[Bible] Episode 324: Pete Enns & Jared Byas - A City on a Hill: A Ten Year Retrospective

[Bible] Episode 324: Pete Enns & Jared Byas - A City on a Hill: A Ten Year Retrospective

Author: Peter Enns and Jared Byas April 13, 2026 Duration: 50:08
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 ********** 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

You’ve probably heard the Bible quoted, preached, and argued about, but how often do you get to explore it with curiosity instead of certainty? That’s the space The Bible For Normal People creates each week. Hosts Peter Enns and Jared Byas-scholars who understand both the academic weight and the everyday weight of scripture-guide conversations that are genuinely engaging and refreshingly human. They aren’t here to provide simple answers. Instead, they sit down with a diverse range of thinkers, from theologians and historians to artists and activists, to ask the complicated questions regular people actually have. In this podcast, you’ll hear discussions that acknowledge the ancient, messy, and profound nature of these texts, all while dismantling the idea that you need a special degree or piety to engage with them. It’s for anyone who’s ever felt on the outside of traditional religious dialogue but remains intrigued by the Bible’s stories, poetry, and enduring influence on culture and personal faith. The tone is conversational and often lighthearted, even when tackling heavy subjects, making deep scholarship accessible and relevant. If you’re looking for a place where doubt is welcome, history matters, and the sacred book is examined with both respect and honest inquiry, you’ve found it.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

The Bible For Normal People
Podcast Episodes
[Bible] Episode 325: Pete Ruins Everything with Amy-Jill Levine [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:41
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 t…
[Bible] Episode 323: Andrew Tobolowsky- The Myth of the Twelve Tribes [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:33
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 Is…
[Bible] Episode 320: Pete Ruins Everything on Jeremiah [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:56
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 pi…
[Bible] Episode 318: Mark S. Smith - The Many Gods of Israel [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:08:05
In this week’s episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete and Jared sit down with Mark S. Smith, a leading scholar of ancient Israelite religion, to explore the polytheistic background of Israel and the gradual emergen…
[Bible] Episode 317: N.T. Wright - The Book of Ephesians [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:46
Pete and Jared are back! They kick off Season 10 of The Bible for Normal People with N.T. Wright, diving into the big, sweeping vision of Ephesians. Wright unpacks Ephesians as an invitation to embody unity across deep d…