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

In this deeply moving conversation, John sits down for part two with Valentyn Syniy, a Ukrainian pastor, theologian, and author whose life and ministry have been profoundly shaped by the reality of war.

This interview was recorded under extraordinary circumstances. Scheduling had to account for the very real possibility of Russian airstrikes and power outages. Valentyn’s wife graciously joined the conversation to assist with translation at moments, helping ensure that everything Valentyn wanted to communicate was conveyed with clarity and care.

Together, we explore:

• What it means to live, pastor, and hold onto faith in the midst of active war
• How violence and trauma test long-held theological assumptions
• The difference between discussing war and surviving it
• Where hope, honesty, and spiritual resilience are found when everything familiar is under siege

Some stories shared in this episode may be difficult to hear, but they are necessary—and deeply human.

Valentyn is the author of God Under Siege, a powerful and unflinching reflection on faith, suffering, and God’s presence amid the devastation of war. Drawing from lived experience rather than distant theology, the book challenges easy answers and invites readers into a more honest, grounded faith.

Get the book:

• Amazon
• Major booksellers
• Wherever books are sold

We’ve just launched a brand new Patreon, and it’s packed with content many of you have been asking for.

Subscribers get access to:

• Brand new exclusive videos on requested topics
• Study guides for deeper reflection and group use
• Reference materials and sources to support further learning
• Behind-the-scenes content and extended conversations

If you value thoughtful, well-researched conversations like this one—and want tools to keep exploring—Patreon is the best way to support the work and dive deeper.

Support: https://patreon.com/TheDeconstructionistsPodcast

👉 Join us on Patreon and help make conversations like this possible.

For all things Deconstructionists check out: www.thedecontructionists.org

In this deeply moving conversation, John sits down with Valentyn Syniy, a Ukrainian pastor, theologian, and author whose life and ministry have been profoundly shaped by the reality of war.

For many of us—especially those who have never served or lived in a war-torn region—war can feel abstract. Something debated from a distance. Should troops be sent? Should they not? But for Valentyn and millions of others, war is not theoretical. It is daily life. It is uncertainty, fear, loss—and for many, hell experienced in the here and now.

This interview was recorded under extraordinary circumstances. Scheduling had to account for the very real possibility of Russian airstrikes and power outages. Valentyn’s wife graciously joined the conversation to assist with translation at moments, helping ensure that everything Valentyn wanted to communicate was conveyed with clarity and care.

Together, we explore:

• What it means to live, pastor, and hold onto faith in the midst of active war
• How violence and trauma test long-held theological assumptions
• The difference between discussing war and surviving it
• Where hope, honesty, and spiritual resilience are found when everything familiar is under siege

Some stories shared in this episode may be difficult to hear, but they are necessary—and deeply human.

Valentyn is the author of God Under Siege, a powerful and unflinching reflection on faith, suffering, and God’s presence amid the devastation of war. Drawing from lived experience rather than distant theology, the book challenges easy answers and invites readers into a more honest, grounded faith.

Get the book:

• Amazon
• Major booksellers
• Wherever books are sold

We’ve just launched a brand new Patreon, and it’s packed with content many of you have been asking for.

Subscribers get access to:

• Brand new exclusive videos on requested topics
• Study guides for deeper reflection and group use
• Reference materials and sources to support further learning
• Behind-the-scenes content and extended conversations

If you value thoughtful, well-researched conversations like this one—and want tools to keep exploring—Patreon is the best way to support the work and dive deeper.

Support: https://patreon.com/TheDeconstructionistsPodcast

👉 Join us on Patreon and help make conversations like this possible.

For all things Deconstructionists check out: www.thedecontructionists.org

This episode steps back and asks a harder question:

What has the church done in moments like this before—and what does faithfulness actually require now?

We begin with church history, tracing how Christians have repeatedly been asked to bless state violence in the name of order and safety. We examine how labels like “criminal,” “terrorist,” and “threat” have historically been used to short-circuit moral responsibility.

We then turn to Scripture—not as proof texts, but as story—allowing the biblical narrative to confront modern assumptions about power, violence, and the stranger.

• Historical patterns of Christian complicity with state violence
• Why labels matter more than we think
• False equivalence arguments (“what about…”)
• Why due process is a moral issue
• Jesus, the stranger, and state power
• Why faith rooted in the margins looks different

• Exodus 22:21
• Leviticus 19:33–34
• Deuteronomy 10:18–19
• Isaiah 1
• Amos 5
• Micah 6:8
• Luke 10:25–37
• Matthew 25:31–46
• Matthew 26:52
• John 18–19
• Romans 12–13 (read together, not selectively)

• Migration Policy Institute — Immigration & Enforcement Analysis
• https://www.migrationpolicy.org/research/explainers
• Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse
• https://tracreports.org

Who are we being asked to look away from—and what does that cost our faith?

We’ve just launched a brand new Patreon, and it’s packed with content many of you have been asking for.

Subscribers get access to:

• Brand new exclusive videos on requested topics
• Study guides for deeper reflection and group use
• Reference materials and sources to support further learning
• Behind-the-scenes content and extended conversations

If you value thoughtful, well-researched conversations like this one—and want tools to keep exploring—Patreon is the best way to support the work and dive deeper.

Support: https://patreon.com/TheDeconstructionistsPodcast

👉 Join us on Patreon and help make conversations like this possible.

For all things Deconstructionists check out: www.thedecontructionists.org

Special music provided by Forrest Clay from the Recover EP.

In this episode, we address what’s happening right now in the United States as Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations escalate in visibility, intensity, and violence.

This is not a political episode.

It’s a human one.

We examine verified facts, video evidence, and legal realities surrounding recent enforcement actions, including documented cases involving American citizens, the failure to follow established protocols after lethal force, and the growing pattern of intimidation, escalation, and public spectacle.

We also talk about confirmation bias—how fear and identity shape what we’re willing to see—and why Christians and the spiritually curious alike have a responsibility to trust evidence over narratives.

• What ICE can and cannot legally do
• Why due process matters even when immigration law is involved
• The danger of pre-justifying violence
• Confirmation bias and moral shortcuts
• Why “order” is not the same thing as justice
• The role of witnesses, neighbors, and allies

• American Civil Liberties Union — Know Your Rights (Immigrants & Bystanders)
• https://www.aclu.org/know-your-rights/immigrants-rights
• National Lawyers Guild — Legal Observers & Recording Rights
• https://www.nlg.org/legal-observers/
• Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC Immigration)
• Independent reporting on ICE enforcement and immigration court data
• https://tracreports.org/immigration

When fear is loud and authority is visible, how do we decide what we’re willing to accept—and what we’re willing to question?

We’ve just launched a brand new Patreon, and it’s packed with content many of you have been asking for.

Subscribers get access to:

• Brand new exclusive videos on requested topics
• Study guides for deeper reflection and group use
• Reference materials and sources to support further learning
• Behind-the-scenes content and extended conversations

If you value thoughtful, well-researched conversations like this one—and want tools to keep exploring—Patreon is the best way to support the work and dive deeper.

Support: https://patreon.com/TheDeconstructionistsPodcast

👉 Join us on Patreon and help make conversations like this possible.

For all things Deconstructionists check out: www.thedecontructionists.org

Special music provided by Forrest Clay from his Recover EP.

In Part Two of our conversation with Alexander Shaia, we move beyond theory and into practice—exploring what spiritual transformation actually looks like in real life.

In Part One, we traced the foundations of Dr. Shaia’s work and why his approach to the Gospels resonates so deeply with people navigating faith, doubt, and deconstruction. In this episode, we go deeper—into lived experience, inner change, and the courage it takes to move forward when certainty falls away.

Dr. Shaia shares how spiritual frameworks are meant to form us, not control us, and why the Christian tradition—at its best—has always been about movement, growth, and becoming. This conversation speaks especially to those who feel stuck between belief and disbelief, longing for a faith that can hold both honesty and hope.

Alexander Shaia is a theologian, speaker, and author best known for his work on the transformational structure of the Gospels. His book, Heart and Mind, explores the fourfold journey found within the Christian tradition and presents a compelling alternative to rigid, belief-based models of faith.

Dr. Shaia’s work has become especially meaningful for those who are deconstructing inherited belief systems while still seeking depth, wisdom, and spiritual grounding.

Ph.D., Clinical Psychology, California Institute of Integral Studies, San Francisco, CA, 1991

Graduate Certificate, Pastoral Psychotherapy, University of Puget Sound, Tacoma, WA, 1982

Master of Religious Education, Seattle University, Seattle, WA, 1981

M.A., Counseling Education, University of Alabama in Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, 1976

B.A., Cultural Anthropology, University of Notre Dame du lac, Notre Dame, IN, 1974

Jungian and Sandplay Studies, 1973 - Current; month intensive with Dora M. Kalff – Jungian analyst & originator of Sandplay, Zollikon, Switzerland, July/August 1989

Psychosynthesis Certificate, Psychosynthesis Training Institute, San Francisco, CA, Two year training, 1986-1988

Website: www.quadratos.org

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/quadratos/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/Quadratos1/featured

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AlexanderJohnShaia/

If you’d like to help support The Deconstructionists Podcast and go deeper with the kinds of conversations we’re having here, check out our brand-new Patreon.

Support: https://patreon.com/TheDeconstructionistsPodcast

• 🎧 Book of the Month Club is back
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Website: www.thedeconstructionists.org

For many people, the holiday season isn’t filled with joy and nostalgia — it’s filled with grief, loneliness, exhaustion, and complicated memories. This episode is especially for those who find this time of year difficult.

In Part One of this two-part holiday conversation, we’re joined by our dear friend Alexander Shaia for a reflective, unhurried dialogue about meaning, presence, and the wisdom found in honoring seasons rather than fighting them.

Rather than offering platitudes or quick fixes, Dr. Shaia invites us to slow down — to consider what it looks like to live faithfully and humanely when certainty feels thin and the world feels overwhelming. Drawing from ancient Christian wisdom, lived experience, and deep compassion, this conversation offers space to breathe, reflect, and feel less alone.

This is not a teaching session or a debate. It’s a pastoral, contemplative conversation — meant to be received gently, especially by those who are carrying more than they can name this season.

Part Two will continue the conversation, moving deeper into themes of hope, transformation, and what it means to move forward without rushing resolution.

Dr. Alexander Shaia is a theologian, speaker, author, and Quadratos-trained scholar best known for his work on the ancient Christian fourfold Gospel model, a framework that predates modern linear approaches to Scripture and spiritual formation.

His work focuses on helping individuals and communities rediscover cyclical wisdom, spiritual maturity, and transformative faith — especially for those who feel disillusioned, wounded, or worn down by rigid or overly simplistic expressions of Christianity.

Dr. Shaia is widely respected for his ability to bridge scholarship, spirituality, and real human experience, offering language for faith that is honest, compassionate, and deeply grounded in history.

• Official Website:
• https://www.alexandershaia.com & https://www.quadratos.org/
• Books by Dr. Shaia:
• Heart and Mind: The Four-Gospel Journey for Radical Transformation
• Returning From Camino
• Speaking & Teaching:
• Information about events, workshops, and courses can be found on his website.

Ph.D., Clinical Psychology, California Institute of Integral Studies, San Francisco, CA, 1991

Graduate Certificate, Pastoral Psychotherapy, University of Puget Sound, Tacoma, WA, 1982

Master of Religious Education, Seattle University, Seattle, WA, 1981

M.A., Counseling Education, University of Alabama in Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, 1976

B.A., Cultural Anthropology, University of Notre Dame du lac, Notre Dame, IN, 1974

Jungian and Sandplay Studies, 1973 - Current; month intensive with Dora M. Kalff – Jungian analyst & originator of Sandplay, Zollikon, Switzerland, July/August 1989

Psychosynthesis Certificate, Psychosynthesis Training Institute, San Francisco, CA, Two year training, 1986-1988

➡️ Part Two of this holiday conversation continues with deeper reflection on wisdom, hope, and what it means to live faithfully in uncertain times.

If this episode resonates with you, consider sharing it with someone who might need a quieter, gentler voice this season.

www.thedeconstructionists.org

or on social media!

Support: https://patreon.com/TheDeconstructionistsPodcast