The Deconstructionists

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 Post, GQ, Harvard Business Review, and Bitch magazine. She’s a sought after expert when grief erupts in the public sphere. Her latest collaborative project, the PBS documentary Speaking Grief, is out now. 

Guest (selected) Publications: It’s OK That You’re Not OK: Meeting Grief and Loss in a Culture That Doesn’t Understand” 

Guest Website/Social Media: 

www.refugeingrief.com 

Facebook: @refugeingrief 

Twitter: @refugeingrief 

Instagram: @refugeingrief 

Theme Music by: Forrest Clay 

“Does God & Recover” found on the 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 Flannigan, Colin Rigsby, and Jason Turner. 

Starting your own podcast? Try Riverside! https://riverside.fm/?utm_campaign=campaign_1&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_source=rewardful&via=john-williamson

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-deconstructionists/donations Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

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 Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion by Jonathan Haidt

Cloud Cuckoo Land: A Novel by Anthony Doerr

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.Mcneel 

Twitter: @bekahmcneel 

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 

“Does God & Recover” found on the 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 Flannigan, Colin Rigsby, and Jason Turner. 

Starting your own podcast? Try Riverside! https://riverside.fm/?utm_campaign=campaign_1&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_source=rewardful&via=john-williamson

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-deconstructionists/donations Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

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 Flannigan, Colin Rigsby, and Jason Turner. 

This episode is brought to you by Dwell. Dwell lets you listen to scripture the way that fits you. It's an app that reads the bible for you! Go to www.dwellapp.io/deconstruct for 10% off your annual subscription or 30% dwell for life!

Starting your own podcast? Try Riverside! https://riverside.fm/?utm_campaign=campaign_1&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_source=rewardful&via=john-williamson

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 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 Flannigan, Colin Rigsby, and Jason Turner. 

This episode is brought to you by Dwell. Dwell lets you listen to scripture the way that fits you. It's an app that reads the bible for you! Go to www.dwellapp.io/deconstruct for 10% off your annual subscription or 30% dwell for life!

Starting your own podcast? Try Riverside! https://riverside.fm/?utm_campaign=campaign_1&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_source=rewardful&via=john-williamson

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 books have been translated into many languages, including Korean, Chinese, French, Swedish, Norwegian, German, Portuguese, and Spanish. He has written for or contributed interviews to many periodicals, including Leadership, Sojourners, Tikkun, Worship Leader, and Conversations. He is an active and popular blogger, a musician, and a songwriter, offering a variety of resources through his website, www.brianmclaren.net. A frequent guest on television, radio, and news media programs, he has appeared on All Things Considered, Larry King Live, Nightline, On Being, and Religion and Ethics Newsweekly. His work has also been covered in Time, New York Times, Christianity Today, Christian Century, The Washington Post, Huffington Post, CNN.com, and many other print and online media. He has taught or lectured at many seminaries and has served on a number of boards, currently including the Convergence Network and The Wild Goose Festival.

(Selected) Published Works: “The Great Spiritual Migration: How the World’s Largest Religion is Seeking a Better Way to be Christian; Seeking Aliveness; Way of Life; Naked Spirituality; Why did Jesus, Moses, the Buddha, and Mohammed Cross the Road?; A New Kind of Christianity; A Generous Orthodoxy; The Last Word and the Word After That.”

Guest Website/Social Media:

www.brianmclaren.net

Twitter: @brianmclaren

Facebook: @brianmclaren

Theme Music by: Forrest Clay 

“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 Flannigan, Colin Rigsby, and Jason Turner. 

This episode is brought to you by Dwell. Dwell lets you listen to scripture the way that fits you. It's an app that reads the bible for you! Go to www.dwellapp.io/deconstruct for 10% off your annual subscription or 30% dwell for life!

Starting your own podcast? Try Riverside! https://riverside.fm/?utm_campaign=campaign_1&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_source=rewardful&via=john-williamson

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 studied ambiguous loss, and trained and worked with psychologists and counselors to help individuals and families who have experienced a life-altering ambiguous loss, often described as a frozen grief, recover their resiliency despite the on-going ambiguity. Drawing on her research and clinical experience, Dr. Boss is committed to working with families to develop meaningful strategies that help them cushion the pain, cope with ambiguous loss and move forward to live productive lives. Pauline Boss received her Ph.D. in Child Development and Family Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1975. From 1975 to 1981, Dr. Boss was an assistant and then associate professor with tenure at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. In 1981, she joined the Department of Family Social Science at the University of Minnesota and continued to work in that position until 2005. In 1995-96, Dr. Boss was appointed Visiting Professor at the Harvard Medical School, and in 2004-2005, she was the Moses Distinguished Professor at the Hunter School of Social Work in New York City.

(Selected) Guest Publications: Ambiguous Loss: Learning to Live with Unresolved Grief; Loving Someone Who Has Dementia: How to Find Hope while Coping with Stress and Grief; Loss, Trauma, and Resilience: Therapeutic Work With Ambiguous Loss

Guest Website/Social Media:

www.ambiguousloss.com

Theme Music by: Forrest Clay 

“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 Flannigan, Colin Rigsby, and Jason Turner. 

This episode is brought to you by Dwell. Dwell lets you listen to scripture the way that fits you. It's an app that reads the bible for you! Go to www.dwellapp.io/deconstruct for 10% off your annual subscription or 30% dwell for life!

Starting your own podcast? Try Riverside! https://riverside.fm/?utm_campaign=campaign_1&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_source=rewardful&via=john-williamson

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 served as both Dean and President), Brandeis, and now at Hebrew College. He has taught and lectured widely throughout the Jewish community of North America as well as in Israel, where he visits frequently. He was the founder of Havurat Shalom in Somerville, Massachusetts in 1968 and remains a leading independent figure in the Jewish Renewal movement.

(Selected) Published Works: Radical Judaism: Rethinking God and Tradition; Ehyeh: A Kabblah for Tomorrow; See My Face: A Jewish Mystical Theology; & Judaism’s Ten Best Ideas: A Brief Guide for Seekers.

Guest Website/Social Media:

http://artgreen26.com

https://soundcloud.com/rabbiartgreen

Theme Music by: Forrest Clay 

“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 Flannigan, Colin Rigsby, and Jason Turner. 

This episode is brought to you by Dwell. Dwell lets you listen to scripture the way that fits you. It's an app that reads the bible for you! Go to www.dwellapp.io/deconstruct for 10% off your annual subscription or 30% dwell for life!

Starting your own podcast? Try Riverside! https://riverside.fm/?utm_campaign=campaign_1&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_source=rewardful&via=john-williamson

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!

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 emphasis on humility and connection provides an urgent roadmap during turbulent times, challenging audiences to see our differences as a unifying force for humankind and to “get to know me before you call the cops,” as he says in his video. In his talks and lectures, Merritt infuses his core beliefs of unity, empathy, compassion, and inclusion with humor, making his message relatable and accessible to wide-ranging audiences from corporations, non-profits, community groups, colleges and universities, and youth audiences worldwide.

Guest Website/Social Media: 

https://thetylermerrittproject.com 

Instagram: @TTMProject 

Facebook: @thetylermerrittproject 

Twitter: @TTMProject 

YouTube: https://youtubee.com/channel/UCPB48_JfK-VMnYQPTYyMX5Q

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 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 Flannigan, Colin Rigsby, and Jason Turner. 

Starting your own podcast? Try Riverside! https://riverside.fm/?utm_campaign=campaign_1&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_source=rewardful&via=john-williamson

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-deconstructionists/donations Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy