[Faith] Episode 69: Diana Butler Bass - Resisting Christmas (And Why the Christian Calendar Still Matters)

[Faith] Episode 69: Diana Butler Bass - Resisting Christmas (And Why the Christian Calendar Still Matters)

Author: Peter Enns and Jared Byas December 1, 2025 Duration: 58:48
In this week’s episode of Faith for Normal People, Pete and Jared sit down with Diana Butler Bass to talk about the Christian calendar. Diana walks through the history of how the Christian calendar came to be, what levels of importance different traditions give it, and how the Christian calendar can serve as a symbol of resistance against other timelines that might be dominated by capitalism and imperialism.  Show Notes → https://thebiblefornormalpeople.com/episode-69-diana-butler-bass-resisting-christmas-and-why-the-christian-calendar-still-matters/  Watch this episode on YouTube → https://youtu.be/NhfpmBjSpG0 ********** This episode is sponsored by Greenlight. Greenlight is a debit card and money app made for families: parents can send money to their kids and keep an eye on kids’ spending and saving, while kids and teens build money confidence and lifelong financial literacy skills. Sign up for Greenlight today at greenlight.com/normalpeople. ********** This episode is sponsored by Aura Frames. For a limited time, visit AuraFrames.com and get $45 off Aura’s best-selling Carver Mat frames, named #1 by Wirecutter, by using promo code NORMALPEOPLE at checkout. This exclusive Black Friday Cyber Monday deal is their best of the year, so order now before it ends! Support the show by mentioning us at checkout! Terms and conditions apply. ********** This episode is brought to you by Brooklyn Bedding, which offers mattresses for every body, every sleep style – even in hard-to-find sizes. Take the Brooklyn Bedding Sleep Quiz and find your perfect match in under 2 minutes. Go to brooklynbedding.com and use our promo code BIBLE at checkout to get 30% off sitewide. This offer is not available anywhere else. 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
[ATBW] Episode 3 - Loopholes [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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In Episode 3 of All the Buried Women, co-hosts Beth Allison Barr and Savannah Locke explore the "loopholes" that allowed women to serve in ministry within the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), despite the formal prohibi…
[Bible] Episode 294: Roberto de La Noval - Universalism as a Doctrine [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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[ATBW] Episode 2 - The Invisible Woman [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:03:34
In Episode 2 of All the Buried Women, co-hosts Beth Allison Barr and Savannah Locke uncover the turbulent and hidden history of women in the Southern Baptist Convention. The story begins in the 1970s, an era of progress…
[Faith] Episode 54: Erin Hicks Moon - Disentangling Faith [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:03:20
In this episode of Faith for Normal People, Pete and Jared talk with Erin Hicks Moon about growing up Southern Baptist and how she started rethinking parts of her faith, moving away from certainty and learning to embrace…
[ATBW] Episode 1 - George Orwell Warned Us About 1984 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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In the debut episode of All the Buried Women, co-hosts Beth Allison Barr and Savannah Locke aim to uncover women’s stories hidden in the Southern Baptist Convention’s archives. The story begins in an unexpected place for…
[ATBW] Introducing All the Buried Women [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 6:48
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[Bible] Episode 292: Pete Enns - Pete Ruins Genesis (Part 5) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:05
In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete concludes a lengthy expedition through the book of Genesis with the story of Joseph—emphasizing its role as a bridge between the patriarchal narratives and Israel’s na…
[Faith] Episode 53: Sarah McCammon - The Politics of Evangelicalism [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:24
In this episode of Faith for Normal People, Pete and Jared talk with NPR Politics reporter Sarah McCammon about the political influence of evangelicals and their support for Donald Trump. They explore how fear, cultural…