Tearing Down to Rebuild: Why Doubt Might Save Your Faith

It doesn't take much searching to find social media accounts and personalities discussing deconstructing Christianity. Some are helpful, some contribute to the cynicism, and some are reacting to painful experiences. However, Followers of Jesus are not immune to spiritual crisis. This is typically brought on by suffering, an extended period of waiting, family dysfunction, toxic behaviour by a trusted leader, or the hypocrisy of another Christian. Experiences like these can cause you to question not only the presence of God but some of the beliefs you’ve learned and practised about God.

Deconstruction is a term first used by Jacques Derrida. It is a complex term, but essentially it is a method of literary criticism that says you can’t understand something about absolute truth by reading an author's words, since truth is something that is conceived by the individual.  In the Christian world, it is to question traditional beliefs critically, and refuse to recognise as authorities those who occupy privileged positions who supposedly speak for God.’

It is particularly used by those who emphasise belief over practice. Depending on your disposition, deconstruction is either met with empathy and understanding or fear and hostility. Deconstruction refers to the times when we critically evaluate the system or accumulation of doctrines and beliefs about God that we’ve believed throughout our history with God.

Numerous examples of deconstruction occur in scripture and then throughout church history. Abraham, Moses, and David each had their faith stripped down and rebuilt. Jesus not only permitted but encouraged deconstruction by way of his frequent preface to ethical teaching: “You’ve heard it said, but I say to you.”

During the massive disruptions we are currently undergoing, large numbers of Christians are undergoing deconstruction due to various pressures, political divisiveness, and the unsettling of church leaders by scandal or theological diversion.

I want to consider some tools that enable us to wisely and lovingly navigate deconstruction (which can result in leaving or disregarding the faith) by reconstructing something better. Here are five guiding practices so that we might learn how to deconstruct faithfully:

Don’t do it alone.

One of the strongest tendencies during a crisis of faith is to withdraw and isolate ourselves from trusting others. Especially when the event that triggered this experience was the betrayal or mistreatment by another Christian, the natural tendency is to sever ties from the community as a whole.
At times, it is healthier to create boundaries and put distance between oneself and other Christians when there has been hurt or disappointment. However, avoid becoming alone on an island. Christianity is a communal faith because we need each other. We need each other’s gifts to make the most significant impact on the world. Additionally, we need each other’s perspectives to arrive at a complete, holistic picture of God. Without others to trust, our reconstruction will be partial and incomplete.
It is normal (and healthy) to take a break from organised religion for a time. Try to find a trusted spiritual director, mentor, or teacher to walk with you in this process.  

Establish your foundation early.

As easy as it is to begin with what you don’t believe or won’t practice, start by identifying what you DO believe. Write it down. Think of it as the beginning of a personal statement of faith. Even if there are only one or two things you are willing to build your life on, identify what they are. Otherwise, this process of change will become destructive deconstruction instead of constructive deconstruction.

I really like Kate Bowler’s perspective on the cliché: “everything happens for a reason.” She talks about how, she had endured enough death, loss, and suffering until it became increasingly uncomfortable with God being the cause of everything happening to her. At first, there was an urge to overreact and overcorrect her beliefs. However, amid all the mysteries surrounding divine intervention, one thing she knew for sure was that Jesus was a God of redemption. From scripture and her own experience, she knew Jesus redeems our pain and loss. He turns death into life—crucifixion into resurrection. By clinging to this foundation, she was able to reconstruct a view of God’s sovereignty where God was no longer the cause but the redeemer of all things.

Start from the outside and work your way in.

Another way of thinking about a system of belief is a set of concentric circles. In the centre are core convictions. These are the things that serve as the foundations and essentials of your faith. Some examples include convictions about the resurrection of Jesus or the forgiveness of others, as I have been forgiven. The centre circle holds my non-negotiables.

Then, as you move outward, the particular subject in question becomes more and more negotiable. Put differently, the subjects in the outer rings are grey areas. For example, some may not hold my views about end times (how, when, etc.) in the same way they hold their view on the divinity of Jesus. One, a person may stake their life on, while the other contains a list of things that cannot be predicted.
Whenever engaging in theological deconstruction that seems to unravel your trust, start from the outside and work your way in. Ask whether what you are debating, inside or out, is something the Church holds as “negotiable” within the Christian faith. Does the topic have many different (and valid) opinions and viewpoints? If so, it’s fine to use discernment with those topics, but do so trusting that one day “God will make it plain” (Phil 3:15).

Try to differentiate between belief and behaviour.

Again, a common cause for spiritual crisis is the mistreatment or hypocrisy of another leader or a fellow believer. It’s painful to experience harmful behaviour from another Christ follower. You might begin to question the common faith you both share. How is it possible that you believe the same things and act so differently? Conflict can sometimes stem from divergent beliefs. However, many church wounds are not due to differences in beliefs but rather to lapses in behaviour. For example, two Christians can agree with Jesus’s statement to love our enemy; however, for reasons not always perceived, the other person failed to embody that conviction that day.
So here are two reminders. First, be careful not to judge, because odds are you’ve failed too. Each time I am hurt by another church member, part of my reconciliation process is reminding myself that I am not perfect either. I fail to embody my beliefs on a regular basis. Secondly, whenever a conflict leads me to question the validity of the Church as a whole or of Christianity in general, I try to remind myself that there is usually a gap between belief and behaviour. Though someone’s behaviour is harmful, it doesn’t mean their trust in Christ is invalid. I certainly need the grace and mercy of others when I fail to practice what I preach each week.

Choose to do this work with God, not to God.

Invite God with you into this work of constructive deconstruction. If you are questioning an aspect of faith that eventually doesn’t align with the teachings of Jesus, then you are still engaged in something holy. In John 8:32, Jesus says that “you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.” I fully believe that Jesus not only wants to free us from sin and death but from dangerous theological misconceptions that are harming both us and our neighbours.
Try turning your critical questions into prayers.

God, I am really struggling to believe in ___________. Will you please give me clarity?
God, I really don’t know what to think about ___________. Please reveal your truth to me.

It might be a week, a month, a year or decades before you get any answer. However, the story of Jacob reminds us that the answers come to those who are willing to struggle for them. For those willing to wrestle with it. For those who dare to say to God, “I won’t let go until you bless me.” This is where truth is found.
So, as we seek to extend the grace of Christ to ourselves, and to someone experiencing deconstruction — however passively or actively, however privately or publicly — it will be important to carefully ask clarifying questions, and listen well, to inform how we do or do not respond, so that our love may “abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment” (Philippians 1:9).

Join us on our app (download it here: believedoubtseek.org). We welcome the discussion and want to help navigate these questions.