Pete Enns

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Episode 50: Esau McCaulley - The Search for God and Self

Dec 9, 2024 | thebiblefornormalpeople.com | Pete Enns

How do experiences of pain, identity, and reconciliation shape one’s understanding of God and faith? In this episode of Faith for Normal People, Pete and Jared are joined by Esau McCaulley to talk about how his faith has been formed in the midst of family trauma, anti-Black racism, and the search for identity in America. Together they ponder forgiveness as a transformative process, the hard parts of cultivating a desire for others’ flourishing, and the ways suffering can deepen faith.
Episode 288: Havilah Dharamraj - The Song of Songs Is More Than Biblical Bridgerton

Dec 2, 2024 | thebiblefornormalpeople.com | Pete Enns

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. Join them as they explore the following questions:What is the Song of Songs, and how does it fit within the biblical canon?
Episode 49: Hillary McBride & Preston McDaniel Hill - Mental Health in a Faith Transition

Nov 25, 2024 | thebiblefornormalpeople.com | Pete Enns |Hillary L McBride

In this episode of Faith for Normal People, Jared Byas talks with therapist and author Hillary McBride along with theologian and psychological scientist Preston McDaniel Hill about the psychological impacts of navigating faith transitions. They explore how faith intersects with mental health and discuss the importance of community, self-trust, and relational support during the process. Hillary and Preston work together on the Spiritual First Responders Project (https://www.sfrproject.org).
Episode 287: Julia Watts Belser - A Jewish Perspective on Disability

Nov 18, 2024 | thebiblefornormalpeople.com | Pete Enns

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.
Episode 286: Pete Enns - Pete Ruins Genesis (Part 4)

Nov 11, 2024 | thebiblefornormalpeople.com | Pete Enns

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete dives into the chaotic sibling soap opera of Jacob and Esau and all its trickery, questionable family dynamics, and divine wrestling matches. Pete explains how and why this ancient family drama was likely written and edited much later to make sense of Israel’s political squabbles. Join him as he explores the following questions:What is the “Jacob cycle” in Genesis, and how does it compare to the Abraham cycle?
Episode 285: Pete Enns & the Old Testament Nerds - Ask a Scholar Anything (About the Hebrew Bible)

Nov 4, 2024 | thebiblefornormalpeople.com | Pete Enns

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.
Episode 48: Bishop Michael Curry - Love Makes Room for Us All (REISSUE)

Oct 28, 2024 | thebiblefornormalpeople.com | Pete Enns

What parts of our faith are worth holding onto? In this episode of Faith for Normal People, Presiding Bishop Michael Curry joins Pete and Jared to discuss ways to think differently about scripture and the importance of keeping love at the center of your being. This is a reissue of The Bible for Normal People Episode 192 from February 2022. Together, they explore the following questions: What was Bishop Curry’s spiritual journey and how did he come to his faith?
Episode 284: Jennifer G. Bird - The Myth of Biblical Marriage

Oct 21, 2024 | thebiblefornormalpeople.com | Pete Enns |Jennifer Bird

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.
Episode 283: Pete Enns - Pete Ruins Genesis (Part 3)

Oct 7, 2024 | thebiblefornormalpeople.com | Pete Enns

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.
Episode 282: Jon D. Levenson - Child Sacrifice in the Bible (Part 1)

Sep 23, 2024 | thebiblefornormalpeople.com | Pete Enns

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete and Jared are joined by Jon D. Levenson to discuss the complex and ancient practice of child sacrifice, focusing on biblical and ancient Near Eastern contexts. Together they explore the historical, theological, and cultural significance of these sacrifices, particularly in relation to divine favor, gift-giving, and the transformation of such practices in Judaism and Christianity.