165: The Intercessor - Art, Faith, & Repair in the MAGA Maelstrom

In this episode I talk with Arlene Goldbard about her new book that I think takes on a quiet but consequential democratic problem: how, in unstable times, the hunger for certainty can slide into surrender—of discernment, of agency, and responsibility.

Rather than offering answers or heroes, her book The Intercessor uses story to explore how people learn to stay in relationship, inquiry, and ethical choice without handing their power over to charismatic leaders, rigid belief systems, or the promise of spiritual or political shortcuts.

In this conversation, we explore three deeply relevant themes:

1. Intercession as a practice of discernment, and learning how to listen without disappearing yourself in the process.
2. How artists and cultural workers can function as bridges , helping communities resist the pull toward false certainty.
3. And repair as a practiced skill, not an abstract ideal, but rather personal, communal, and spiritual repair that only happens when people remain accountable to one another.

You’re right to call that out. No reason to shrink the ecosystem. Here it is restored—full cast, fuller descriptions, URLs embedded in the titles, and organized by the four categories you’ve been using.

Notable Mentions

People

1. Arlene Goldbard: Cultural critic, novelist, painter, and longtime leader in community-based arts. Author of The Intercessor and In the Camp of Angels of Freedom. Her work bridges spiritual inquiry, democratic practice, and cultural organizing.
2. Rabbi Arthur Waskow: Founder of The Shalom Center and a central prophetic voice in Jewish Renewal. A pioneer in linking Jewish spiritual practice with social justice, environmental activism, and interfaith organizing.
3. Rabbi David Wolfe-Blank: Influential Jewish Renewal teacher known for his mystical depth and pedagogical clarity. A formative guide for many Renewal leaders, including Goldbard.
4. Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi: Founder of the Jewish Renewal movement. Brought Hasidic mysticism, experimentation, and interspiritual dialogue into contemporary Jewish life.
5. Paulo Freire: Brazilian educator and author of Pedagogy of the Oppressed. His concept of “conscientization” (critical consciousness) undergirds much community-based arts and democratic cultural practice.

Places

1. ALEPH: Alliance for Jewish Renewal: The national umbrella organization for Jewish Renewal communities, ordination programs, and spiritual leadership training.
2. The Shalom Center: A Jewish justice organization founded by Rabbi Arthur Waskow. Engages in interfaith social action rooted in prophetic Jewish tradition.
3. Sefaria: A free, open-access digital library of Jewish texts. Provides bilingual access to Torah, Talmud, Pirkei Avot, and other foundational sources referenced in the episode.

Events

1. October 7, 2023 Attacks and Israel–Gaza War (BBC Overview): Context for the rupture explored in the novel between Sarah and Yasmine—where love collides with ideology, family pressure, and geopolitical trauma.
2. 2024 U.S. Presidential Election (Federal Election Commission Overview): The political backdrop near the novel’s close, underscoring its themes of fear, agency, democratic rehearsal, and moral discernment.

Publications

1. The Intercessor: Arlene Goldbard’s novel-in-linked-stories exploring intercession as spiritual practice, discernment, ethical repair, and democratic rehearsal in troubled times.
2. In the Camp of Angels of Freedom: Goldbard’s earlier book of portraits and reflections on spiritual and justice-oriented teachers who shaped her moral imagination.
3. Pedagogy of the Oppressed by Paulo Freire: Foundational text articulating internalized oppression and participatory liberation—key intellectual grounding for community-based cultural work.
4. Song of Songs (Shir HaShirim): Biblical love poetry invoked in the episode as an assignment in praise, eros, and relational repair—an ancient text that insists love sits at the center of existence.
5. Pirkei Avot 2:16 (Ethics of the Fathers): Source of the teaching quoted at the close: “It is not your duty to finish the work, but neither are you free to desist from it.” A succinct ethic of sustained democratic practice.
6. Overview of the Talmud (My Jewish Learning): Explains the dialogic, argumentative structure of Jewish learning—where disputation itself becomes a form of worship and discernment.

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Art Is CHANGE is a podcast that chronicles the power of art and community transformation, providing a platform for activist artists to share their experiences and gain the skills and strategies they need to thrive as agents of social change.

Through compelling conversations with artist activists, artivists, and cultural organizers, the podcast explores how art and activism intersect to fuel cultural transformation and drive meaningful change. Guests discuss the challenges and triumphs of community arts, socially engaged art, and creative placemaking, offering insights into artist mentorship, building credibility, and communicating impact.

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