Sacrifice, Atonement, and Presence: Maybe Leviticus Doesn't Mean What We Think? (Phil Bray) Ep #234

48 snips

Jan 8, 2026

Phil Bray, an Australian butcher and the creator of 'Leviticus is Fun,' shares his unique journey exploring Leviticus through butchering. He redefines ancient sacrificial rituals as gift offerings rather than violent acts. Phil discusses how his hands-on experience informs his understanding of cleanliness and holiness, emphasizing the altar's role in making offerings sacred. He highlights the importance of sensory elements in rituals and argues that atonement focuses more on unblemished offerings than on violent death, offering a fresh perspective on spirituality and community.

Ask episode

AI Snips

Chapters

Books

Transcript

Episode notes

ANECDOTE

How A Men's Group Sparked A Butcher's Obsession

Phil Bray began obsessing over Leviticus after a throwaway comment on atonement in a men's group led him to search scripture for the idea.
His butchering background made Leviticus click in ways that other readings had not.

ANECDOTE

Butchery Work Shaped His Reading

Phil describes breaking up hundreds of lambs and sometimes handling whole beef quarters in a supermarket setting.
That hands-on experience shaped his observations about organs, fat, and ritual imagery.

INSIGHT

Internal Anatomy Reinforces Sacred Space

Phil noticed kidneys sit centrally and are surrounded by white fat, which matched Mary Douglas's spatial reading of holiness.
Handling organs made that symbolic-spatial insight tangible for him.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

Get the app

What happens when an Australian butcher starts reading Leviticus—and finds it fun? In this unique episode, Dru Johnson speaks with Phil Bray, author of Leviticus on the Butcher’s Block, about how his day job cutting lambs and steaks helped him see the book of Leviticus in a whole new light. Phil traces his journey from casual Bible reader to Leviticus superfan, exploring how rituals, sacrifice, and atonement make far more sense when you’ve broken down hundreds of animals by hand.

Phil shares how ancient sacrificial rituals weren’t necessarily about violent death but about preparing food as a gift to God. The conversation dives into the Hebrew understanding of holiness, clean vs. unclean, and why God’s presence is depicted as a space without disease or death. Along the way, Phil and Dru reflect on Mary Douglas, Jewish slaughter laws, the power of smell and memory, and how the altar isn’t where the animal dies—but where it becomes holy.

Phil’s insights bring theology and meat science into one coherent (and hilarious) frame, showing why Leviticus is deeply spiritual, richly embodied, and more relevant than most Christians assume.

For Phil's YouTube Channel, go here:
https://www.youtube.com/@Leviticus_is_fun

We are listener supported. Give to the cause here:
https://hebraicthought.org/give

For more articles:
https://thebiblicalmind.org/

Social Links:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HebraicThought
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hebraicthought
Threads: https://www.threads.net/hebraicthought
X: https://www.twitter.com/HebraicThought
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/hebraicthought.org

Chapters:
00:00 The Journey to Leviticus
03:19 Understanding Atonement and Sacrifice
06:19 The Butcher's Perspective on Rituals
09:15 Cultural Context of Sacrifice
12:32 The Nature of Death in Sacrifice
15:29 The Art of Kosher Slaughter
18:23 Leviticus: A Fun Exploration
21:27 The Meaning Beyond Death in Rituals
27:01 The Olfactory Experience of Worship
30:24 The Significance of Sacrifice in Ancient Cultures
34:07 Rethinking Atonement and Sacrifice
39:19 The Life of Jesus: More Than Just Death
45:06 Leviticus: A Guide to Drawing Near to God