Deconstruction Is Not Destruction
This makes me really mad. I talked to Mark Karris about this on the podcast this week as we dialogued a bit about his new book “Religious Refugees” (<— click the link and go get it!) and he brought up this point that is so, so important:
Deconstruction is NOT Destruction.
It makes me mad because I get accused of "destroying” my faith a lot and having a hand in “destroying” the faith of my listeners, as well.
“You’re leading people astray.”
“You’re taking your faith apart.”
“You’re burning down everything you once believed in.”
“You’ve lost your first love.”
“You’re destroying everything you once believed in.”
Blah.
Blah.
It makes me angry to hear this stuff because it’s not true; rather, it’s a surface level reaction that others have to their observation of my life and my faith.
Right?
Like, someone could read a post on Facebook about how I no longer believe in hell and assume that I’ve now thrown away …
Everything I believe about the Bible.
Everything I’ve been taught about evangelism.
Everything the Bible says about Jesus’ death and resurrection.
OR.
Someone could listen to a podcast about LGBTQ inclusion and assume that because I support and affirm LGBTQ people and call myself an ally that I now …
Have glossed over what the Bible says about homosexuality.
Am going “light” on sin.
Am making it “too easy” for people to come to Christ.
IN FACT.
People could read pretty much anything I write on Facebook, the blog, or say on the podcast and come away assuming that I’ve lost my marbles, have gone astray, have set my faith on fire, and am roasting marshmallows over it as it all burns into nothing.
“Deconstruction”, they say, “is dangerous because you will deconstruct so much that nothing will be left.”
And I suppose that can be true, but that’s not what I’m doing. And, really, it’s not what 99.9% of the people I connect with on the podcast are doing either.
Deconstruction isn’t about destroying everything you believe as much as it’s about taking a close look at everything you believe and curiously wondering if it fits you anymore.
For me, I’ve grown since my Evangelical days. I’ve evolved. I’ve changed. I’ve come to see God in profoundly different ways and I’ve come to see people and the world in profoundly different ways as well. I’ve gotten to know the stories of people who come from radically different backgrounds than me …
Muslims.
Atheists.
LGBTQ+.
… So many different people from so many different walks of life. Growing up I was told that these people were misled and headed to hell because of their lack of faith in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.
AND I used to believe that because … well … because it’s all I knew.
Pastors told me that.
Teachers told me that.
Professors told me that.
And I believed it because, why wouldn’t I? I didn’t know any better. But then I left my role as a church pastor and picked up a job at Apple and for the last 10 years have literally met thousands of people between coworkers and customers who I have grown to love, admire, and see as beautiful reflections of the Divine. Many of these people have challenged me to look deeper at myself and my faith and my beliefs about God and the Bible and Jesus and what it all means. And as I’ve done that inner work and searching I’ve come to realize that some of my thoughts and beliefs no longer fit.
Just as my 3 year old daughter has grown out of her 2 year old clothes so I’ve grown out of a few beliefs, and I’m not ashamed of that.
“People who don’t believe in Jesus go to hell” - it no longer fits.
“LGBTQ people are living in sin” - it no longer fits.
“The Bible is inerrant and perfect” - it no longer fits.
“Jesus is the only way to heaven” - it no longer fits.
I’ve had to do a lot of soul searching and inner work and studying and praying and … whew. It’s been exhausting and tiring work, but as I stand up from the rubble and look at all that has been deconstructed … I realize that nothing is destroyed.
Nothing was torched.
Nothing was destroyed.
Nothing was blown up.
Nothing had a wrecking ball taken to it.
RATHER.
Things were carefully taken apart.
Yeah - like a surgeon who is diving into someone’s heart in a Operating Room and taking things out piece by piece only to put them back together in a way that will hopefully make everything work better … in the same kind of way my faith has been carefully taken apart, the pieces have been laid on the table, and I’ve begun the process of slowly putting things back together in a way that makes the whole thing work better in conjunction with my life experiences and the world around me.
Deconstruction is not destruction. Anyone who tells you differently is just giving you their opinion that comes from the careless judgment they’ve made after quickly glancing over a very small piece of your life that they’re mocking from a distance.
Onward, my friends.