The Bible For Normal People

Dive deep into the rich metaphors of the book of Jonah and discover his transformative journey of descent and redemption. Unlock the symbolism behind his three days in the belly of the fish, revealing themes of chaos, despair, and salvation. Explore how ancient Near Eastern context enriches this narrative, and connect Jonah's experiences to modern mental health insights and thoughtful gift-giving. Delve into a prayer that compiles heartfelt psalms, offering profound spiritual lessons beyond mere history.

John Franke joins the podcast to discussing his new book, Missional Theology. John shares some key components of missional theology and discusses how to overcome plurality, what evangelizing looks like through a missional lens, and why the church needs the world. Show Notes → Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We are so excited about the Everyday Life in Ancient Israel class Cynthia is teaching for us we just had to reissue her podcast episode from back in season 2. Cynthia talks with Pete and Jared about what she does as an archaeologist, how it has informed her view of the Bible, her favorite finds, and more! Show Notes → Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Expert Paula Fredriksen discusses the origins of Christianity and Judaism, including the distinctions during the Second Temple Period. She explores the historical context of temples, sects like Pharisees and Sadducees, and the influence of Roman rule. The conversation delves into the Messiahship of Jesus, Paul's mission among the Gentiles, witnesses to Jesus, and the evolution of Christian identity. Also, it touches on transcending ethnic boundaries in religious beliefs and Paul's unique message to non-Jewish Greeks.

Pete Enns, a biblical scholarship expert, answers listener questions on Job, ancient Egyptian letters, and shifts in faith views. Topics include the complexities of suffering in Job, the evolution of biblical scholarship, reconciling biblical timelines with archaeological evidence, and exploring monotheism in Ancient Egypt and Israelite beliefs. The episode also discusses faith deconstruction and growth, the uniqueness of Christianity, and announcements about a new course and book release.

What does it mean to “speak the truth in love?” On this episode we’re taking about Jared’s new book Love Matters More and what it should actually look like for Christians to interact with people they disagree with. Show Notes → Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ancient interpreters made all sort of assumptions about the Bible much like we do today. What do their assumptions tell us about how to interpret the Bible today? James Kugel breaks down the function of the Bible throughout history and how it has changed from antiquity to today. Show Notes → Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Investigative journalist Ariel Sabar reveals the captivating tale of a Harvard professor deceived by a fake discovery about Jesus' wife, emphasizing the importance of historical accuracy. Delve into the controversy of the gospel fragment, forgery revelations, and the challenges of seeking truth in scholarly investigations.

What is sin? It’s something we talk about often but rarely take the time to define. Gary Anderson has written a book on the subject so we brought him on the show to explain it to all us normal people. He sheds light on some common misconceptions and explains the history behind our modern understandings of sin. Show Notes → Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On this episode, Pete and Jared discuss the intersection of faith and science with scientist and theologian Ilia Delio. They get into why these two subjects have historically been at odds and why it holds us back to continue believing they actually are.Show Notes → Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices