26. Dr. Jennifer Garcia Bashaw (Bible Scholar) – Wrestling with Scripture Beyond Literalism

🎙️ 26. Dr. Jennifer Garcia Bashaw (Bible Scholar) – Wrestling with Scripture Beyond LiteralismWhen “Bible-believing” meant literalism and inerrancy, many of us thought that was the only Christian option. Dr. Jennifer Garcia Bashaw—New Testament scholar, professor, and church practitioner—opens the door to a bigger, older, more beautiful Christian story. We unpack why inerrancy & literalism are relatively recent (1800s) theologies, how the Bible’s genres invite deeper reading, what Revelation is actually doing, and how multiple atonement models live inside the tradition.What we cover• Inerrancy & literalism as modern control theologies • Reading the Bible as literature: genres + context • Atonement models 101: moral exemplar, Christus Victor, satisfaction → penal substitution • Revelation as apocalyptic resistance literature (and why the rapture isn’t in Revelation) • Practical tips for finding Jesus-centered churches today • Learning to think in stories not isolated verses • Jennifer’s forthcoming Serving Up Scripture (with @abhigashi)💡 Key takeaways• Wrestling with Scripture is ancient & holy work • The rapture is a 19th-century doctrinal system, not a Revelation doctrine • Center Jesus when doctrines conflict • You’re not alone — many scholars make Scripture accessible without dumbing it down⛪ About our guestDr. Jennifer Garcia Bashaw (@jgbashaw) is a New Testament scholar & professor who also serves in congregational ministry — bridging academy + church with clarity, courage, and compassion.📚 Resources mentioned@thebiblefornormalpeople (Bible Scholar Pete Enns @peteenns + former pastor Jared Byas @jaredbyas) Homebrewed Christianity @theologynerd (host @trippfuller) @maklelan – Bible Scholar and podcast host, Data Over Dogma @abhigashi – co-author and Bible Scholar @crosspointecary – church where Jennifer preaches @derekwebb – songwriter mentioned🔎 Episode highlights“Nowhere does the Bible say you must read this literally or that every word is inerrant.” “Genres matter. Reading apocalyptic like a newspaper guarantees you’ll miss the point.” “If a church talks more about the inerrancy of the Bible than the way of Jesus, pause.” “Think in stories, not isolated proof-texts.”Support the showAbout The Sacred SlopeWhere the slippery slope becomes sacred ground.For the spiritually tender—raised in or rooted in Christianity.Come explore our global, diverse, inclusive Christian faith, deconstruction, and spiritual identity in a rapidly changing world. Through conversations with clergy, scholars, and cultural voices, the show creates space for people navigating faith after certainty, church harm, or political co-option of religion.🎧 WATCH: YouTube / Spotify     LISTEN: Apple Podcasts + everywhere     FOLLOW: @thesacredslope (IG, FB, Threads, TikTok, YouTube, Bluesky)🔗 Connect🎧 Explore episodes & community: linktr.ee/TheSacredSlope 🎙 Hosted by Alexis Rice 🎵 Music by Brett Rutledge, Eddie Irvin & Sean Spence 📬 Nominate a guest: [email protected]🌿 Community Guidelines 🌿Fruit of the Spirit:  ❤️ love • 💫 joy • ☮️ peace • 🕊 patience • 💝 kindness • 🌿 goodness • 🙏 faithfulness • 🤲 gentleness • 💪 self-control