The Bible For Normal People [Faith] Episode 62: Zach W. Lambert - The Lenses Through Which We Read the Bible
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Aug 4, 2025 Zach Lambert, the lead pastor of Restore in Austin and co-founder of the Post-Evangelical Collective, shares his journey from biblical literalism to a more liberative reading of scripture. He discusses the dangers of harmful interpretive lenses like literalism and apocalypse, advocating for healthier alternatives that focus on Jesus and community flourishing. Zach highlights how different biblical interpretations can influence personal behavior and the importance of context to promote compassion and healing.
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Zach's Troubled Bible Experience
- Zach Lambert experienced fear and frustration with the Bible due to harmful interpretations from his childhood church.
- He once stopped reading the Bible after encountering the troubling story of Lot and his daughters during his one-year Bible reading.
Reading Bible Through Lenses
- Everyone reads the Bible through interpretive lenses shaped by identity and culture, often unconsciously.
- Recognizing these lenses helps us understand why different people reach different biblical interpretations.
Problem with Literalism Lens
- Literalism demands biblical text to be factually literal, ignoring genre and context.
- The harm lies in making these views litmus tests for true Christianity, pushing people away unnecessarily.
