Topics
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Episode 75: Celene Ibrahim - Women in Sharia Law and the Qu'ran
In this week’s episode of Faith for Normal People, Pete and Jared talk with Celene Ibrahim about how the Qur’an portrays women, the role of interpretation in understanding Islamic scripture, and the misconceptions that shape public perceptions of Islam. Exploring the Qur’an’s teachings on spiritual equality, women’s financial autonomy, and family rights, Celene examines the gap between religious ideals and social realities, explaining how historical context and interpretive traditions influence the application of scripture today. She also unpacks the meaning of Sharia, challenging the ways it has been politicized and associated with oppression and extremism, while highlighting the diversity of Muslim beliefs and practices. Through stories of Mary and the Queen of Sheba, Celene reveals unexpected connections between Islamic, Jewish, and Christian traditions and invites listeners to approach interfaith relationships with curiosity, generosity, and a willingness to learn from one another without sacrificing their own religious identities.
Episode 340: Pete Ruins Everything with Bill Schniedewind
In this week’s episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete talks with biblical scholar Bill Schniedewind about where God is located in the Hebrew Bible and how different understandings of divine presence developed throughout ancient Israelite religion. They explore the archaeological and biblical evidence surrounding temples, sacred spaces, the Ark of the Covenant, and the centralization of worship in Jerusalem, challenging the idea that Israelite religion followed a simple progression toward one centralized system. Together, they consider the Bible’s competing visions of God’s presence, the tensions surrounding political and religious authority, and how those unresolved tensions reflect the complexity of both Scripture and the human search for God.
Episode 333: Nathan MacDonald - The Messy History of the Priesthood
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 assumptions about the priesthood, the development of the Torah, and how the Bible constructs meaning through its ongoing conversation with its own past.
Episode 323: Andrew Tobolowsky- The Myth of the Twelve Tribes
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 the Bible tells its story of the past.
Episode 321: H. Daniel Zacharias and T. Christopher Hoklotubbe - Native American Biblical Interpretation
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 voices that have too often been overlooked.
Episode 71: Jared Stacy - The Evangelical to Conspiracy Theory Pipeline
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 ways of engaging faith and public life.
Episode 302: Julie Faith Parker - How Interpretation Made Eve a Villain
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.
[Bible] Episode 295: Pete Enns - Pete Ruins Esther
In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete takes a closer look at the Book of Esther, tracing its twists and turns while reflecting on its unique place in the biblical canon. He explores how the story functions, what makes it stand out, and what it might have meant to its original audience.
Episode 54: Erin Hicks Moon - Disentangling Faith
In this episode of Faith for Normal People, Pete and Jared talk with Erin Hicks Moon about growing up Southern Baptist and how she started rethinking parts of her faith, moving away from certainty and learning to embrace mystery. She shares her experience with deconstruction, the Bible, and how faith can still be meaningful even without having everything figured out.
Episode 53: Sarah McCammon - The Politics of Evangelicalism
In this episode of Faith for Normal People, Pete and Jared talk with NPR Politics reporter Sarah McCammon about the political influence of evangelicals and their support for Donald Trump. They explore how fear, cultural identity, and political strategy shape evangelical politics; the Republican Party’s relationship with religious voters; and the shifting demographics of Trump’s base.
Episode 52: Larycia Hawkins - Embodied Solidarity
What does it really mean to stand in solidarity with the marginalized? Pete Enns and Angela Parker are joined by scholar and activist Dr. Larycia Hawkins in this episode of Faith for Normal People to explore the risks and challenges of embodied solidarity, the radical model set by Jesus, and how everyday activism intertwines with a life of faith.
Episode 47: Lee C. Camp - America Can Never Be a Christian Nation
In this episode of Faith for Normal People, Lee C. Camp joins Pete and Jared to discuss the relationship between Christianity and politics, challenging the idea that Christianity is apolitical by arguing that Christian faith is inherently political in addressing fundamental human concerns like reconciliation, justice, and community. He also addresses the problematic notion of America as a "Christian nation" and calls for a more thoughtful, less partisan Christian engagement in politics.
Episode 264: Aaron Higashi - Five Things You Need to Know About 1 & 2 Samuel
In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Aaron Higashi joins Pete to talk about five key points in understanding 1 & 2 Samuel—and why our reading of this biblical tragedy doesn’t have to be tragic.
Episode 259: Robyn Whitaker - The Book of Revelation
In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete and Jared are joined by Robyn Whitaker to discuss the themes, movements, and symbolism found within the book of Revelation, as well as the various ways the text has been interpreted (and misinterpreted) throughout Christian history.
Episode 252: Steed Davidson - The Bible’s Ambivalence Toward Empire
In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Steed Davidson joins Pete and Jared to explain the origin of postcolonial biblical studies, the outcome of reading Scripture through a postcolonial lens, and how ancient empires could have used the biblical text to endorse their own imperialism.
Episode 247: Jared Byas - What It Means to Take the Bible Literally
What do people mean when they say they take the Bible literally? In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Jared breaks down how words in this common phrase are overworked and underpaid, how it functions as a cultural password, and how we can approach the text with intellectual honesty by reading the Bible literally.
[Bible] Episode 241: Pete Enns - Pete Ruins 1 Samuel
Murderous kings, political turmoil, and charismatic shepherds—oh my! In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete outlines the thematic underpinnings, historical context, and biblical scholarship surrounding the book of 1 Samuel.
Episode 237: Sam Boyd - What the Tower of Babel Is Really About
In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Sam Boyd joins Pete and Jared to uncover the misconceptions which are often read into the Tower of Babel story and get to the heart of the political and cultural implications of the narrative.
Episode 233: Pete Enns - Pete Ruins Judges
In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, our beloved book ruiner Pete brings the gavel down on Judges, examining the historical and literary context of the book and revealing the driving force of the narrative: Israel needs a king.