Deconstruction 101

Ask Me Anything

Week 14: Deconstruction 101

How I do I start deconstruction? Within deconstruction, how do I tell if I’m “cherry picking” what to believe or actually getting rid of misconceptions?
Is it possible to truly believe in something that can’t be proven?
How on earth can anyone be comfortable in their faith? How can anyone confidently believe they have it right?

Jacques Derrida was a philosopher who spoke a lot about deconstruction. It operates primarily within a binary: nature and culture, man and woman. Deconstruction pits the binary against itself to show that they aren’t as separate as they seem. Things are more fluid and less definitive than they are constructed to be. Faith deconstruction has been popularized within the past five or so years. Because of this, it's important to be mindful of the language that we are using, and constantly thinking of words that we can use to describe deconstruction without causing further division. I think it's important to note that because deconstruction as a faith movement is so new, there are a variety of definitions. So while we use that language both in the Neighborhood, and in The City Worship Movement, we might define it differently than a certain author, podcaster, pastor, etc. Those who haven't gone through deconstruction, tend to be more critical and define it as a "loss of faith." Some people might define it as questioning, or decolonizing faith, and rebuilding a thriving faith practice. For some deconstruction is just that, it is questioning, and dismantling the oppressive systems of faith, without the rebuilding. I would define it as a stage of faith, where you struggle to reconcile your formative image of God, with the complexities of your lived experience.

Richard Rohr, Franciscan friar and founder of the Center for Action and Contemplation, is a faith leader that has brought attention to faith deconstruction. He has three stages of faith identified: order, disorder, and reorder (or construction, deconstruction, re-construction). These are similar to Brian McLaren's faith stages which some of you may have heard me reference before: simplicity, complexity, perplexity, harmony. There are a lot of similarities between these two models, but for now we will stick with Rohr's model since it uses "deconstruction" language. These stages help categorize and discuss our progression of faith, but they aren’t exhaustive, and may not apply to everyone. It is merely language that we can use to explain where we are in our deconstruction journey. I want to note that this is not to be a shameful comparison of where you are and where you want to be. I want us to all be gentle with ourselves in these conversations. I will never push you to be on a certain path, I will encourage you to do some self-reflection. This conversation is meant to be an encouragement that while deconstruction can seem scary: you aren't alone, and there is hope.

Order (Construction)

This is a natural starting point in faith. It provides containers for our faith that provide security and rules. Rohr writes in one of his daily Meditations, The Universal Pattern, "While they aren’t perfect, these containers give us the necessary security, predictability, impulse control, and ego structure that we need, before the chaos of real life shows up. As far as I can see it, healthily conservative people tend to grow up more naturally and more happily than those who receive only freeform, build-it-yourself worldviews. We need a very strong container to hold the contents and contradictions that arrive later in life." This is where many people begin their faith journey. Conservatives can get stuck in this phase. This would be were a lot of mainstream churches would exist. These spaces thrive because structure is appealing, and I think that providing "answers" can temporarily ease anxiety.

Disorder (Deconstruction)

Inevitably, our ordered view of the universe will fail us. Our worldview will be questioned and tested through the events of life. As Rohr claims, this happens when we hit one of the "big six": love, death, suffering, sexuality, infinity, and God. This is where we see complexities and realizing that things aren't as ordered as they might appear, in this space that involves recognizing the harm that can come from certain church spaces. Some will continue to live out ordered faith even if it is killing them. Some will reject all order, which is a post-modern world view. Some will continue seeking meaning in their spiritual practice. This is the disordered (deconstructing). Just like conservatives can get stuck in the first path, progressives can get stuck on this path. One of the hardest things about deconstruction, is the lack of certainty. It feels like nothing makes sense, and it is uncertain if there will ever be security again. Getting stuck here can be damaging and can lead to the loss of hope and our sense of meaning, which can be detrimental. However, this stage is crucial to move from ordered and into re-ordered. It is important to journey through this darkness, and the loss of our child-like innocence in faith. Embracing the doubt and questions are crucial to move forward.

Reorder (Reconstruction)

There a lot of different words for what can be described as this reordered faith. This is the phase of faith where you can rest in the complexities, understand that there are different ways to view and practice faith. It can also be described as enlightenment or salvation. Rohr states, "We all come to wisdom at the major price of both our innocence and our control. Few of us go there willingly; it must normally be thrust upon us…It amounts to the best of the conservative and the best of the liberal positions. People who have reached this stage, like the Jewish prophets, might be called 'radical traditionalists.' They love their truth and their group enough to critique it; and they critique it enough to maintain their own integrity and intelligence. These wise ones have stopped overreacting but also over-defending. They are usually a minority of humans." Reconstruction is about seeking wisdom from the Divine and finding a path forward that seeks harmony with God, world and self. There is a willingness to surrender to the mystery, and choosing not to settle into harmful systems, thus creating space for accountability, hope and peace.

John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, often spoke of "working out our own salvation," meaning that salvation is a life-long process of wrestling with our beliefs. Philippians 2:12-13 (NLT), "Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him." In this passage, we can see each of the stages: order, disorder, and reorder. The new believers followed Paul's teachings and constructed their beliefs. The internal, ongoing work is when things get hard. Deconstruction and Reconstruction are hard work, but I believe require a great deal of wrestling and conversations with the divine. Deconstruction is the process of purging the toxicity and inconstancies that can take place in faith. Reconstruction is the process of working out our salvation. It is believing in the beauty of Jesus's teachings, without believing in absolutes.

Discussion Questions

How do your previous ideas about faith deconstruction compare to what we discussed?
If you feel comfortable sharing, which stage of faith (order, disorder, or reorder/construction, deconstruction, re-construction) do you identify with?