In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete and Aaron Higashi talk to Madhavi Nevader about the rise and fall of monarchy in ancient Israel and its representation in the Bible. Together they explore how Israel's kingship model of power developed, the tension between divine rule and human kingship, and how the theological shifts shown in th…

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete continues his exploration of the Book of Genesis, diving into Genesis 5-11 by examining the complexities of the genealogies and the flood narrative, defining source criticism, and more. Show Notes → ********** This episode is sponsored by Beam. If you want to try Beam’s Greens, get up to 40% off …

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete and Jared are joined by Greg Carey to explore the concept of apocalyptic literature within the Bible and its broader implications. Greg delves into the meaning of apocalyptic, explains the evolution of apocalyptic literature from proto-apocalyptic texts in the Old Testament to its more developed …

In this episode of Faith for Normal People, Jared and J. Aaron Simmons delve into the philosopher Søren Kierkegaard’s radical critique of Christendom, explaining why he thought institutionalized religion had strayed from a more true Christian faith. They also cover Kierkegaard’s belief in faith as a lived experience rather than mere doctrine and th…

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete and Jared talk with Amy-Jill Levine about misconceptions surrounding the Pharisees and how to understand them in their context. The conversation delves into the historical background of the Pharisees, their role in Jewish society, and how they have been stereotyped over time. Show Notes → *******…

Purandar Das, a two-time CTO and the current CEO of a leading data protection company, shares his insights on redefining innovation in the tech world: "Innovation is creating a new process, a new product, or a new approach to doing something better—solving a problem that's not been solved before." - Purandar Das ------------------------------------…

In this episode of Faith for Normal People, Jared and Angela Parker talk to Yolanda Pierce about the different paths of deconstruction, how womanist and intersectional theology provides plenty good room, and why true multicultural diversity is more than just different faces in a shared space. Show Notes → ********** Mentioned in This Episode Class:…

In a world where the term 'innovation' risks becoming a buzzword, understanding its true essence is crucial. Joia Spooner-Fleming, a seasoned innovation executive with a decades-long track record of developing people and products at Procter & Gamble, joins the show to discuss what innovation looks like in practice. Throughout the process of transfo…

A tale as old as time…Pete is ruining the book of Genesis! In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete lovingly dissects Genesis 1-4 and the biblical story of “how things began.” Show Notes → ********** This episode is sponsored by Lumi. To learn more about microdosing THC, go to Microdose.com and use code NORMALPEOPLE to get free shipping…

Join us this week for a conversation with Shanil Ebrahim, Partner and National Life Sciences & Healthcare Consulting Leader at Deloitte Canada! We challenge the common misconception that innovation requires constant efficiency. Shanil shares why some "wasted work" is inevitable, and even essential, for groundbreaking ideas. ------------------------…

In this episode of Faith for Normal People, Pete talks to David Dark about the necessity of doubt in the life of faith and the human experience. Show Notes → ********** 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 …

This conversation with Collin Graves, CEO of North Labs, revolves around simplifying complex processes, removing technical debt, and streamlining workflows to increase efficiency and productivity. Jared and Collin also discuss the challenges of managing technical debt in complex systems and the importance of a slow and steady approach to AI adoptio…

What makes biblical studies different from theology, and vice versa? Why does it matter? In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete and Jared ruminate on the goals, methods, and focus of each distinct field and why it’s important to understand the difference when engaging with the Bible and faith. Show Notes → ********** This episode is s…

Host Jared Simmons talks with Tatsuya Nakagawa, Co-Founder and CEO of Castagra Products. Tatsuya offers a unique take: "For me, innovation is value creation towards some sort of goal or aim." This reflection springs from the story of his junior high school decision about whether to alter his name to overcome social barriers, highlighting how innova…

In this episode of Faith for Normal People, Jared and Jennifer Garcia Bashaw talk with Regina Shands Stoltzfus about the intersection of faith and nonviolence, how theology taught in church moves us to certain beliefs about violence, and how we can begin addressing societal issues through peace-focused actions. Show Notes → Learn more about your ad…

Join us on "What is Innovation?" where Jared Simmons discusses what it takes to generate game-changing ideas with Dr. Craig Detweiler, President of Wedgwood Circle and Dean of the College of Arts and Media at Grand Canyon University. Dr. Detweiler shares his insights on innovation: "Innovation is all about changing the game. It shifts the paradigm …

Who was really responsible for the execution of Jesus—Roman soldiers or Jewish leaders? In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, J. Christopher Edwards joins Pete and Jared to explore early Christian narratives that began shifting culpability for the crucifixion from Roman soldiers to Jewish leaders, and highlighting how these misconceptions…

In this episode, Jared chats with Louis Gump, author of "The Inside Innovator: A Practical Guide to Intrapreneurship." In addition to intrapreneurship, they discuss the evolution of innovation, emphasizing the importance of recognizing past achievements and learning from them to inform modern technologies like AI, LLM, and GPTs. -------------------…

What does Nehemiah have to teach us about the challenge of hermeneutics and theology today? In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Pete ruins the book of Nehemiah by illuminating the key concepts, overarching themes, character arcs, and sociopolitical context found in the text; plus gives some takeaways about biblical interpretation for ou…

Nick Jain, CEO of IdeaScale, joins Jared this week to discuss innovation as a process, including how to cultivate a dynamic culture that fosters continuous improvement and the development of new methodologies. ------------------------------------------------------------ Episode Guide: 0:00 - Intro 0:46 - What is Innovation? 1:34 - Generative AI and…

In this episode of The Bible for Normal People, Jennifer Garcia Bashaw joins Pete and Jared to discuss how various atonement theories attempt to explain Jesus’s death. This is a reissue of The Bible for Normal People Episode 183 from October 2021. Show Notes → For those of you who pay attention to the show notes, you can learn more about atonement …

Innovations that deliver true value to customers are novel and sustainable. This week, Jared is joined by Hunter Hastings, a thought leader blending economics, marketing, and innovation. Hunter defines innovation as "the creation of new economic value for an end user with a viable business proposition." They discuss the subjective nature of value, …

In this episode of Faith for Normal People, Pete and Anna Sieges Beal talk to Anna Case-Winters about incarnation and crucifixion, the coexistence of humanity and divinity in Jesus, and how process theology can help us reimagine divine power. Plus, Pete gets to ask questions about the cosmos. Show Notes → Learn more about your ad choices. Visit pod…