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The Deconstructionists

John Williamson
Christianity
Faith
Trauma
New Testament
Mental Health
Bible
Christmas
Spirituality
Spiritual Abuse
Purity Culture
Deconstruction
Grief
Nature
Evolution
Jesus
Early Christianity
Historical Jesus
Biblical Studies
James Baldwin
Same-Sex Sexuality

A podcast about building new faith. Its all about construction, but sometimes that means you have to deconstruct a little. Questions, exploration, mystery...

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes286Founded11 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
ReligionReligion & Spirituality

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Artwork for The Deconstructionists

Latest Episodes

Angela Harger Thompson joins us for part one of a deeply honest, unexpectedly funny, and powerful conversation about survival, trauma, and reclaiming the right to tell your own story.

Angela is an actor, filmmaker, and author of the new memoir Worst... more

In Part Two of our conversation with Dr. Janet Kellogg, we explore the growing loss of trust in medicine and science—and what happens when that distrust opens the door to misinformation.

From unsupported claims connecting Tylenol to autism to the br... more

What if accepting evolution didn’t require abandoning faith?

Dr. Janet Kellogg Ray returns to The Deconstructionists to talk about her new book, Fish with Feet: Human Evolution and the Image of God.

Janet is a science educator, author, and Jesus fo... more

After more than ten years of conversations about faith, doubt, theology, identity, and the questions that reshape us, The Deconstructionists is entering its final chapter.

In this special update, John reflects on how the show began, the philosophy t... more

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Recent Guests

Angela Harger Thompson
Author of Worst Tits Ever, filmmaker, and memoirist
Author/Filmmaker
Episode: Ep. 248 - Angela Thompson "Worst T*ts Ever" pt. 1
Janet Kellogg Ray
Author of Fish With Feet, discussing human evolution, genetics, and faith
Episode: Ep. 247 - Dr. Janet Kellogg Ray "Fish With Feet: Human Evolution and the Image of God" pt. 2
Reverend Sally Miller
Board certified chaplain, ACPE certified educator, manager of clinical pastoral education at Johns Hopkins Hospital
Johns Hopkins Hospital
Episode: Ep. 244 - Rev. Sally Miller "The Modern Chaplain" pt. 1
Shelby Forsythia
author, grief guide, and speaker
Episode: Ep. 241 - Shelby Forsythia "Grief, Healing, and the Stories We Carry" (Part 1)
Bart Ehrman
New Testament scholar
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Episode: Ep. 238 - Dr. Bart Ehrman "Love Thy Stranger" pt. 1
Lillian Daniels
Author, Defrocked: Good News from a Bad Pastor for a Better Church
Author, Pastor (defrocked)
Episode: Ep. 237 - Lillian Daniels "Failure, Accountability & the Future of the Church" pt. 2
Lillian Daniel
Pastor, writer, and author of Defrocked
Author of Defrocked; former senior pastor
Episode: Ep. 236 - Lillian Daniel "Defrocked: Good News from a Bad Pastor for a Better Church" pt. 1
Cristy S. Carr
Author of The Forgotten Self; researcher focusing on religious trauma and embodiment
Author, The Forgotten Self
Episode: Ep. 235 - Dr. Cristy Carr "Reclaiming the Forgotten Self" pt. 2
Cristy Carr
Trauma psychologist who specializes in spiritual abuse and religious trauma
Episode: Ep. 234 - Dr. Cristy Carr "The Forgotten Self" pt. 1

Host

John Williamson
Host of The Deconstructionists

Reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars from 1.1k ratings
  • Grateful

    It can feel lonely being a deep thinker, questioning what others blindly accept. I am beyond words grateful for your thoughtful deep dive, holding love as the highest law.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Dani Eavenson
    United Statesa year ago
  • History of the Bible

    I have been listening to your Podcast for a couple of years now. You and your guests have helped me with the reorder of my faith, not throwing the baby out with the bath water (hearing Richard Rohr). This episode was very informative with information easy to digest. Thank you for all you do. Your work is greatly appreciated!!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Speech4Me
    United Statesa year ago
  • No scriptural authority for ideas presented

    It doesn’t sound like they read the Bible.

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    wrcxf
    United Statesa year ago
  • Brave and Intelligent

    I appreciate the opportunity this podcast gives us to discuss one of the most important issues of our day

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    ReadNJ
    United States2 years ago
  • Disappointing interview with Dale Allison

    This is a review of two older episodes (4/02/23 and 4/07/23) featuring an interview with Dale Allison about the resurrection. I am hesitant to give a podcast a low rating because of a disingenuous or misleading guest because I know a host cannot really keep a guest from blowing smoke and blurring the line between facts and beliefs. At the same time, a host can ask tough questions and ask a guest to provide evidence for their claims. The host of this podcast did neither in the two-part interview ... more

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    gawdeb
    United States2 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

A mix of scholarly and personal perspectives makes complex ideas accessible.
High-quality guests and thoughtful questions that model respectful skepticism.
Some interviews can feel long; the depth is worth the time for the right listener.
Insightful, challenging conversations that push me to think deeper about faith.
The host keeps an open, compassionate tone even when tackling tough topics.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Ep. 247 - Dr. Janet Kellogg Ray "Fish With Feet: Human Evolution and the Image of God" pt. 2
Q: What are some of the examples of evolutionary workarounds and imperfect designs that you discuss in your book?
Examples include how fish anatomy and mammalian reproductive structures reveal deep evolutionary history, such as the descent of the testes and the pathologies like hernias that arise from that lineage, illustrating how current human biology preserves vestiges of ancestry.
Ep. 247 - Dr. Janet Kellogg Ray "Fish With Feet: Human Evolution and the Image of God" pt. 2
Q: Okay, so a lot has changed since last time we spoke about technology and its pace; what are you most excited about on the horizon with new technology?
mRNA technology holds tremendous potential for personalized medicine and cancer treatment, with decades of study enabling rapid development of specific therapies; it also highlights the need to maintain scientific integrity amid political pressures.
Ep. 247 - Dr. Janet Kellogg Ray "Fish With Feet: Human Evolution and the Image of God" pt. 2
Q: Do you think that many Christians misunderstand what scientists actually mean when they use the word theory?
Yes, scientists use theory to denote well-supported, predictive frameworks rather than mere guesses; a theory is built on decades of evidence across labs, which makes it fundamentally different from everyday usage.
Ep. 238 - Dr. Bart Ehrman "Love Thy Stranger" pt. 1
Q: Why does Ehrman think the idea of loving strangers became a moral norm in the West?
Because as Christianity spread and became institutional, its core ethical teaching—help those in need—became embedded in Western social structures and charitable practices, influencing public hospitals, orphanages, and welfare systems.
Ep. 238 - Dr. Bart Ehrman "Love Thy Stranger" pt. 1
Q: How was Jesus' command to love your neighbor received by early followers in a practical sense?
Early Christians struggled with applying the rule in a broader, more universal way, often softening the command as communities grew and faced new social realities, while still maintaining the core obligation to help those in need.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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Frequently Asked Questions About The Deconstructionists

What is The Deconstructionists about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A thoughtful, inquiry-driven show that hosts conversations with scholars, clergy, and writers who explore faith, spirituality, and religious practice through analysis, critique, and personal storytelling. Episodes frequently center on deconstructing traditional beliefs, examining religious trauma, secular ethics, and the history of Christian thought, while offering practical frameworks for rebuilding beliefs with intellectual honesty. Notable strengths include a mix of rigorous scholarship, bedside-level empathy in chaplaincy and grief, and a willingness to tackle controversial topics with nuance. Listeners who want to understand how to question assumptions, engage across viewpoints, or explore spirituality beyond dogma may find this podcas... more

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Which podcasts are similar to The Deconstructionists?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Deconstructionists:

1. The Bible For Normal People
2. Nomad Podcast
3. Homebrewed Christianity
4. Everything Belongs: Living the Teachings of Richard Rohr Forward
5. No Small Endeavor with Lee C. Camp

How many episodes of The Deconstructionists are there?

The Deconstructionists launched 11 years ago and published 286 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on The Deconstructionists?

Recent guests on The Deconstructionists include:

1. Angela Harger Thompson
2. Janet Kellogg Ray
3. Reverend Sally Miller
4. Shelby Forsythia
5. Bart Ehrman
6. Lillian Daniels
7. Lillian Daniel
8. Cristy S. Carr

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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