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.

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.

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).

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.

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.

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.

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 his new book The Tears of Things, Rohr highlights how prophets spoke to collective injustice—systems of power, wealth, and religion gone wrong—not just individual sin.

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.

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.

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Jared and Pete talk with John Dominic Crossan about Paul's identity as a Pharisee and his theological evolution from a persecutor to a messianic Pharisee. Dom further explains Paul's belief in cosmic justice, the significance of Jesus's execution as a revelation of societal violence, and the role of resurrection in promoting a vision for a peaceful, non-violent civilization.

We’re back for Season 9 of The Bible for Normal People and we’re still asking ourselves, “What is the Bible, and what do we do with it?” In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete Enns and Jared Byas examine how biblical criticism raises questions about traditional understandings of Scripture. They explore the historical evolution of biblical interpretation, from the medieval period to the Enlightenment and then modernism, highlighting the influence of major intellectual and religious movements on the practice of Christianity as we recognize (or don’t recognize) it today. 

What if the Song of Songs isn’t just ancient love poetry but a key to unlocking deeper biblical conversations about a better world? In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Havilah Dharamraj explores how intertextual readings connect Song of Songs with the prophets, revealing themes of deity-devotee connection, sacred marriage, divine hope, and a return to Eden.

How does Judaism approach the topic of disability? In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Julia Watts Belser joins Pete and Cynthia to examine how the Hebrew Bible portrays disability and how Jewish tradition engages these texts in both ancient and modern contexts. She explains what a “blemish” means in Leviticus, the rabbinic tradition of sacred interpretation, and how disability wisdom can make a better world for everybody.

Does the Hebrew Bible matter for Christians? In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete is joined by Nerds-in-Residence Anna Sieges-Beal, Aaron Higashi, and Cynthia Shafer-Elliott to answer your questions about the Hebrew Bible (aka Old Testament) including the role it plays for Christians, the historical basis for events like the exodus, and the structure of biblical texts. They explore the origins of familiar stories, differing interpretations, and what these ancient writings mean for people of faith today.

Should Christians use the Bible as a template for a healthy marriage? In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Jennifer G. Bird joins Jared and Angela Parker to bust the myth of “biblical” marriage. She dives into the ways scripture has been used to enforce traditional gender roles, the cultural assumptions embedded in biblical texts about marriage, sex, and property rights, and how these interpretations have influenced Christian thought.

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete dives into the story of Abraham in Genesis. Pete explores Abraham’s importance as a pivotal figure in the Bible, detailing his journey, covenants with God, and major themes found in the stories about him. Through a "flyover" of Abraham's life, Pete highlights connections to other parts of the Bible and explores theological tensions for Christians today.

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete and Aaron Higashi talk to Madhavi Nevader about the rise and fall of monarchy in ancient Israel and its representation in the Bible. Together they explore how Israel's kingship model of power developed, the tension between divine rule and human kingship, and how the theological shifts shown in the Bible after the fall of the monarchy led to the rise of priests and prophets.

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete and Jared are joined by Greg Carey to explore the concept of apocalyptic literature within the Bible and its broader implications. Greg delves into the meaning of apocalyptic, explains the evolution of apocalyptic literature from proto-apocalyptic texts in the Old Testament to its more developed forms in Second Temple literature and the New Testament, and also addresses how apocalyptic themes might resonate with contemporary issues like political nationalism and economic exploitation.

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete and Jared talk with Amy-Jill Levine about misconceptions surrounding the Pharisees and how to understand them in their context. The conversation delves into the historical background of the Pharisees, their role in Jewish society, and how they have been stereotyped over time.