Deconstruction is built on subjective preference and has no set destination. Tim Barnett explains how this contrasts starkly with what Jesus said.
Transcript
A defining feature of deconstruction is that there’s no right way to do it, and there’s no right destination. For example, Jo Luehmann expounds on this idea in her video titled “Our Journey of Faith Deconstruction.”
“And this is the thing with deconstruction that I really think it’s important to understand. Everyone lands wherever they land. There is no right place to land with deconstruction. Some people land away from faith. Some people land in a different type of faith. Some people become agnostic. Some people become a different type of Christian. Some people become atheists. And all of those routes in deconstruction are valid and to be respected.”
Luehmann is not alone. “NakedPastor” David Hayward, who regularly creates social media content on faith deconstruction, put it more concisely: “Hey. There isn’t a right way to deconstruct, nor is there a right destination. You do you.”
Now, I want you to think about this. Why is there no right place to land in deconstruction? The answer is that deconstruction is a postmodern process. What I mean is deconstruction isn’t about objective truth. It’s about personal happiness and living your truth, whatever that may be. In one sense, the destination of deconstruction is like the destination of a vacation. Whether you end up in Hawaii or Jamaica or someplace else, it’s all a matter of personal preference. It would be silly for me to say that Hawaii is the right or correct vacation destination for everyone.
Notice how deconstruction assumes that there’s no objective truth when it comes to religious belief. That’s why it doesn’t matter how you do it or where you end up, as long as you’re happy. Now, contrast this with Jesus’ words in the Sermon on the Mount. He says, “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.”
I want you to notice two things. First, Jesus mentions two ways. There’s a narrow way and a broad way, a right way and a wrong way. Second, Jesus mentions two destinations. The right way leads to a good destination—life. The wrong way leads to a bad destination—what Jesus calls destruction. According to Jesus, there is absolutely a right place to land, and Jesus tells us how to get there. Well, I think Jo Luehmann and David Hayward both accurately describe deconstruction. They highlight one of the fundamental flaws in the process.
If you want to know more about deconstruction, then pick up Alisa Childers and my new book, The Deconstruction of Christianity.