The Bible For Normal People

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 Notes → thebiblefornormalpeople.com/episodes/episode-325-pete-ruins-everything-with-amy-jill-levineWatch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Uxp50C8Ji-s ********** This episode is sponsored by Factor. Head to factormeals.com/normalpeople50off and use code normalpeople50off to get 50 percent off and free breakfast for a year. Eat like a pro this month with Factor. New subscribers only, varies by plan. 1 free breakfast item per box for 1 year while subscription is active. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 why engaging the Bible calls for ongoing discernment rather than fixed answers, inviting listeners to rethink what the Bible is for today. Show Notes → thebiblefornormalpeople.com/episodes/episode-324-pete-enns-and-jared-byas-a-city-on-a-hill-a-ten-year-retrospective Watch this episode on YouTube → https://youtu.be/zMia-yKjnN0 ********** This episode is sponsored by Factor. Head to factormeals.com/normalpeople50off and use code normalpeople50off to get 50 percent off and free breakfast for a year. Eat like a pro this month with Factor. New subscribers only, varies by plan. 1 free breakfast item per box for 1 year while subscription is active. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Show Notes → thebiblefornormalpeople.com/episodes/episode-323-andrew-tobolowsky-the-myth-of-the-twelve-tribes Watch this episode on YouTube → https://youtu.be/EPPOlN4Rr1k Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 disproves the Bible, offering instead a richer picture of the ancient world behind the text. Show Notes → https://www.thebiblefornormalpeople.com/episodes/bible-episode-322-cynthia-shafer-elliott-where-archaeology-intersects-with-the-bible Watch this episode on YouTube → https://youtu.be/7FFxqydz0Vc ********** This episode is sponsored by Factor. Head to Factormeals.com/normalpeople50off and use code normalpeople50off to get 50 percent off and free daily greens per box, with new subscription only, while supplies last until 09/27/2026. (See website for more details) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Show Notes → http://thebiblefornormalpeople.com/episodes/bible-episode-321-h-daniel-zacharias-t-christopher-hoklotubbe-native-american-biblical-interpretation Watch this episode on YouTube → https://youtu.be/WxojcdyBgoI ********** This episode is sponsored by Factor. Head to factormeals.com/normalpeople50off and use code normalpeople50off to get 50 percent off and free breakfast for a year. Eat like a pro this month with Factor. New subscribers only, varies by plan. 1 free breakfast item per box for 1 year while subscription is active. ********** This episode is brought to you by Brooklyn Bedding, which 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. Go to brooklynbedding.com and use promo code BIBLE at checkout to get 30% off sitewide. This offer is not available anywhere else. ********** This episode is sponsored by ButcherBox, which delivers over 100 premium protein options straight to your door, including 100% grass-fed beef, free-range organic chicken, crate-free pork, and wild-caught seafood. New listeners can get their choice between organic ground beef, chicken breast or ground turkey in every box for a year, PLUS $20 off when you go to ButcherBox.com/NORMALPEOPLE. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 search for God’s promises in the face of crisis. Show Notes → http://thebiblefornormalpeople.com/episodes/bible-episode-320-pete-ruins-jeremiahWatch this episode on YouTube → https://youtu.be/6KRcI8fVD6s Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 faith, love, and partnership. Show Notes → https://www.thebiblefornormalpeople.com/episodes/bible-episode-319-matthew-vines-the-bible-isnt-against-gay-marriage Watch this episode on YouTube → https://youtu.be/2x5BQNrD9gw Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 god of Israel. Show Notes → https://thebiblefornormalpeople.com/episode-318-mark-s-smith-the-many-gods-of-israel/ Watch this episode on YouTube → https://youtu.be/R1xiWA6w3P8 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Scripture. Want to hear the rest of the episode? Join our online community the Society of Normal People and you'll get access to our library of over 50 classes, bonus episodes, exclusive scholar Q&As, and a community asking tough questions about the Bible and faith. Head to www.thebiblefornormalpeople.com/join and become a member of SoNP for as little as $12/month and support us as we bring the best in biblical scholarship to everyday people. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Show Notes →https://thebiblefornormalpeople.com/episode-71-jared-stacy-the-evangelical-to-conspiracy-theory-pipeline/ Watch this episode on YouTube → https://youtu.be/Lu3-F8Zu21A ********** This episode is sponsored by Factor. Head to factormeals.com/normalpeople50off and use code normalpeople50off to get 50 percent off and free breakfast for a year. Eat like a pro this month with Factor. New subscribers only, varies by plan. 1 free breakfast item per box for 1 year while subscription is active. ********** This episode is brought to you by Brooklyn Bedding, which 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. Go to brooklynbedding.com and use promo code BIBLE at checkout to get 30% off sitewide. This offer is not available anywhere else. ********** This episode is sponsored by ButcherBox, which delivers over 100 premium protein options straight to your door, including 100% grass-fed beef, free-range organic chicken, crate-free pork, and wild-caught seafood. New listeners can get their choice between organic ground beef, chicken breast or ground turkey in every box for a year, PLUS $20 off when you go to ButcherBox.com/NORMALPEOPLE. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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://thebiblefornormalpeople.com/episode-317-n-t-wright-the-book-of-ephesians/ Watch this episode on YouTube → https://youtu.be/b0kmqfYD0hg Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 you in 2026! Show Notes → https://thebiblefornormalpeople.com/episode-70-a-holiday-roast/ Watch this episode on YouTube → https://youtu.be/FbmS7ukzoDI Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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

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-christmas-and-why-the-christian-calendar-still-matters/ Watch this episode on YouTube → https://youtu.be/NhfpmBjSpG0 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 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/episode-68-kristin-kobes-du-mez-a-church-history-of-toxic-masculinity-reissue/ Watch on YouTube → https://youtu.be/OAjNnqgLkeA ********** This episode is sponsored by Aura Frames. For a limited time, visit AuraFrames.com and get $45 off Aura’s best-selling Carver Mat frames, named #1 by Wirecutter, by using promo code NORMALPEOPLE at checkout. This exclusive Black Friday Cyber Monday deal is their best of the year, so order now before it ends! Support the show by mentioning us at checkout! Terms and conditions apply. 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 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 on YouTube → https://youtu.be/BK3xfTiHDRg ********** 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 with a digital display that syncs with your existing calendars, making it effortless to track events, appointments, and reminders in one easy-to-see place. 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. 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 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