Is Deconstruction a Sin or a Step Toward Stronger Faith?
If you‘ve spent much time listening to Christian pastors and apologists, the concept of deconstruction might seem quite unsettling. They often portray deconstruction as a perilous journey, where one foot treads the secular world while the other hovers dangerously close to the fires of hell. Some go as far as to claim that those who deconstruct never truly trusted Jesus.
But is this portrayal accurate? Is deconstruction evidence that someone is rejecting truth and choosing their own way over God’s or is it a helpful process that helps us find a more authentic faith?
Reexamining Beliefs: A Biblical Tradition
Throughout scripture, we find examples of people challenging man-made religious traditions, struggling with doubts, and confronting God. Christian history is filled with stories of people who rejected harmful theology in an attempt to follow Jesus more faithfully.
Jesus himself confronted religious leaders, reinterpreted scripture, and deliberately violated religious laws to show his followers that he prioritized love over legalism. When he spoke with the Samaritan woman at the well, Jesus dismantled conventional views on worship and social boundaries — an act that scandalized his contemporaries but revealed a deeper truth about grace and redemption.
The Process of Spiritual Growth
In trying to define what deconstruction means to me, I often think of my grandmother. Born just four months after “Black Thursday,” Grandma grew up in the Great Depression. Replacing things back then was not always possible, so she learned how to fix just about anything. If her toaster broke, she took it apart, figured out what was wrong, and put it back together.
Similarly, when we find ourselves with a broken faith, we are faced with a few options. We can ignore the problem and redefine the brokenness as “normal.” We can toss our faith in the garbage can and find something new. Or, we can confront the brokenness, take it apart, figure out what is wrong, and put it back together. Like so many others, I prefer the latter.
Deconstructing and rebuilding my faith has given me a greater appreciation for God and faith, empowered me with the strength to hold on to my faith even in the most dire of circumstances, and infused my life with more compassion and empathy along with a desire to understand the struggles of those who have been historically oppressed by the church.
The Psalms are filled with poetic expressions of doubt, fear, and painful questions that resonate with many modern experiences. In the book of Jeremiah, we encounter the prophet struggling with such a deep crisis of faith that he accuses God of deceiving him. Even Peter, “the rock,” often found himself re-negotiating his faith and religious traditions. These biblical stories remind us that doubt and questioning are a normal part of life and faith.
History has shown us the benefits of deconstruction. The Bible has been used to defend such atrocities as slavery, manifest destiny, witch hunts, and racism. It wasn’t until compassionate people began to question these interpretations that a more just and loving vision of Christianity emerged.
Facing Today’s Challenges
Today, many of us are facing serious issues within the church — spiritual abuse, Christian nationalism, injustice, inequality, oppression, clergy misconduct, corruption, hypocrisy, and mental health stigma — that go against the core teachings of Jesus. For many, following Jesus means rejecting these harmful practices and honoring every individual as an image-bearer of God.
Deconstruction can be a painful journey that sometimes results in a loss of faith. However, many find that they are able to reconstruct a stronger, more resilient faith, one founded on truth rather than fear and manipulation.
If you find yourself struggling with doubts and questioning your faith, please know that you are not alone. If your faith no longer fits in the box you were given, that doesn’t mean you’ve lost Jesus. Faith grows, changes, and deepens. Give yourself permission to evolve and to seek God honestly.
Embrace the Journey
Dismiss the voices that accuse you of deconstructing out of a desire to sin. They do not speak for God and are likely driven by a desire for control.
As Jesus promised in Matthew 7:7 (CSB), “Ask, and it will be given to you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened to you.” When we invite God into the process of questioning our beliefs and rebuilding our faith, He honors our boldness with insight and understanding.
Many have walked this path before you. While your journey should be unique to your experiences, it is okay to lean on others for strength and guidance. It takes time to recover from legalistic religion that claims to speak for God. Embrace the journey and give yourself grace. Remember, it is your faith and your relationship with God. No one gets to tell you what that should look like.