What does Nehemiah have to teach us about the challenge of hermeneutics and theology today? In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete ruins the book of Nehemiah by illuminating the key concepts, overarching themes, character arcs, and sociopolitical context found in the text; plus gives some takeaways about biblical interpretation for ou…

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Jennifer Garcia Bashaw joins Pete and Jared to discuss how various atonement theories attempt to explain Jesus’s death. This is a reissue of The Bible for Normal People Episode 183 from October 2021. Show Notes → For those of you who pay attention to the show notes, you can learn more about atonement …

In this episode of Faith for Normal People, Pete and Anna Sieges Beal talk to Anna Case-Winters about incarnation and crucifixion, the coexistence of humanity and divinity in Jesus, and how process theology can help us reimagine divine power. Plus, Pete gets to ask questions about the cosmos. Show Notes → Learn more about your ad choices. Visit pod…

Is the biblical author John the person we think he is? In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Hugo Méndez joins Jared and Jennifer Garcia Bashaw to talk about some of the theories on the authorship of the Gospel and Letters of John, diving into an alternative to the traditional ideas about who wrote the texts and the implications for how w…

In this episode of Faith for Normal People, Pete and Jared discuss religious trauma with Candice Czubernat, a therapist and founder of The Christian Closet. Together they identify religious trauma, examine how it especially affects LGBTQ+ people, and explore pathways for healing. Show Notes → ********** This episode is sponsored by AG1. If you want…

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete ruins the book of Ezra by examining the themes, characters, issues, and connections found within the text; diving into the Moses-like leadership of Ezra, the historical context of the Persian empire, and Ezra’s seemingly strange opinions on intermarriage. Show Notes → ********** This episode is s…

Tamice Spencer-Helms joins Jared in this episode of Faith for Normal People for a conversation about the integration of faith and identity. Tamice shares their journey of navigating life as a queer and Black Christian, emphasizing the power of authenticity and agency in leaving toxic theologies behind. Show Notes → ********** This episode is sponso…

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Charles Halton joins Pete and Jared to discuss how the Bible portrays God as being humanlike, the origin of resistance to seeing humanlike characteristics of God, and the implications of embracing this perspective. Show Notes → ********** This episode is sponsored by Lumi. To learn more about microdos…

In this episode of Faith for Normal People, Jared and Pete have a candid conversation with Sarah Bessey about the highs and lows of her own evolving faith journey and how we can learn to embrace the wilderness of deconstruction—seeing it not as a place of desolation and doubt, but as an opportunity for growth and renewal. Show Notes → ********** Th…

Cain is a cannibal, Eve tells her own version of the fall of man, and the Garden of Eden has a dividing wall? In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete and Jared talk to Jack Levison about the ancient text the Greek Life of Adam and Eve, also known as the Apocalypse of Moses, an intriguing and dramatic retelling of the stories of Adam an…

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete makes the case for why you shouldn’t skip 1 and 2 Chronicles after slogging through Samuel and Kings. He explores the Chronicler’s distinct theology, uncovers themes of hope and divine sovereignty, and explains what Chronicles reveals about ancient Israelites’ ideas about God. Show Notes → ******…

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete and co-host Cynthia Shafer-Elliott learn from Jamal-Dominique Hopkins about the history of sacrifice in the Qumran community and the significance of the Dead Sea Scrolls in understanding Judaism during the Second Temple period, exploring the interplay of tradition and innovation in ancient Jewish…

In this episode of Faith for Normal People, Jared talks with J.S. (Joon) Park about his experiences with death, grief, and loss as a hospital chaplain for a Level 1 Trauma Center. Together they discuss the varying manifestations of grief, practical advice to help those who experience loss, and how we can develop a holistic approach to grief. Show N…

Whose contributions to the production of the Bible have been historically overlooked? In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete and Jared have a fascinating conversation with Candida Moss about enslavement in the Roman Empire, challenging our perception of biblical authorship and shedding light on the roles of enslaved people as scribes …

In this episode of Faith for Normal People, Pete and Jared tackle your questions about faith, identifying a common theme of the tendency toward dualism and binary thinking and exploring how to think more critically when faced with either/or theological questions. Show Notes → ********** This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a…

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete is back to his usual antics ruining a book of the Bible. This time he’s conquering 2 Kings, uncovering the historical context, socio-political influences, and bigger picture of the biblical narrative as told through the text. Show Notes → Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com…

In this episode of Faith for Normal People, Grace Baldridge (known by the artist name Semler) joins Pete and Jared to talk about the moving target of faith, whether leaving church is leaving God, and Grace’s journey as a queer person in Christian music. Show Notes → Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices…