Seven Things I Wish Christians Knew is a podcast based on the book of the same name by Dr. Michael Bird, a super-series designed to help you get past seven of the most common mistakes Christians make when it comes to the Bible.

This episode, chapter 5: We should take the Bible seriously but not always literally. While often treated as a badge of honour, taking the Bible literally regularly becomes a pointless distraction from the real struggle to discern God’s will in Holy Scripture.

We begin with a reading from Dr. Bird's book, outlining the various sources for understanding the Bible's meaning. Then Mike Bird interviews the Rev. Andrew Judd on tips for faithfully interpreting the Bible today.

The Rev. Judd is a lecturer in foundational Old Testament subjects at Ridley College in Melbourne. He also has an extensive history of working in pastoral contexts - including with students at St Barnabas Broadway and in the residential colleges of Sydney University. He also spent years at City on a Hill church in Melbourne, where he served as Community Pastor. Meaning Andrew has the perfect mix of academic and pastoral knowledge to help us understand why the Bible should be taken seriously but not always literally.

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