Passover, Liberation, and the God of the Wilderness - - w/ Rabbi Nahum Ward-Lev
Voxology
Challenging Beliefs and Liberation
The hosts express their gratitude to the guest for sharing his wisdom and discuss how his perspective on scripture and spirituality has challenged their own beliefs. They contrast the view of the current pandemic being God's judgment with the guest's belief in liberation and God taking care of humanity.
How the ancient themes of Passover, liberation, and wilderness speak directly into our lives during a global pandemic. Rabbi Nahum Ward-Lev joins Bonnie, Mike, and Tim for a powerful and timely conversation that explores the Hebrew prophetic tradition and how its liberative framework can offer hope, transformation, and solidarity in the face of disruption and isolation. Drawing from his book, The Liberating Path of the Hebrew Prophets Then and Now, Ward-Lev invites listeners to rediscover the biblical wilderness as a space of creativity, growth, and divine intimacy.
Key Takeaways: • Rediscovering the Wilderness – How the biblical concept of “midbar” (wilderness) as the “wide place” is not just a location of hardship, but a sacred space where healing, creativity, and relational connectedness emerge. • Liberation as an Ongoing Spiritual Journey – Passover isn’t just a historical event, but an invitation to engage in continual internal and communal transformation, especially in times of collective crisis. • God of the Margins – Understanding the divine identity rooted in liberation theology: “I am the Lord your God who brought you out of bondage,” highlighting God's preferential option for the oppressed. • From Pharaoh’s Pyramids to the People’s Tabernacle – A compelling contrast between oppressive structures built by forced labor and communal spaces birthed from mutual creativity, justice, and shared story. • Darkness as a Place of Birth and Revelation – Reframing the “plague of darkness” and quarantine as womb-like—spaces where new imagination, connection, and justice-centered community can be born.
Guest Highlights: Rabbi Nahum Ward-Lev – Spiritual director, retreat leader, and author of The Liberating Path of the Hebrew Prophets Then and Now. Based in New Mexico, he leads the multi-faith study group Baymidrash and offers spiritual guidance nationwide. Rabbi Ward-Lev shares how Jewish spirituality holds a deep call to moral awakening, emphasizing that justice, relational wholeness, and co-creation with God are central to our human vocation.
Resources Mentioned: • The Liberating Path of the Hebrew Prophets Then and Now – Order the Book • Walter Brueggemann – Writings on prophetic imagination and resisting royal narratives • Children's Book: “God Must Be Like That” – Illuminating how we see God through justice, kindness, and love • Ezekiel 37 – The dry bones as a metaphor for spiritual rebirth and collective awakening • Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Beloved Community” – A vision rooted in mutuality, justice, and compassion
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Follow Mike on Twitter: @mikeerre
Music in this episode by Timothy John Stafford Instagram & Twitter: @GoneTimothy
As always, we encourage and would love discussion as we pursue. Feel free to email in questions to hello@voxpodcast.com, and to engage the conversation on Facebook and Instagram.
We're on YouTube (if you're into that kinda thing): VOXOLOGY TV.
Our Merch Store! ETSY
Learn more about the Voxology Podcast
Subscribe on iTunes or Spotify
Support the Voxology Podcast on Patreon
The Voxology Spotify channel can be found here: Voxology Radio
Follow us on Instagram: @voxologypodcast and "like" us on Facebook
Follow Mike on Twitter: www.twitter.com/mikeerre
Music in this episode by Timothy John Stafford
Instagram & Twitter: @GoneTimothy
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