Ep. 222 - Dr. Alexander Shaia "A Holiday Conversation" pt. 1

The Deconstructionists

John Williamson

Religion, Religion & Spirituality

4.4 • 823 Ratings

🗓️ 23 December 2025

⏱️ 34 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

A Holiday Conversation with Dr. Alexander Shaia —

Part 1

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.

🕯️ About Dr. Alexander Shaia

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.

📚 Learn More & Connect with Dr. Shaia

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.

Education:

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

🎧 Coming Up Next

➡️ 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.

0:00.0	Welcome to the Deconstructionist podcast.
0:13.1	I'm your host, John Williamson, and if the audio quality is not great right now, I apologize.
0:18.9	We are in the middle of renovating my shared office space slash recording studio.
0:25.4	And so I am set up on a small setup in the middle of the room surrounded by plastic and sawdust.
0:32.1	So, but it hopefully will help provide better sound in the new year.
0:39.1	So here's to hoping.
0:43.0	But anyway, this time of year has a way of slowing us down.
0:46.0	The noise fades a little, the urgency loosens its grip.
0:51.1	And if we're paying attention, we're reminded that reflection isn't a luxury, it's a necessity.
0:56.4	Today's episode is a gift in that spirit. We're joined by one of our dearest friends, Dr. Alexander Shia, or as we like to lovingly call him, sweet Uncle Shia. He's a teacher,
1:02.8	scholar, and someone whose work has helped countless people re-encounter ancient wisdom in deeply
1:08.1	human ways. Instead of a formal interview, what we're sharing with you
1:12.2	is more of a conversation. A holiday message offered with intention, humility, and hope. But before
1:18.7	we dive in, we do want to take a moment to share something where genuinely, I don't know why
1:23.5	that's so hard to say, excited about, we've recently launched a brand new Patreon. And one of
1:30.2	the things we are most proud of is a growing collection of educational tools available to all members
1:35.8	at the $5 level and above. Right now, there's already one full video available on homosexuality
1:42.4	and the Bible. What does the Bible actually say? And it comes with an accompanying
1:46.5	packet complete with references and discussion questions, especially helpful if you're using it
1:52.5	for personal study or for group conversations. And this is just the beginning. Coming soon are deep
1:57.7	dives on topics like Paul, which letters scholars believe he actually wrote versus which ones he didn't, a closer look at atonement theories, and much, much more.
2:07.1	Every video will include a reference guide and discussion questions because we want these resources to be thoughtful, usable, and grounded in scholarship.
	...

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