Episode 155: Sarah Bessey - Why Bother Praying?

Episode 155: Sarah Bessey - Why Bother Praying?

Author: Peter Enns and Jared Byas February 22, 2021 Duration: 43:54
Praying can feel difficult during hard times and especially after a faith deconstruction. Sarah Bessey joins us on this episode of the podcast to talk about what inspired her to write a book on prayer and shares what has been helpful in her discovery of what it means to pray.  Show Notes → 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
Episode 163: Tripp Fuller - Thinking About Jesus Today [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:23
We brought in Tripp Fuller, host of the podcast Homebrewed Christianity, to share his perspective on the Jesus of history and the Christ of theology and its relevancy in our lives today. Show Notes → Learn more about you…
Episode 162: Jared & Sarah Byas - Parenting in a Faith Transition [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:05
Wondering how Jared and his wife, Sarah, have navigated parenting amidst their transitions of faith? They cover what they tell their kids about Christianity, the Bible, and how their parenting is different because of it.…
Episode 160: Pete and Jared - The Risk of an "Errant" Bible [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:31
Why is Bible inerrancy so hard for people to give up? Pete and Jared dive into some possible explanations and take a look at the history of the belief that the Bible is inerrant. Show Notes → Learn more about your ad cho…
Episode 159: Richard Elliott Friedman - Who Wrote the Pentateuch? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:13
We love a good discussion on the formation of the Bible. Listen in as we talk to scholar Richard Elliott Friedman about the various texts that make up the Hebrew Bible, what clues we have to date them, and what makes the…
Episode 158: Maria Doerfler - Reading the Bible in Times of Crisis [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:49
There’s many difficult stories the Bible but one people struggle with the most are those dealing with the death of children. On this episode, we are joined by Maria Doerfler who shares rich perspectives on the stories of…
Episode 157: Nadia Bolz-Weber - Being a Christian in the Messiness [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:44
We had a great conversation with Nadia Bolz-Weber about what is compelling about Christianity, why we all need to stop trying so hard, and what in the world there is to be hopeful about. Show Notes → Learn more about you…
Episode 153: James Kugel - Shifting Perspectives on God in the Bible [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:03
James Kugel is back on the podcast sharing about how people during the biblical period understood God and how their views changed overtime. How does their understanding of God influence our understandings today? Show Not…