In this week’s episode of The Bible for Normal People, Jared takes listeners on a tour through the history of modern biblical scholarship, tracing key “aha moments” that changed how scholars understand the Bible. From source criticism and the Documentary Hypothesis to oral tradition and the rise of fundamentalism, he explores how new questions about the Bible’s origins reshaped both academia and the church. Together, these developments invite listeners to see the Bible not as a static text dropped from heaven, but as a deeply human collection of traditions formed over time.

Show Notes → www.thebiblefornormalpeople.com/episodes/bible-episode-329-jared-byas-10-aha-moments-in-biblical-scholarship-part-1

Watch this episode on YouTube → https://youtu.be/g1e9UwFRtWI

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This episode is brought to you by Brooklyn Bedding, which knows sleep isn’t one-size-fits-all. That’s why they offer mattresses for every body, every sleep style – even in hard-to-find sizes. Go to brooklynbedding.com and use promo code BIBLE at checkout to get 30% off sitewide. This offer is not available anywhere else.

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This episode is sponsored by Garrett Theological Seminary. Whether you feel called to care and counsel, public service, prophetic arts, or

non-profit management, there’s a program at Garrett Seminary that’s right for you. Apply by July 15th to begin a Master’s degree this fall.

Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠garrett.edu/normalpeople⁠⁠⁠.

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In this week’s episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete and Jared talk with Vanessa Lovelace about the Deuteronomistic history and why Deuteronomy plays such a central role in shaping Israel’s story. They explore how biblical writers interpreted Israel’s history through the lens of covenant, exile, and identity formation, and how these themes continue to influence modern readings of the Bible. Together, they invite listeners to see ancient texts not as a flat narrative, but as a rich conversation about God, justice, failure, and hope. 

Show Notes → https://www.thebiblefornormalpeople.com/episodes/bible-episode-328-vanessa-lovelace-is-deuteronomy-history

Watch this episode on YouTube → https://youtu.be/G_UCwYd-7hI

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This episode is brought to you by Brooklyn Bedding, which knows sleep isn’t one-size-fits-all. That’s why they offer mattresses for every body, every sleep style – even in hard-to-find sizes. Go to brooklynbedding.com and use promo code BIBLE at checkout to get 30% off sitewide. This offer is not available anywhere else.

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This episode is sponsored by Garrett Theological Seminary. Whether you feel called to care and counsel, public service, prophetic arts, or

non-profit management, there’s a program at Garrett Seminary that’s right for you. Apply by July 15th to begin a Master’s degree this fall.

Learn more at ⁠⁠garrett.edu/normalpeople⁠⁠.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this week’s episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete and Jared talk with Douglas Campbell about rethinking the “Romans Road” and what Paul is really doing in his letter to the Romans. They explore how common readings have turned Romans into a step-by-step plan of salvation, often missing its original context and ethical focus. Together, they invite listeners to see Romans as a vision of God’s radical love and a call to live transformed, relational lives shaped by that reality. 

Show Notes → http://thebiblefornormalpeople.com/episode/episodes/bible-episode-327-douglas-campbell-ripping-up-the-romans-road

Watch this episode on YouTube → https://youtu.be/8Wl1LZ_mEqo

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This episode is brought to you by Brooklyn Bedding, which knows sleep isn’t one-size-fits-all. That’s why they offer mattresses for every body, every sleep style – even in hard-to-find sizes. Go to brooklynbedding.com and use promo code BIBLE at checkout to get 30% off sitewide. This offer is not available anywhere else.

**********

This episode is sponsored by Garrett Theological Seminary. Whether you feel called to care and counsel, public service, prophetic arts, or

non-profit management, there’s a program at Garrett Seminary that’s right for you. Apply by July 15th to begin a Master’s degree this fall.

Learn more at ⁠garrett.edu/normalpeople⁠.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this week’s episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete and Jared talk with Chris Keith about the historical Jesus, and how scholars approach the gap between the Jesus of history and the Jesus of the Gospels. They explore why the Gospels themselves raise questions about modern ideas of history, how different methods have tried to reconstruct Jesus, and why certainty can be elusive. Together, they invite listeners to approach both the Bible and their faith with greater humility, recognizing that asking honest questions doesn’t have to diminish meaning, and can actually deepen it.

Show Notes → https://thebiblefornormalpeople.com/episodes/episode-326-chris-keith-how-do-scholars-reconstruct-the-historical-jesus

Watch this episode on YouTube → https://youtu.be/ipzANHJZA-M

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This episode is brought to you by Brooklyn Bedding, which knows sleep isn’t one-size-fits-all. That’s why they offer mattresses for every body, every sleep style – even in hard-to-find sizes. Go to brooklynbedding.com and use promo code BIBLE at checkout to get 30% off sitewide. This offer is not available anywhere else.

**********

This episode is sponsored by Garrett Theological Seminary. Whether you feel called to care and counsel, public service, prophetic arts, or

non-profit management, there’s a program at Garrett Seminary that’s right for you. Apply by July 15th to begin a Master’s degree this fall.

Learn more at garrett.edu/normalpeople.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this week’s episode of Pete Ruins Everything, Pete talks with Amy-Jill Levine about supersessionism and its impact on how Christians understand Judaism and the New Testament. They explore how ideas like “replacement theology” show up in biblical texts, why these interpretations have caused harm, and how readers can engage the Bible more honestly and responsibly. Together, they invite listeners to wrestle with difficult passages and approach both traditions with greater humility and care. Show Notes → thebiblefornormalpeople.com/episodes/episode-325-pete-ruins-everything-with-amy-jill-levine
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Uxp50C8Ji-s

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This episode is sponsored by Factor. Head to factormeals.com/normalpeople50off and use code normalpeople50off to get 50 percent off and free breakfast for a year. Eat like a pro this month with Factor. New subscribers only, varies by plan. 1 free breakfast item per box for 1 year while subscription is active.

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In this week’s episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete and Jared reflect on ten years and over 400 episodes of the podcast, revisiting what they thought they were doing and what they now see more clearly in hindsight. They explore themes that have emerged along the way, including the shift from certainty to wisdom in reading the Bible and the move from information to personal and communal formation. They also discuss how these conversations have been shaped by a wider range of voices and why engaging the Bible calls for ongoing discernment rather than fixed answers, inviting listeners to rethink what the Bible is for today.

Show Notes → thebiblefornormalpeople.com/episodes/episode-324-pete-enns-and-jared-byas-a-city-on-a-hill-a-ten-year-retrospective

Watch this episode on YouTube → https://youtu.be/zMia-yKjnN0

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This episode is sponsored by Factor. Head to factormeals.com/normalpeople50off and use code normalpeople50off to get 50 percent off and free breakfast for a year. Eat like a pro this month with Factor. New subscribers only, varies by plan. 1 free breakfast item per box for 1 year while subscription is active.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this week’s episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete and Jared talk with Andrew Tobolowsky about what scholars mean by “myth” and how that idea applies to the Bible. They explore the origins of the 12 tribes of Israel, examining the historical and textual evidence and why this tradition may be less straightforward than it seems. Together, they discuss how these stories developed over time and how they helped shape Israel’s identity, inviting listeners to think more critically about how the Bible tells its story of the past.

Show Notes → thebiblefornormalpeople.com/episodes/episode-323-andrew-tobolowsky-the-myth-of-the-twelve-tribes 

Watch this episode on YouTube → https://youtu.be/EPPOlN4Rr1k

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On this week’s episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete talks with archaeologist Cynthia Shafer-Elliott about what archaeology can—and can’t—tell us about the Bible. Cynthia explains how archaeologists excavate ancient sites, highlights key discoveries like the Tel Dan Stele and the Lachish reliefs, and explores what everyday artifacts reveal about life in ancient Israel and Judah. Together they discuss how material culture complicates simple claims that archaeology either proves or disproves the Bible, offering instead a richer picture of the ancient world behind the text.

Show Notes → https://www.thebiblefornormalpeople.com/episodes/bible-episode-322-cynthia-shafer-elliott-where-archaeology-intersects-with-the-bible

Watch this episode on YouTube → https://youtu.be/7FFxqydz0Vc

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This episode is sponsored by Factor. Head to Factormeals.com/normalpeople50off and use code normalpeople50off to get 50 percent off and free daily greens per box, with new subscription only, while supplies last until 09/27/2026. (See website for more details)

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In this week’s episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete and Jared talk with Chris Hoklotubbe and Danny Zacharias about biblical interpretation through an Indigenous American perspective. They explore how cultural identity, history, and social location shape the way people read Scripture, and why Indigenous perspectives challenge assumptions many Christians take for granted. Together, they invite listeners to read the Bible more thoughtfully, remaining aware of their own context and open to voices that have too often been overlooked.

Show Notes → http://thebiblefornormalpeople.com/episodes/bible-episode-321-h-daniel-zacharias-t-christopher-hoklotubbe-native-american-biblical-interpretation

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

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This episode is sponsored by Factor. Head to factormeals.com/normalpeople50off and use code normalpeople50off to get 50 percent off and free breakfast for a year. Eat like a pro this month with Factor. New subscribers only, varies by plan. 1 free breakfast item per box for 1 year while subscription is active.

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This episode is brought to you by Brooklyn Bedding, which knows sleep isn’t one-size-fits-all. That’s why they offer mattresses for every body, every sleep style – even in hard-to-find sizes. Go to brooklynbedding.com and use promo code BIBLE at checkout to get 30% off sitewide. This offer is not available anywhere else.

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This episode is sponsored by ButcherBox, which delivers over 100 premium protein options straight to your door, including 100% grass-fed beef, free-range organic chicken, crate-free pork, and wild-caught seafood. New listeners can get their choice between organic ground beef, chicken breast or ground turkey in every box for a year, PLUS $20 off when you go to ButcherBox.com/NORMALPEOPLE.

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In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete has another go at ruining something. This week, he’s unpacking the book of Jeremiah and its interlocking themes of anguish, confusion, and hope. Along the way, Pete picks out some of the iconic Jeremiah verses commonly quoted in churches and Facebook posts and puts them back in the context of the text. It might make those verses less applicable to a high school graduation card, but it also helps readers participate in the ongoing journey to search for God’s promises in the face of crisis.

Show Notes → http://thebiblefornormalpeople.com/episodes/bible-episode-320-pete-ruins-jeremiah
Watch this episode on YouTube → https://youtu.be/6KRcI8fVD6s

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In this week’s episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete and Jared welcome back Season 1 favorite Matthew Vines to discuss how conversations about the Bible and same-sex relationships have shifted over the past decade. Matthew revisits common biblical arguments against same-sex marriage and offers thoughtful counterpoints grounded in Scripture and church history. The conversation explores how a deeper understanding of the Bible’s context can invite Christians to think more expansively about faith, love, and partnership.

Show Notes → https://www.thebiblefornormalpeople.com/episodes/bible-episode-319-matthew-vines-the-bible-isnt-against-gay-marriage

Watch this episode on YouTube → https://youtu.be/2x5BQNrD9gw

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