In this episode of The Deconstructionists Podcast, we’re joined by John Dominic Crossan and Michael Okinczyc-Cruz for the first part of a wide-ranging conversation about Jesus, empire, and why historical context matters now more than ever.

As religion, power, and nationalism continue to collide in the United States, this conversation feels remarkably timely — not because it’s reacting to current events, but because it’s rooted deeply in history.

In Part One, we focus on setting the foundation:

• The world of the Roman Empire and how it shaped early Christianity
• Why Jesus must be understood as a first-century Jewish figure under imperial occupation
• What happens when modern readers remove Jesus from his historical context
• Why asking historical questions doesn’t weaken faith — but often deepens it

This episode invites listeners to take the Bible seriously enough to let it challenge modern assumptions about power, violence, and faithfulness.

John Dominic Crossan is one of the most influential New Testament scholars of the last fifty years. A historian of early Christianity and co-founder of the Jesus Seminar, Crossan has written extensively on the historical Jesus, the Roman Empire, and the political implications of early Christian theology.

Michael Okinczyc-Cruz is a scholar whose work focuses on empire, power, and the intersection of theology, politics, and economic systems. His research explores how religious ideas function in real historical and social contexts — especially under conditions of domination.

Together, they bring historical rigor and moral clarity to questions that remain deeply relevant today.

John Dominic Crossan

• Jesus: A Revolutionary Biography
• https://www.harpercollins.com/products/jesus-a-revolutionary-biography-john-dominic-crossan
• The Historical Jesus: The Life of a Mediterranean Jewish Peasant
• https://www.harpercollins.com/products/the-historical-jesus-john-dominic-crossan
• God and Empire: Jesus Against Rome, Then and Now
• https://www.harpercollins.com/products/god-and-empire-john-dominic-crossan
• How to Read the Bible and Still Be a Christian
• https://www.harpercollins.com/products/how-to-read-the-bible-and-still-be-a-christian-john-dominic-crossan

Michael Okinczyc-Cruz

• The Politics of Discipleship (with John Dominic Crossan)
• https://www.fortresspress.com/store/productgroup/553/The-Politics-of-Discipleship

Special Music Provided by: Forrest Clay from his Recover EP.

For all things Deconstructionists go to www.thedeconstructionists.org