The Bible For Normal People

In this week’s episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete and Jared talk with biblical scholar Leslie Baynes about C.S. Lewis and the ways his literary background, imagination, and theological commitments shaped how he interpreted the Bible. They explore Lewis’s approach to biblical scholarship, his tendency to harmonize the Gospels, and the tension between his acceptance of biblical contradictions and his reluctance to recognize differences between the accounts of Jesus. Together, they consider what Lewis got right and wrong about Scripture, why the Bible should be read through a lens of love for God and neighbor, and how his understanding of myth, story, and faith can challenge familiar assumptions about biblical authority and interpretation.

Show Notes →https://thebiblefornormalpeople.com/episodes/episode-342-leslie-baynes-cs-lewiss-surprising-takes-on-the-bible

Watch this episode on YouTube → https://youtu.be/aLx8KUCPiGA
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In this week’s episode of Faith for Normal People, Pete and Jared talk with Chelsea Kim Long about her journey of remaining rooted in Christianity while challenging the patriarchal structures and teachings that have shaped her faith. They explore how motherhood and embodied experience led her to question religious messages about women’s bodies, emotions, and intuition, and how a more expansive understanding of God and the Christian tradition helped her reclaim parts of herself she had been taught to suppress. Together, they consider what it means to be “faithfully dissident,” why Christian community should prioritize how people live over whether they hold the right beliefs, and how making room for diverse perspectives can lead to a more inclusive and life-giving faith.

Show Notes → https://thebiblefornormalpeople.com/episodes/episode-76-chelsea-kim-long-reclaiming-christian-faith

Watch this episode on YouTube → https://youtu.be/H7W4lY7II-4

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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.

Show Notes →https://thebiblefornormalpeople.com/episodes/episode-75-celene-ibrahim-women-in-sharia-law-and-the-quran

Watch this episode on YouTube → https://youtu.be/aA50LiO-EwE

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In this week’s episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete talks with biblical scholar Archie Wright about the development of the devil and how Jewish and Christian understandings of Satan have evolved over time. They explore why Satan does not appear in the Garden of Eden story as commonly assumed, how ancient Jewish texts like 1 Enoch helped shape ideas about evil spirits, and how later Christian traditions transformed Satan into the figure familiar today. Together, they invite listeners to reconsider familiar assumptions about the Bible, explore the historical development of theological ideas, and approach Scripture with fresh eyes by tracing traditions back to their earliest sources.

Show Notes → thebiblefornormalpeople.com/episodes/episode-341-archie-wright-who-the-devil-is-satan

Watch this episode on YouTube → https://youtu.be/gkWUkdNunUA
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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.

Show Notes → https://thebiblefornormalpeople.com/episodes/episode-340-pete-ruins-everything-with-bill-schniedewind

Watch this episode on YouTube → https://youtu.be/Qb1pkjRH42Q

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