The Bible is Not a Rulebook
For many Christians, the Bible has long been treated as a moral instruction manual—offering clear, timeless, universal rules for right and wrong. But what happens when the text doesn’t behave like a rule book? When it contradicts itself, feels outdated, or refuses to give us the clarity we crave?
In this class, Jared Byas invites us to rethink what kind of authority the Bible really has, and what role it should play in our moral lives. Instead of flattening the Bible into a list of do’s and don’ts—or treating it like a Magic 8-Ball that gives us quick answers—we’ll explore a different way forward: the Wisdom Approach.
Together, we’ll examine why traditional approaches often fall short, how the Bible’s diversity and complexity actually shape us in deeper ways, and why wisdom—not certainty—might be the goal of Christian moral formation.
This class includes:
Class recording
Q&A session recording
Downloadable class slides
Cost: $25
Topics we’ll cover:
Why the Bible makes a terrible rulebook (and what gets lost when we treat it like one)
How Christians have used Scripture as a fortune-telling device—and why that’s risky
Why some walk away from the Bible altogether (and why that’s a legitimate choice)
The Wisdom Approach: reading Scripture as a tool for moral and spiritual formation
How the Bible can be one voice among many in shaping a wise and compassionate life
YOUR INSTRUCTOR
Jared Byas is co-host of The Bible for Normal People podcast and author of Love Matters More and Genesis for Normal People. With a background in philosophy, pastoring, and biblical studies, Jared helps everyday people wrestle honestly with the Bible, faith, and morality—without giving easy answers.
