Skip to content
PodParley
The Word in Black and Red podcast artwork

PODCAST · religion

The Word in Black and Red

by The Word in Black and Red

Welcome to the Word in Black and Red, where we read the Bible from a leftist and liberationist perspective to elucidate the way people of faith and their comrades can understand the Bible as a source of healing, love, and liberation for all people. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Publisher-supplied feed metadata · PodParley refreshed Oct 5, 2026 · Source feed

Subscribe · 0 Bookmark

Episodes

  1. 3.15 | Leviticus 21-22 | Rules for Priests and Sacrifices

    Join Micah, Brandon Johnson and Brandon Rhodes from Found in Translation and Avery Arden from Blessed are the Binary Breakers as we explore the laws around priests and sacrifices in Leviticus 21-22. Why does purity matter, and how have these rules been used to abuse? What did they mean to the...

  2. 3.14.2 | Leviticus 20 | Witchcraft

    Join Micah, Fae, and Daniela as we discuss witchcraft in Leviticus 20. What is “witchcraft”? What magical practices are being addressed in this passage? And how is the concept of “witchcraft” used to oppress? Find out some perspectives on these questions and more on this episode of The Word in...

  3. 3.14.1 | Leviticus 20 | Molech

    Join Micah, Fae, and Daniela as we discuss Molech in Leviticus 20. Who--or what--is Molech? What do all these strict prohibitions tell us about Israelite society and the societies surrounding it? How does the context help us respond to the “clobber passage” in this text? And do we still deal with...

  4. 3.13 | Leviticus 19 | How to Be a Neighbor

    Join Micah, Ell, Josh Wise, and Margaret Killjoy as we explore the complex set of laws on Leviticus 19. How do ancient Israel’s laws and public health codes compare to our own standards of morality? How can a house have a skin disease? And in a broader sense, why do we spend so much time thinking...

  5. 3.12 | Leviticus 18 | Sex Rules

    We're BACK! Join Micah, Lee Catoe, Mike Shipley, Waffles, & Rush as we explore the laws around sexuality in Leviticus 18. What’s the context of these verses? Is there anything else of value in them for queer folk? And for the passage as a whole, are we focusing on the wrong place? Find out...

  6. 3.11 | Leviticus 17 | Sacrifice and Food

    Join Micah, Josiah, Alex Zambito, & Ross Thorn as we explore the importance of sacrifice and food in Leviticus 17. Why does Leviticus place such importance on blood? What does it mean for blood to be the "life force"? How do these ancient laws ensure an equitable distribution of wealth? How does...

  7. 3.10 | Leviticus 16 | The Day of Atonement

    Join Micah, Hadar Cohen, and Simon Doong as we explore the Day of Atonement in Leviticus 16. What is Azazel? What is witchcraft and how is it a part of our faith? How can we both hold people accountable while offering reconciliation? And what does this ancient practice have to teach us about our...

  8. 3.9.2 | Leviticus 15 | The Junk from Our Junk

    Join Micah, Matt Cox, Rig, and Pastor Kuma as we explore genital emissions in Leviticus 15. What are the implications of the broad periods of uncleanliness? Are these bodily fluids holy, gross, or something in between? What role does uncleanliness have in holiness, and how does Christianity’s...

  9. 3.9.1 | Leviticus 15 | Genital Emissions: A Menstrual Perspective

    Join Micah, Ell, Rev. Ronnie, and Pastor Sarah as we explore the genital emissions for the first of two episodes in Leviticus 15.W hat does “unclean” mean in the text and how has Christian culture changed it? How did these laws affect how open women could be about their cycles? And what’s the...

  10. 3.8 | Leviticus 13-14 | Skin Diseases & Purification

    First draft: Join Micah, Mat Meyer, Grahmin, and Darth as we explore the rules around the purification of skin diseases in Leviticus 13-14. What are the skin diseases we're even talking about here? How have these laws been used to exclude? And how can we use these laws to help include those we've...

  11. 3.7 | Leviticus 12 | Women Dangeriusly Like God

    Join Micah, Ell, and Ronnie as we explore the rules about menstruation and childbirth in Leviticus 12. How was childbirth different when this text was written? Are these rules for birth-givers meant to oppress or to give them a break? And how dangerously close are women to being gods? Find out…

    more

  12. 3.6 | Leviticus 11 | Clean & Unclean Animals

    oin Micah, Mystic Mikester, and Vivian Asimos as we explore the clean and unclean animals in Leviticus 11. How can identity demarcation be used for either oppression or liberation and communal autonomy? How does this set of ancient communities standards apply to impossible political choices? And...

  13. 3.5 | Leviticus 10 | The Priests Immediately Fuck Up

    Join Micah, Rabbi Noyo, Josiah from Pulp!, and Aaron J Smith from All Things Made New as we explore the death of Aaron's sons in Leviticus 10. Why did God kill Aaron's sons? What do our interpretations have to teach us about God's boundaries? How do we restore broken relationships? What does this...

  14. 3.4 | Leviticus 8-9 | A Censer Full of Banana Pudding

    Join Micah, Blue, Darth, and Pastor Don as we explore the ordination of the priests in Leviticus 8-9. What is the significance of all of this ancient symbology? Why does it matter to us today? How are our own spiritual traditions the cultural manifestations of our own settings? And what in the...

  15. 3.3 | Leviticus 6:8-7:38 | The Material Reality of Sacrifice

    Join Micah, W Scott McAndless, Anthony Moss, and Darth as we explore the material reality of sacrifice in Leviticus 6:8-7:38. What are all of these different sacrifices and what do they mean? What does this ancient system communicate about the way our faith ancestors were dealing with the…

    more

  16. 3.2 | Leviticus 4-6:7 | Purification & Reparations

    Join Micah, Ben Boswell, Terry J. Stokes, and Jules Webb as we explore the concept of purification and reparations in Leviticus 4-6. What does this ancient text on making reparations have to teach us about wealth? What is the Levitical and then Christian perspective on reparations owed to the...

  17. 3.1 | Leviticus 1-3 | Perfect Holiness for Wholly Imperfect People

    Join Micah, Waffles, Aaron J Smith, and Avery Arden as we explore the sacrifices outlined in Leviticus 1-3. Why are we reading this ancient book about sacrifices in a religion at least two removed from our own? What is the difference between perfection and holiness? How can we read this text as...

  18. S 2.32 | Exodus 40 | God Enters God's Dwelling

    Join Micah, Aaron, Ell, and Spencer as we discuss God entering God's dwelling in Exodus 40. What is the significance of this final moment? How is God coming to dwell with the people a transformative experience for everyone? And how can we become God's dwelling place? Find out some answers to…

    more

  19. S 2.31 | Exodus 35:4-39:43 | Construction of God's Dwelling

    Join Micah, Mike, Spencer, and Ronnie as we explore the construction of God's dwelling in Exodus 35:4-39:43. Why does it matter how the tabernacle for a religion three thousand years ago was set up? What sort of cultural memory was necessary to hold on to this, and what was being communicated…

    more

  20. Christmas Special 2025

    Join Ell, Scott, Natasha, Mike, Jules, Matt, Dave, Avery, and Micah for our Christmas Special 2025! Hear reflections on Mary, the love of God, and the role of the ordinary in the greatest revolution in history. Find more resources at our new website: thewordinblackandred.com You can find the…

    more

  21. S 2.30 | Exodus 34-35:3 | God's Character, the Renewed Covenant, & Moses' Shining Face

    Join Micah, Scott, Mat, and Avery as we explore who God is, what the new covenant looks like, and why Moses is quite so shiny in Exodus 34-35:3. How do we see the idea that God is love here in this ancient passage about cursing disobedient people for four generations or driving out the indigenous...

  22. S 2.29 | Exodus 33 | Moses Seeks for and Sees God

    Join Micah, Ell, Grahmin, and Avery as we discuss Moses seeking after and seeing God in Exodus 33. Why is God still pulling away from the people? What does Moses do to restore the relationship? And what do you mean, God showed Moses God's butt? Find out answers to these questions and more on this...

  23. S 2.28 | Exodus 32 | The Golden Calf

    Join Micah, Ell, Fae, and Don as we discuss the Golden Calf in Exodus 32. What is the significance of the golden calf, and did it really happen here? What political agenda is this story achieving, and why does it show up right here? What are the golden calves of our own age, and how should we…

    more

  24. S 2.27 | Exodus 29-31 | Proper Worship & the Sabbath

    Join Micah, Blue, Spencer, and Aaron as they discuss the proper worship and the Sabbath in Exodus 29-31. Why is this so much harder than just worshiping a cow? What is the purpose of this census, and why does God later hate censuses? How does this passage help us resist the endless and relentless...

  25. S 2.26 | Exodus 25-28 | Instructions for God's Dwelling and Vestments

    Join Micah, Aaron, and Jules as we discuss the building of the tabernacle and vestments for the priests in Exodus 25-28. Why do these ancient descriptions matter for our own perception of our faith? How is God's presence mediated through these objects in the tabernacle and in our own religious...

  26. S 2.25 | Exodus 24 | The Mosaic Covenant

    Join Micah, Ell, Pastor Don, and new guest Father Micah Lazarus, priest-in-charge of St. Photini Universalist Orthodox Church as we discuss the Mosaic Covenant in Exodus 24. Why is God maintaining distance between Godself and the people? What does God's struggle with intimacy with many people...

  27. S 2.24 | Exodus 23:20-33 | Joshua's Fascism Foretold

    Join Micah, Mat, Waffles, and Josiah as we explore the genocidal prediction of the book of Joshua in Exodus 23:20-33. Why is the Bible so comfortable with this promise of genocide? How can we read this book that has such a fascist text buried inside it as liberatory? What is the relationship...

  28. S 2.23 | Exodus 23:10-19 | Sabbath Rest

    Join Micah, Mystic Mike (formerly Mike the Anarchist), Aaron J Smith from All Things Made New, and Dave Bindewald from the Center for Play and Exploration as we discuss letting the fields give fruit for the poor, Sabbath rest, and the festivals outlined in Exodus 23:10-19. What does the Bible…

    more

  29. S 2.22 | Exodus 22:16-23:9 | "Seduction" Marriage, Immigrants, and Usury

    Content Warning: Explicit discussion about sexual assault and the way sexual assault victims have been and are being mistreated. Join Micah, Ell, and Blue as we dive into the strange set of laws in Exodus 22:16-23:9. How have the victims of sexual assault been treated in the Bible and what ethic...

  30. S 2.21 | Exodus 21-22:15 | Slavery, Violence, & Property

    Join Micah, Ell, Mat, and Aaron as we discuss the laws around slavery, violence, and property in Exodus 21-22:15. Why is learning about these antiquated and horrific laws important for our own time? Why did the Hebrew people revert back so quickly to reinstate the systems of oppression that they...

  31. S 2.20 | Exodus 19-20 | Arrival at Mt. Sanai & the Ten Commandments

    Join Micah, Ell, Josiah from Pulp!, and Graham Culbertson from Everyday Anarchism as we explore the arrival at Mt. Sanai and the Ten Commandments in Exodus 19-20. What is the purpose of these rules? Don't they imply an authoritarian reading just by being laws? How does the content and context of...

  32. S 2.19 | Exodus 18 | The Vanguard Organizes the Masses

    Join Micah, Ell, Josiah, and Jules Webb from xiantifa as they explore the establishment of the 70 elders to lead the people under Moses in Exodus 18. What is Jethro's motivation for the recommendation? How does it go immediately wrong? What does this mean for churches with bishops? How can we…

    more

  33. S 2.18 | Exodus 17:8-16 | Israel Defeats Amalek

    Join Micah, Spencer, Avery, and Pastor Don as we explore the story of Israel defeating Amalek in Exodus 17:8-16. Who are the Amaleks? Why are they especially hated throughout the Scripture? And what do you mean "Moses needs a handy"? Find out on this episode of The Word in Black and Red! Pastor…

    more

  34. S 2.17 | Exodus 15:22-17:7 | God Provides in the Wilderness

    Join Micah, Ell, Char from Barefoot to Emmaus, and our new friend Maki Ashe from the Center for Prophetic Imagination as we discuss God providing in the wilderness in Exodus 15:22-17:7. What is the biblically proper way to complain? How are the complainants here living into their calling as the...

  35. 0.18 | Jezebel Fixes Everything | Crossover from Retelling the Bible

    We so enjoyed this episode of Retelling the Bible that we wanted to share it here on the feed! We hope to have a new episode out next week. Enjoy this in the meantime! https://retellingthebible.wordpress.com https://linktr.ee/TWIBAR You can find the show, more episodes, and other means of…

    more

  36. 0.17 | Why Did Jesus Speak in Parables? | Crossover Episode from Found in Translation

    Join Brandon and Brandon from the Found in Translation Podcast as they explore Matthew 12 and 13 with Ell! Read more from the Liberation & Inclusion Translation and listen to the podcast at https://litbible.net/ https://linktr.ee/twibar You can find the show, more episodes, and other means of...

  37. S 2.16 | Exodus 13:17-15:21 | Pharaoh's Army Lost at Sea

    Join Micah, Scott, Mat, and the audio ghost of Josiah as we discuss the destruction of Pharaoh's army in Exodus 13:17-15:21. Why are there so many contradictory details in this story? Did this event really happen, and if not, what mythical and propagandistic function did it serve? And what does...

  38. S 2.15 | Exodus 12:29-13:16 | Plague X: The Firstborn

    Join Micah, Ell, and Don as we explore the death of the firstborn in Exodus 12:29-13:16. Who did the killing? How is this playing into revenge? How does this change our vision of God? Find out on this episode of The Word in Black and Red. Ell is the patron saint of Wobblies. Join the Industrial...

  39. S 2.14 | Exodus 11-12:28 | The First Passover

    Join Micah, W Scott McCandless, Ben, & Brandon Johnson from the Found in Translation Podcast and Liberation & Inclusion Translation (LIT) as we explore the first Passover. Why does it seem like there are two separate agendas here? What are the distinct ways God is being perceived, and how does…

    more

  40. S 2.13 | Exodus 9:13-10:29 | Triad 3: The Hail, the Locusts, and the Darkness

    Join Micah, Ell, Spencer, and new guest Aaron J Smith from All Things Made New as we explore the final set of plagues on the land of Egypt. What is the significance of this great falling of hail from the heavens? What makes the locusts a bittersweet plague? And what darkness has descended onto...

  41. S 2.12 | Exodus 8:20-9:12 | Triad 2: The Swarms, the Cattle, and the Boils

    Join Micah, Ell, W Scott McCandless, and new guest Mason Mennenga as we explore the second set of plagues on the land of Egypt. How is God hardening of Pharaoh's heart using Egypt's own mythology to condemn him? Is lying wrong in the face of oppression? Who are the Hebrews and what does it mean…

    more

  42. S 2.11 | Exodus 7:14-8:19 | Triad 1: The Blood, the Frogs, & the Lice

    Join Micah, Ell, and Fae as we explore the first three plagues on the land of Egypt. How are these plagues related to the story of both the Hebrews and the gods of Egypt? What is the importance of the symbolism of turning the Nile to blood? What are the lice doing? And what do you mean by...

  43. S 2.10 | Exodus 6:28-7:13 | Egypt's Magicians Copy God's Magic Tricks

    Join Micah, Pastor Don, Josiah, and Mike Shipley the Anarchist as we explore the duel between Moses, Aaron, and the Pharaoh's magicians. Why does God harden Pharaoh's heart? Do the Egyptian magicians really have secret powers? What is the relationship between Egypt's power, the plagues, and the...

  44. 0.16 | You Only Get What You're Organized to Take

    Join Ell as she interviews co-host Rev. Liz Theoharis and new guest Noam Sandweiss-Back on their book, You Only Get What You're Organized to Take. What does it mean to be a poor people's movement? How is God already at work among the poor? And what kind of progress to you make when the people…

    more

  45. S 2.9 | Exodus 6:1-27 | God Reassures Moses of his Calling

    Join Micah, Ell, Ben, and Blue as we explore God reassuring Moses that he is called in Exodus 6:1-27. What is the relationship between the God of Being and the God of Love? What does God have to say about our complaints? What cycle of forgetfulness are we stuck in today? Find out some answers to...

  46. 2.8 | Exodus 5 | Meeting with Pharaoh: Why You Need a Union Rep

    Join Micah, Ell, and Josiah as they explore the parallels between Moses' story and our own day in Exodus 5. Why is this three thousand year old book speaking to our exact moment? What can we learn from these negotiations about how to approach power? And what the hell do you mean, "The Balfrog...

  47. 2.7.2 | The Other Side of the Story

    Join us for a very special episode to hear Jeff Baker's song, "God is Not a Man," and W. Scott McCandless' retelling of the Emergency Circumcision. Make sure you stick around to the end for a very special treat. Jeff Baker is on TikTok as Animation Bakery. Retelling the Bible can be found…

    more

  48. S 2.7 | Exodus 4:18-31 | Emergency Circumcision

    Join Micah, W Scott McCandless, and new guests Kalie and Blue as they explore the meaning of these strange connected stories. Why does God harden Pharaoh's heart? What is this staff of the God(s)? Who is getting circumsized, who's feet (ha!) are being touched, and who is Zipporah's Bridgegroom of...

  49. S 2.6 | Exodus 4:1-17 | The Snake Staff and the Withered Hand

    Join Micah, Ell, and Jules Webb as they explore the signs God gives Moses to show to Pharaoh in Exodus 4:1-17. What is the significance of transforming Moses' staff into a snake? How does this miracle feed into Moses' doubt? What is the importance of the leprosy? And how are all of these signs...

  50. S 2.5 | Exodus 3:13-22 | The Name of God

    Join Micah, Ell, Rabbi Noyo, and Alex as they explore the name of God in Exodus 3:13-22. What does YHWH mean and how does that feed into the way we see the world? What is the connection between God's essence and our action? How is God wrapped up in our liberation? And how many rabbinical jokes…

    more
View all 123 episodes →

Type above to search every episode's transcript for a word or phrase. Matches are scoped to this podcast.

Searching…

We're indexing this podcast's transcripts for the first time — this can take a minute or two. We'll show results as soon as they're ready.

No matches for "" in this podcast's transcripts.

Showing of matches

No topics indexed yet for this podcast.

Loading reviews...

ABOUT THIS SHOW

Welcome to the Word in Black and Red, where we read the Bible from a leftist and liberationist perspective to elucidate the way people of faith and their comrades can understand the Bible as a source of healing, love, and liberation for all people.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

HOSTED BY

The Word in Black and Red

Produced by Micah Belong

Frequently Asked Questions

How many episodes does The Word in Black and Red have?

The Word in Black and Red currently has 123 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.

What is The Word in Black and Red about?

Welcome to the Word in Black and Red, where we read the Bible from a leftist and liberationist perspective to elucidate the way people of faith and their comrades can understand the Bible as a source of healing, love, and liberation for all people. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more...

How often does The Word in Black and Red release new episodes?

The Word in Black and Red publishes regularly with 123 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.

Where can I listen to The Word in Black and Red?

You can listen to The Word in Black and Red on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.

Who hosts The Word in Black and Red?

The Word in Black and Red is created and hosted by The Word in Black and Red.
URL copied to clipboard!