears of cultural decline, offer a sense of control, and become spiritually charged narratives about good and evil. He also explores opportunities for people to recognize these patterns and consider more grounded, truth-seeking…
[Bible] Episode 317: N.T. Wright - The Book of Ephesians
Ep 317 · Feb 16, 2026 · 49 min
Pete and Jared are back! They kick off Season 10 of The Bible for Normal People with N.T. Wright, diving into the big, sweeping vision of Ephesians. Wright unpacks Ephesians as an invitation to embody unity across deep divisions and to reflect God’s plan to bring heaven and earth together in Christ. They also explore the meaning of the “powers and principalities” and what it looks like for the church today to live out that cosmic, countercultural calling. Show Notes → https://thebiblefornormalpe…
[Faith] Episode 70: A Holiday Roast
Dec 22, 2025 · 18 min
Season's greetings from Team B4NP! Podcast producer Brittany and audio engineer Joel have joined forces to bring you the third annual installment of our holiday roast, otherwise known as bloopers from this past season of the podcasts. Enjoy some silly behind-the-scenes content from your favorite episodes of Season 9 of The Bible for Normal People and Season 3 of Faith for Normal People. From all of us here at The Bible for Normal People, we wish you happy holidays and a wonderful new year. See y…
[Bible] Episode 316: Pete Enns & Jared Byas - Is the Bible the Word of God? & Other Easy Questions
Ep 316 · Dec 8, 2025 · 57 min
At the close of Season 9 of The Bible for Normal People, Pete & Jared set out on their annual holiday quest: taking questions that people have been asking for centuries and attempting to answer them in an hour-long podcast episode. Show Notes → https://thebiblefornormalpeople.com/episode-316-pete-enns-jared-byas-is-the-bible-the-word-of-god-other-easy-questions/ Watch this episode on YouTube → https://youtu.be/X3aLlmohjQY Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
[Faith] Episode 69: Diana Butler Bass - Resisting Christmas (And Why the Christian Calendar Still Matters)
Dec 1, 2025 · 59 min
In this week’s episode of Faith for Normal People, Pete and Jared sit down with Diana Butler Bass to talk about the Christian calendar. Diana walks through the history of how the Christian calendar came to be, what levels of importance different traditions give it, and how the Christian calendar can serve as a symbol of resistance against other timelines that might be dominated by capitalism and imperialism. Show Notes → https://thebiblefornormalpeople.com/episode-69-diana-butler-bass-resisting-…
[Bible] Episode 315: Kent Sparks - The Beginnings of Israelite Religion
Ep 315 · Nov 24, 2025 · 49 min
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-beginnin…
[Faith] Episode 68: Kristin Kobes Du Mez - A Modern Church History of Toxic Masculinity (REISSUE)
Nov 17, 2025 · 57 min
In this episode of Faith For Normal People, Pete and Jared revisit a conversation with Kristin Kobes Du Mez, author of the bestselling book Jesus and John Wayne. The conversation explores the history of “toxic” masculinity in both the church and American pop culture, and how Christians in 2025 can be part of the resistance efforts against harmful cultural structures. This is a reissue of The Bible for Normal People Episode 170 from June 2021. Show Notes → https://thebiblefornormalpeople.com/epis…
[Bible] Episode 314: Shayna Sheinfeld - The Complicated World of Second Temple Judaism
Ep 314 · Nov 10, 2025 · 54 min
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/ Wat…
[Bible] Episode 313: Pete Enns - Pete Ruins Song of Songs
Ep 313 · Nov 3, 2025 · 48 min
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
[Faith] Episode 67: Liz Charlotte Grant - The Gift of an Unclear Text
Oct 27, 2025 · 52 min
In this week’s episode of Faith for Normal People, Pete is joined by Liz Charlotte Grant to talk about using the Bible as a springboard for curiosity, inquiry, conversation, and community. This episode explores how art, imagination, and the practice of midrash can open up new ways of engaging scripture when literal readings don’t speak to what we see in the world today. Show Notes → https://thebiblefornormalpeople.com/episode-67-liz-charlotte-grant-the-gift-of-an-unclear-text/ Watch this episode…
← Back to the show
