Podcast Summary: "Start Here: Introduction to the Early World"

The Bible in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz) – January 1, 2026
Special Guest: Jeff Cavins

Episode Overview

In this inaugural episode, Fr. Mike Schmitz welcomes renowned Catholic Bible teacher Jeff Cavins to introduce "the Early World," the first period of the Great Adventure Bible Timeline. They provide listeners with essential context to begin reading the Bible, focusing on how Genesis 1–11 frames the whole story of salvation history. The discussion covers the literary style, major themes, recurring patterns, and the importance of understanding the Bible as a unified story—not merely a collection of disconnected tales.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Great Adventure Bible Timeline and the “Early World”

• Context and Purpose
  Fr. Mike: The podcast will walk listeners through the entire Bible in 365 days, using the Great Adventure Bible Timeline, created by Jeff Cavins, which divides biblical history into 12 colored periods for clarity and context.
  [00:04–05:00]

  "We're not just getting a collection of stories; we're also getting like the big story, and Jeff is here to do that."
  — Fr. Mike [03:23]

2. Making the Bible Simple and Accessible

• How the Timeline Was Developed
  Jeff explains how he struggled with reading the Bible linearly and how the Timeline method simplifies a complex book that was written "over a few thousand years." The Bible is broken into 12 periods and focuses on 14 key narrative books, with the other books slotted in contextually.
  [06:02–08:56]

  "What we have put together in the Great Adventure Bible...is we have made the difficult simple. And that's really the key to understanding the Bible..."
  — Jeff Cavins [06:27]

3. Structure and Literary Style of Genesis 1–11

• Historical Prehistory and Hebrew Poetry

  • Genesis 1–11, designated "the Early World" (color: turquoise), is unlike later narrative sections.
  • It’s told in Hebrew poetic form, not the modern "just the facts" history, and compresses events that shape salvation history into a few chapters.
    [08:57–09:58]

  "It is a history of the early world, but it's not written as a type of history that we are used to."
  — Jeff Cavins [08:57]

4. Key Themes and Patterns in Genesis 1–11

• Creation’s Form and Filling

  • Jeff breaks down the structure:
    • 1st three days: God gives form (time, space, land)
    • Next three days: God fills the void (sun, moon, stars; birds, fish; beasts, and finally, humans)
      [11:22–13:22]

  "The creation really deals with the formlessness and then it fills the void..."
  — Jeff Cavins [12:06]

• Creation, the Fall, and Consequences

  • Humans are made in God’s image, capable of will, reason, and sacrificial love, but quickly fall after disobeying God in the Garden.
    [13:44–16:44]

  "At the very beginning, like any great book, at the beginning, we have what's at stake here: 'You're free to eat of any of them except for the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil...'"
  — Jeff Cavins [14:19]

• Nature of Sin

  • The root of sin is pride, grasping for creation over the Creator—idolatry introduced through the fall.
    [16:56–17:27]

  "The moment you make the creation...greater than the Creator, you have idolatry. And this is the introduction of mortal sin into our relatives..."
  — Jeff Cavins [17:04]

5. God’s Plan and Recurring Themes

• Even After the Fall, There's Hope

  • Despite humanity’s recurring failures (e.g., Cain and Abel, the flood), God "has a plan of sheer goodness."
  • Genesis 3:15 is highlighted as the protoevangelium—a hint of the future Redeemer who will defeat evil.
    [17:28–19:25]

  "But the good news is that God has a plan. He has a plan."
  — Jeff Cavins [17:27]
  "From here on out, we're going to be revisiting some of these themes."
  — Jeff Cavins [21:17]

• The Flood: Not a Children's Tale

  • The story of Noah is not merely a children’s story but the reality of sin's consequences and God’s radical remedy—eventually culminating in Christ.
    [20:31–22:04]

  "While this seems like a children's story in some ways, it's not, because...the remedy for the brokenness of mankind is extremely radical."
  — Jeff Cavins [20:53]

• Bookends of Salvation History

  • The Early World (Genesis) is intricately connected to Christ’s passion and resurrection in the garden of Gethsemane.
    [22:04–22:44]

  "At the end of the story, towards the end...we're going to find the solution to this which happened in the garden. We're going to find the solution through someone who's in a garden."
  — Jeff Cavins [22:04]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Jeff’s Encouragement:

  "If you've never read the Bible before, don't worry...There was a time where I had never read the Bible before."
  — Jeff Cavins [04:40]

• On the Structure of Creation:

  "You have the creation of the world, then you have the creation of Adam and Eve, which—they are different than any other creation. They are created in the image and likeness of God..."
  — Jeff Cavins [13:44]

• On the Human Condition After the Fall:

  "Their relationship with God changed. They were afraid, they hid. And a lot of people can identify with this..."
  — Jeff Cavins [19:25]

• On the Power of God’s Word

  "Let the word of God soak deeply into your heart, because the word of God can change you..."
  — Jeff Cavins [22:25]

• Fr. Mike’s Summary of the Early World:

  "Again, this layer of—here's God's goodness, here's our grasping, and here's God not letting go of us, but continuing to pursue us even in the midst of our brokenness, in the midst of our turning away from him."
  — Fr. Mike Schmitz [22:50]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [00:04] – Introduction by Fr. Mike and overview of the Great Adventure Timeline
• [04:06] – Jeff Cavins joins and reflects on the journey ahead
• [06:02] – Jeff explains the logic and utility of the 12-period timeline and narrative books
• [08:57] – Discussion of Genesis 1–11’s style and its role as prehistory
• [11:22] – The structure of creation: form and void in Genesis 1–3
• [13:44] – Creation of humanity, the fall, and the nature of temptation
• [16:56] – Pride, sin, and consequences for humanity
• [17:27] – God’s first promise of redemption (Genesis 3:15)
• [18:41] – Fr. Mike on the importance of understanding the foundational story of salvation
• [19:25] – Impact of the fall on humanity’s relationships and the narrative of the flood
• [20:31] – Noah's story: reality of sin and radical remedy
• [22:04] – Biblical bookends: the fall and Christ’s victory in the garden
• [22:44] – Encouragement to engage deeply with God’s word throughout the year

Conclusion

This episode serves as a crucial orientation to both the structure of the podcast and the entire project of reading the Bible with understanding. Fr. Mike and Jeff Cavins emphasize the importance of reading the Bible as a continuous, coherent story shaped by God’s persistent goodness despite human failure. The episode equips listeners with an initial framework for the "Early World" of Genesis, stressing that these foundational chapters will echo throughout Scripture and shape how we see God's relationship with humanity.

Listeners are encouraged to download the reading plan, subscribe, and prepare for a transformative spiritual journey in the year ahead.