The Deconstructionists

Guest Info/BIo: Our second guest this season is the amazing Jacqueline Bussie! Jacqueline comes on to discuss the topic of grief for our series on grief and grieving and how her own personal experience has impacted the words she wrote years ago. Dr. Bussie is an award-winning author, professor, theologian, public speaker, and student of life in all its messy beauty. Her books include “Love without Limits (2018) and “Outlaw Christian” (2016), which won the 2017 Gold Medal Illumination Award for Christian Living. Jacqueline teaches religion, theology, and interfaith studies classes at Concordia College in Moorehead, Minnesota, where she also serves as the Director of the Forum on Faith and Life. Guest Social Media: www.jacquelinebussie.com Twitter: @jacquelinebussie Instagram: @jbussie Facebook: @jacqueline.bussie This episode of the Deconstructionists Podcast was mixed and edited by John Williamson. Special theme music by Forrest Clay. Stay on top of all of the latest at www.thedeconstructionists.com Go th

Guest Info/Bio: This week we wrap up our talk about the resurrection with Dr. Dale C. Allison. Dale C. Allison, Jr. is the Richard J. Dearborn Professor of New Testament at Princeton Theological Seminary. He earned his MA and PhD from Duke University. His academic research and publications include the historical Jesus, the Gospel of Matthew, Second Temple Judaism, and the history of the interpretation and application of biblical texts. His book, Constructing Jesus, was selected as “Best Book Relating to the New Testament” for 2009–2010 by the Biblical Archaeology Society. His most recent books are The Resurrection of Jesus: Apologetics, Polemic, History and Encountering Mystery: Religious Experience in a Secular Age. He served for several years as the main New Testament editor for de Gruyter’s international Encyclopedia of the Bible and Its Reception and has been on the editorial boards of multiple academic journals. On a more popular level, he has written books on George Harrison, religious experience, and d

Guest Info/Bio: This week I had the chance to talk about the resurrection with Dr. Dale C. Allison. This will be the first of two parts. Dale C. Allison, Jr. is the Richard J. Dearborn Professor of New Testament at Princeton Theological Seminary. He earned his MA and PhD from Duke University. His academic research and publications include the historical Jesus, the Gospel of Matthew, Second Temple Judaism, and the history of the interpretation and application of biblical texts. His book, Constructing Jesus, was selected as “Best Book Relating to the New Testament” for 2009–2010 by the Biblical Archaeology Society. His most recent books are The Resurrection of Jesus: Apologetics, Polemic, History and Encountering Mystery: Religious Experience in a Secular Age. He served for several years as the main New Testament editor for de Gruyter’s international Encyclopedia of the Bible and Its Reception and has been on the editorial boards of multiple academic journals. On a more popular level, he has written books on Ge

Guest Info/Bio: Welcome back for part 2 of my conversation with Megan Devine in our series on grief and loss. Psychotherapist Megan Devine believes that making the world a better place starts with acknowledging grief, rather than seeking to overcome it. She advocates for a revolution in how we discuss loss – personally, professionally, and as a wider community. Megan is the author of the best-selling book, It’s OK that You’re Not OK: Meeting Grief & Loss in a Culture that Doesn’t Understand, and her guided grief journal, How to Carry What Can’t Be Fixed. Her animated “how to help a grieving friend” video distills a complex issue into simple, actionable steps in just over three (adorable) minutes. Gaining over 50 million views in its first few months, the animation is now used in training programs all around the world. Megan’s work has been translated into 15 languages, and is featured widely in the media, including the New York Times, Marketplace, The Atlantic, Washington Post, GQ, Harvard Business Revie

Guest Info/Bio: Welcome to 2023! We’re back! To kick off the year I welcome the amazing Megan Divine to kick off our series on grief and loss. Psychotherapist Megan Devine believes that making the world a better place starts with acknowledging grief, rather than seeking to overcome it. She advocates for a revolution in how we discuss loss – personally, professionally, and as a wider community. Megan is the author of the best-selling book, It’s OK that You’re Not OK: Meeting Grief & Loss in a Culture that Doesn’t Understand, and her guided grief journal, How to Carry What Can’t Be Fixed. Her animated “how to help a grieving friend” video distills a complex issue into simple, actionable steps in just over three (adorable) minutes. Gaining over 50 million views in its first few months, the animation is now used in training programs all around the world. Megan’s work has been translated into 15 languages, and is featured widely in the media, including the New York Times, Marketplace, The Atlantic, Washington

We're finally making good on our promise of more recommended readings! 7 years late...but hey we did it! Adam pops in for a bit to discuss what we've both been reading. This should keep everyone occupied for at least another 7 years. Books Discussed: God Is Not One: The Eight RIval Religions That Run The World by Stephen Prothero A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking The Wisdom of Insecurity: A Message for an Age of Anxiety by Allan Watts The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton It's OK That You're NOT OK by Megan Divine Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg Mckeown The Road Away from God: How Love Finds Us Even As We Walk Away by Jonathan Martin Man's Search for Meaning by Victor Frankl East of Eden by John Steinbeck Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoyevsky All Quiet on the Western Front: A Novel by Erich Maria Remarque The Subtle Art Of Not Giving A F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life by Mason Madison Thinking Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman The Righteous

Guest Info/Bio: Bekah Stolhandske McNeel is a native of San Antonio, Texas, where she has been a reporter for nine years. Her work has appeared in print with Christianity Today, The San Antonio Current, and the Public Justice Review, as well as online with the Christian Science Monitor, Sojourners, the Texas Tribune, the Hechinger Report, The 74 Million, and numerous local outlets. Known for her ability to communicate the high stakes of education and immigration policy and bring clarity to complex systems, Bekah keeps the human beings most affected at the front of her coverage. Bekah is a graduate of the London School of Economics, where she earned a MSc in Media Studies. She is married to Lewis McNeel, an architect with Lake | Flato. They have two young children who, while they do not yet have careers, are very busy. Guest (selected) Publications:  Bringing Up Kids When Church Lets You Down: A Guide for Parents Questioning Their Faith Guest Website/Social Media:  www.bekahmcneel.com  Facebook: @Bekah.Mcn

Guest Bio: This week week we have a very special episode with Father Gary Thomas. Father Thomas has served as the diocese of San Jose’s official Vatican - certified exorcist since 2009. He also served as a consultant on the movie, “The Rite” starring Anthony Hopkins. The movie is based on a book by the same name which chronicles accounts from his real life career. This Water I am Treading & You Must Go” found on the brand new EP, Recover. You can find Forrest Clay's music on iTunes, Apple Music, Spotify, YouTube, or anywhere good music is found! This episode of the Deconstructionists Podcast was edited, mixed, and produced by John Williamson  Stay on top of all of the latest at www.thedeconstructionists.com Go there to check out our blog, snag a t-shirt, or follow us on social media Join our Patreon family here: www.patreon.com/deconstructionists  Website by Ryan Battles All photos by Jared Hevron Logos designed by Joseph Ernst & Stephen Pfluig T-shirt designs by Joseph Ernst, Chad Flann

Guest Info/Bio: This week we give you part 2 of our two-part series on The Bible! We bring back one of our favorite guests of all time Dr. Timothy Mackie! Check out Dr. Mackie’s work on his podcasts The Bible Project and Exploring My Strange Bible. Dr. Mackie is the creative writer and director for The Bible Project and an adjunct professor of Old Testament at Western Seminary, both in Portland, Oregon. He discovered the wonderful world of biblical studies and languages at Multnomah University and Western Seminary and had the privilege of dong a PhD in Hebrew and Jewish studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Guest Social Media: www.timmackie.com www.thebibleproject.com Twitter: @timmackie This Water I am Treading & You Must Go” found on the brand new EP, Recover. You can find Forrest Clay's music on iTunes, Apple Music, Spotify, YouTube, or anywhere good music is found! This episode of the Deconstructionists Podcast was edited, mixed, and produced by John Williamson  Stay on top of all

BIO/GUEST: This week we speak with Brian McLaren! Brian is an author, speaker, activist, and public theologian. A former college English teacher and pastor, he is a passionate advocate for “a new kind of Christianity” - just, generous, and working with people of all faiths for the common good. He is an Auburn Senior Fellow and a leader in the Convergence Network, through which he is developing an innovative training/mentoring program for pastors, church planters, and lay leaders called Convergence Leadership Project. Born in 1956, he graduated from University of Maryland with degrees in English (BA, summa cum laude, 1978, and MA in 1981). His academic interests included Medieval drama, Romantic poets, modern philosophical literature, and the novels of Dr. Walker Percy. In 2004, he was awarded a Doctor of Divinity Degree (honoris causa) from Carey Theological Seminary in Vancouver, BC, Canada, and in 2010, he received a second honorary doctorate, this one from Virginia Theological Seminary (Episcopal). Brian’s

Guest Info/Bio: This week we speak with Dr. Pauline Boss. Pauline is an educator and researcher who is widely recognized for her groundbreaking research on what is now known as the theory of ambiguous loss. All losses are touched with ambiguity. Yet, Dr. Boss’s research and practice have revealed that those who suffer ambiguous loss, losses without finality or resolution, bear a particular and challenging burden. Whether it is the experience of caring for a parent who is suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, or waiting to learn the fate of a spouse or family member who has disappeared in a disastrous event like 9/11 or Hurricane Katrina, the experience of loss is magnified and is more significantly challenging to overcome because the loss is linked to a lack of closure. People who experience and live with an ambiguous loss find it hard to understand their situation, difficult to cope and almost impossible to move ahead with their lives without professional counseling, love and support. Since 1973, Dr. Boss has

Guest Info/Bio: This week we speak with the incredible Rabbi Arthur Green PhD. Rabbi Green is one of the preeminent authorities on Jewish thought and spirituality. He was the founding dean and is currently rector of the Rabbinical School and Irving Burdnick Professor of Jewish Philosophy and Religion at Hebrew College. He is Professor Emeritus at Brandeis University, where he occupied the distinguished Philip W. Lown Professorship of Jewish Thought. He is both a historian of Jewish religion and a theologian; his work seeks to form a bridge between these two distinct fields of endeavor. Educated at Brandeis University and the Jewish Theology Seminary of America, where he received rabbinic ordination, Dr. Green studied with such important teachers as Alexander Altmann, Nahum N. Glatzer, and Abraham Joshua Heschel, of blessed memory. He has taught Jewish mysticism, Hasidism, and theology to several generations of students at the University of Pennsylvania, the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College (where he serve

From the Void is back Monday, October 24th with an all-new season of strange and unusual mysteries! Witch trials, strange objects in the sky, haunted locations, strange disappearances, unsolved murders, and much much more! Check out From the Void anywhere podcasts are found and subscribe today so you don't miss a single episode! Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-deconstructionists/donations Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacyAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Guest Info/Bio: Tyler Merritt is an actor, comedian, viral sensation, activist, founder of The Tyler Merritt Project, and author of the memoir, I Take My Coffee Black: Reflections on Tupac, Musical Theater, Faith, and Being Black in America. As a 6’2” dreadlocked black man living in the South, Merritt is well aware of stereotypes and their potentially dangerous consequences. In response, Merritt has devoted his creativity to bringing his ethos of “Love. Learn. Create.” to life through his words and videos as part of The Tyler Merritt Project. His viral videos, “Before You Call the Cops” and “Walking While Black” have been viewed by millions and caught the attention of The New York Times, Jimmy Kimmel, and Sports Illustrated. Merritt takes his audiences along with him on a journey of contradictions: at turns both funny and sad, mysterious, and relatable, commonplace, and dangerous, he shines a light on “full-spectrum humanity” (The New York Times) that makes an impactful and relevant message. Merritt’s emphasi

Guest Info/Bio: Guest Bio: This week I kick off a two-part series on race with Andre Henry. Andre is an award-winning musician, writer, and activist. He is a columnist for Religion New Service and the author of the newsletter “Hope and Hard Pills.” He is a student of nonviolent struggle, having organized protests in Los Angeles, where he lives, and studied under international movement leaders through the Harvard Kennedy School. His work in pursuit of racial justice has been featured in The New Yorker and The Nation and he has a brand new book out, “All the White Friends I Couldn’t Keep: Hope—and Hard Pills to Swallow — About Fighting for Black Lives.”  Guest Website/Social Media:  www.andrehenry.co  Facebook: @theandrehenry Twitter: @andrehenry Instagram: @theandrehenry SoundCloud: https://m.soundcloud.com/andrehenrymusic  This week’s episode is brought to you by Better Help online therapy. For 10% off your first month go to www.betterhelp.com/deconstructionists  Theme Music by: Forrest Clay  “This

Guest Info/Bio: Guest Bio: This week I welcome back John Dominic Crossan! Dr. Crossan is one of the preeminent New Testament scholars and historian of early Christianity. He is known for his contemporary historical Jesus research and he has written both popular and academic books on an array of topics. Dr. Crossan received his Doctor of Divinity at St. Patrick’s College, Maynooth, the Irish national seminary and completed two additional years of study in biblical languages at the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome. He completed two additional years of study in archeology at the Ecole Biblique in Jordanian East Jerusalem. He served as co-chair of the Jesus Seminar and also served as president of the Chicago Society of Biblical Research from 1978-1979, and as president of the Society of Biblical Literature in 2012.  (Selected) Published Works: The Historical Jesus: The Life of a Mediterranean Jewish Peasant; Jesus: A Revolutionary Biography; Who Killed Jesus? Exposing the Roots of Anti-Semitism in the Gosp

Guest Info/Bio: This week I welcome back our good friend Jonathan Martin! Jonathan is a pastor at The Table and author of two critically acclaimed books, Prototype and How to Survive a Shipwreck, and a brand new book, The Road Away from God: How Love Finds Us Even As We Walk Away” out now.  He holds degrees from Gardner-Webb University, Pentecostal Theological Seminary (MA) and Duke University (ThM). Jonathan’s work and/or words have been featured in places like the New York Times, The Atlantic, NPR, Newsweek, Vox, Sojourners, The Huffington Post, and Relevant Magazine, and he has published in scholarly journals like The Journal of Pentecostal Theology.  Guest Publications:  Prototype: What Happens When You Discover You’re More Like Jesus Than You Think?, How to Survive A Shipwreck: Help is On the Way and Love is Already Here, and The Road Away from God: How Love Finds Us Even As We Walk Away Guest Links: www.jonathanmartinwords.com  Twitter: @theboyonthebike  Podcast: The Zeitcast with Jonathan Martin 

uest Info/Bio: Forrest Clay is a singer/songwriter and good friend of the pod! Clay joined me to discuss the inspiration behind his Recover EP. We break down each song followed by a snippet of that particular track for your listening pleasure.  Guest Links: Twitter: @clay_k Instagram: @forrestclaymusic  Music by: Forrest Clay  “Burning Bush, This Water I am Treading, Does God, Oh Church, You Must Go, and Recover” all found on the brand new EP, Recover and the brand new single, “Child of War.”  You can find Forrest Clay's music on iTunes, Apple Music, Spotify, YouTube, or anywhere good music is found! This episode of the Deconstructionists Podcast was edited, mixed, and produced by John Williamson  Stay on top of all of the latest at www.thedeconstructionists.com Go there to check out our blog, snag a t-shirt, or follow us on social media Join our Patreon family here: www.patreon.com/deconstructionists  Website by Ryan Battles All photos by Jared Hevron Logos designed by Joseph Ernst &

Guest Info/Bio: This week I welcome Staci Frenes. Staci is a Christian music artist, speaker, author, and mom of an LGBTQ+ daughter. A former English teacher, she has turned her love of music into a full-time vocation, forming her own publishing company and record label and landing multiple film and television placements. We talk all about Staci’s new book, “Love Makes Room: And Other Things I learned When My Daughter Came Out.”  Guest (Select) Publications: Love Makes Room: And Other Things I learned When My Daughter Came Out. Guest Links: www.stacifrenes.com  Twitter: @stacifrenes  Instagram: @stacifrenes Facebook: @stacifrenes  Theme music by: Forrest Clay  “This Water I am Treading” & “You Must Go” can be found on the brand new EP, Recover  You can find Forrest Clay's music on iTunes, Apple Music, Spotify, YouTube, or anywhere good music is found! This episode of the Deconstructionists Podcast was edited, mixed, and produced by John Williamson  Stay on top of all of the latest at www

Guest Info/Bio: This week I welcome Candice Marie Benbow. Candice is a multi-genre theologian who situates her work at the intersections of beauty, faith, feminism and culture, giving voice to Black women’s shared experiences of healing and journeying toward wholeness. Reimagining how faith can be a tool of liberation and transformation for women and girls, she challenges Black women to think critically about how they see God and the world. Named by Sojourners as one of “10 Christian Women Shaping the Church in 2020”, Candice has written for various outlets including ESSENCE Magazine, Glamour Magazine, The Root, VICE, Shondaland, MadameNoire and the Me Too Movement. Guest (Select) Publications: Red Lip Theology: For Church Girls Who’ve Considered Tithing to the Beauty Supply Store When Sunday Morning Isn’t Enough  Guest Links: www.candicebenbow.com  Twitter: @candicebenbow Instagram: @cadicebenbow Theme music by: Forrest Clay  “This Water I am Treading” & “You Must Go” can be found on the brand ne