[Faith] Episode 37: Sarah Bessey - It’s Okay to Deconstruct

[Faith] Episode 37: Sarah Bessey - It’s Okay to Deconstruct

Author: Peter Enns and Jared Byas April 29, 2024 Duration: 55:13
In this episode of Faith for Normal People, Jared and Pete have a candid conversation with Sarah Bessey about the highs and lows of her own evolving faith journey and how we can learn to embrace the wilderness of deconstruction—seeing it not as a place of desolation and doubt, but as an opportunity for growth and renewal. Show Notes → ********** This episode is sponsored by Fast Growing Trees. This Spring they have the best deals online, up to half off on select plants and other deals. And listeners to our show get an additional 15% off their first purchase when using the code NORMALPEOPLE at checkout. That’s an additional 15% off at FastGrowingTrees.com using the code NORMALPEOPLE at checkout. Offer is valid for a limited time, terms and conditions may apply. ********** This episode is sponsored by AG1. If you want to take ownership of your health, it starts with AG1. Try AG1 and get a FREE 1-year supply of Vitamin D3K2 AND 5 free AG1 Travel Packs with your first purchase at drinkAG1.com/normalpeople. That’s drinkAG1.com/normalpeople. Check it out. ********** This episode is brought to you by Union Presbyterian Seminary. Respond to your call with Union Presbyterian Seminary. Union meets you where you are, with three different platforms for learning, a world-class faculty who will invest in you, a community long after you graduate that supports you and equips you—for service and for leadership. To learn more, visit upsem.edu. 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…