Society is in the midst of a much needed change. A large number of people are slowly waking up to some real , horrible truths that hurt our nation for hundreds of years. As many are just beginning this journey, there are some truly great thinkers that have done so much work on both social reform and underpinning institutional problems. And for those of us connected to the Evangelical Church we will soon begin to find that there is a:
Coming Crisis of Faith.
Those of us who have been raised or heavily influenced by the Evangelical Church will find that the broader Church has had a notable heavy-hand in suppressing societal change and in a number of cases has even actively fought against social change. Certainly not every church in every place, nevertheless the Church has historically been used as a means of oppression. As we, the people of the Church, wake up to our checkered history, we will undoubtably find more things that have hurt us than helped us.
Many will come to the progressive realization that theology has been used and distorted to promote a narrative of shame in regards to who they are and supporting what they feel is true. And the number will be large in number, caught up in the dust of crumbling walls and foundations. We will see what is deeply broken and they will see it. is. everything.
We should expect a number of Christians to begin a process of what we define as deconstruction. And we need to :
Let. This. Happen.
For so long deconstruction has been used as a term that is synonymous with terms of spiritual failure like heretic, renegade, or skeptic. This assumption only galvanizes the sociological and personal feelings of shame and loss that inevitably are part of a healthy deconstruction process. More importantly we need to know that as we engage with deep social and racial change, this process will be happening in us as well. Thoughtful change cannot occur without the tearing down of walls and frames.
This. Is. Happening. in. You. Now.
This is not theoretical. This is not an academic exercise. This is not problems for people somewhere else. This is you. This is us. We are being confronted with the things that we have in some way always suppressed.
And this is Good News.
Let’s begin to embrace the process of deconstruction together with gentleness and love for the people around us. Many will remove old theological weights. Many will make radical changes to their denomination. Many will embrace a more progressive theology. Many will need to take an extended break from the Church. Many will permanently end their relationship with the Church but not with their faith. Many will understandably burn the whole thing to the ground.
We Need Space To Be
So take this as an inevitable invitation and prepared that you are likely coming to this party. And it will start to feel more like a funeral. That is good. That is part of the process. Morn the loss of your old beliefs, morn the loss of your sense of self, morn the loss of your relationship to the church, and morn the loss of old held structures. There is something beautiful in this process but it is not without an incredible sense of pain. You have permission to make space for yourself and others to feel this very personal loss. And know that you are not alone in this.