{"podcast":{"title":"The Deconstructionists","slug":"the-deconstructionists-463931","podcast_index_feed_id":463931,"rss_url":"https://feeds.redcircle.com/e27b76e5-8571-4fb1-961c-1e3af057ac9a","website_url":"https://redcircle.com/shows/the-deconstructionists1035","image_url":"https://media.redcircle.com/images/2025/3/28/13/892a4b9e-7413-46b7-ace9-524be423c28c_ef1722146_avatars-000324319616-tc9p6h-original.jpg","author":"John Williamson","episode_count":278,"summary":"A podcast about building new faith. Its all about construction, but sometimes that means you have to deconstruct a little. Questions, exploration, mystery...","last_synced_at":"2026-06-04T10:19:26.944973+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-deconstructionists-463931"},"episode":{"title":"Ep.  225 - Immigration \"When Power Asks for Blessing\" pt. 2","slug":"ep-225-immigration-when-power-asks-for-blessing-pt-2","published_at":"2026-01-28T10:00:51+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-deconstructionists-463931/ep-225-immigration-when-power-asks-for-blessing-pt-2","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-deconstructionists-463931","url":"https://www.thedeconstructionists.org","audio_url":"https://audio4.redcircle.com/episodes/a5052e12-b0d4-4a4e-aea8-35213d36dc65/stream.mp3","summary":"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. Topics covered 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 Scripture referenced 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) Historical & analytical resources Migration Policy Institute — Immigration & Enforcement Analysis https://www.migrationpolicy.org/research/explainers Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse https://tracreports.org Reflection question Who are we being asked to look away from—and what does that cost our faith? Support the Show — Join Our Patreon 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-resea…","meta_description":"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?…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":1398,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-deconstructionists-463931/episodes/ep-225-immigration-when-power-asks-for-blessing-pt-2/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-deconstructionists-463931/ep-225-immigration-when-power-asks-for-blessing-pt-2.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}