Episode 181: Pete Enns

 

 


I am so excited to welcome Pete Enns to the podcast today. Pete is a college professor who has been teaching, writing and speaking about the Bible for over 20 years. He is a storyteller which is one reason why I love his writing but I also love that Pete isn’t afraid to lean in and ask hard questions. He values hearing the stories of everyday people and their struggles with the Bible. That drives so much of what he does with his writing and with his podcast, The Bible For Normal People. 

I have read two of his books, The Bible Tells Me So and How the Bible Actually Works, and have thoroughly enjoyed reading and wrestling through them. I want to let you know upfront that this is a vulnerable conversation. But it’s exactly what I want to model for you. I want us to have permission to ask questions. Permission to doubt. Permission to lean into the uncertainty that we feel about life. Permission to be critical thinkers when it comes to our faith. All of these things aren’t problems for our faith—they can be expressions of it. 

In this episode, we talk about the bible—what it is and what it isn’t. We talk about how to apply the way of wisdom when we approach the bible. And we dive into how to talk about the bible with our kids. 

 
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Freebies:

Links mentioned:

Survival Kit:

  • Reminding myself that it is okay to be me

Takeaways:

  • We need people to help us put language to experiences and some people hit on something that affects us.

  • We have the ability to bring our entire self to the Bible and when we do that, it will hopefully develop empathy in us for others instead of driving us to be more right.

  • Our view of the Bible affects how we view others.

  • We have the temptation to make the Bible in our own image.

  • Reimagining God—letting go of the illusion that you can wrap your mind around what God is like.

  • When you talk to your kids about the Bible, there doesn’t always have to have a point, a moral, a lesson. Just tell the story.

Discussion Questions:

  • How did you grow up with the Bible?

  • How has that view evolved over the years?

  • What does your faith look like now in comparison to another season of life?

  • Was that anything that happened that pushed you to reimagine God for this season?

  • What was something that struck you as interesting in this conversation?

  • What is one takeaway to wrestle with this week?

(Amazon affiliate links used when possible--purchasing through these links is an easy way to support the show. Or shop using www.SurvivingSarah.com/amazon and a portion of the what you buy will go back to the show.)

Connect with Pete:  Facebook // Website // Podcast // twitter

What did you enjoy about this episode? What was your takeaway. Let's continue the conversation on Instagram or Twitter.

Thank you for following along life with me. I love being apart of your day. And as always, I hope this show helps you survive a little easier.

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Podcast, Parenting, faithsarah bragg