Recently at a conference, a man handed me a letter from his deconstructed son. I recall him saying, “Please use this in any way that can help.” I decided to talk through the points in the letter with the intention of helping families understand their loved ones who are in deconstruction, and to bring clarity to some of the issues that are so common among deconstructionists.
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Very weak position in some respects, frankly. The Reformation was new construction largely working from Emperor Constantine and Augustine rather than from Christ and the apostolic Church–not much of an improvement. Today's Protestant-Evangelical churches have little to offer as a practical and historical alternative to deconstruction. "Evangelical" definitely is a cuture as well as a semi-embraced theology, i.e., a profession to embrace the Bible but with a list of common exceptions to that and additions to it, particularly from the Second Great Awakening (e.g., Charles Finney's explanation of the revivalists' presumed authority to change apostolic practice so that it serves modern church practice in a better way).
False dichotomy
40:11 Anywhere one could find these sources? What are they? Thanks
Well, I'm not sure I can agree with your assertion of biblical inerrancy. ONLY God is infallible/inerrant, so if you say that The Bible is infallible you are saying The Bible ( written by very fallible Human men) IS literally God. Isn't that a form of idolatry? Plus, if The Bible is infallible, then we must accept that the scriptures which clearly condone slavery, genocide, stoning people to death, and bashing the heads of your eneny's babies against rocks are all aporoved by God. And if the Bible is infallible/God, then do you, as a woman, accept 1 Corinthians 14:33-35 and 1 Timothy 2:11-12? Or the fact that in Hebrews 8:7 we are told that the Old Covenant was FLAWED, and that's why a new covenant was needed. As far as contradictions, there are numerous sites on the internet which list contradictions in The Bible (I recall one, which I think was called Internet Infidels, which has a whole page listing several dozen contradictions– there are many other such sites). My point is, the men who wrote the various books of The Bible obviously put their opinions abd prejudices in their writings (like when Paul asserts that everyone who can possibly do so should remain celibate, something Christ never taught), and many Christians today are using those scriptures (outside of Christ's teachings and mandates) to promote hate and discord. I would love to hear your take on this. God bless.
I have read (more than once) the complete works of Francis Schaeffer (I learned of his existence back in ‘82 through reading Whatever Happened to the Human Race?) and whilst his style of writing is not always the easiest to read, the content of his writings is superb. I highly recommend Nancy Pearcey’s books Total Truth and Finding Truth which are based on Schaeffer’s theses but are much easier to read. Pearcey’s books are well worth the investment and they will help you to think (and understand) Biblically about ALL REALITY (not just the religious stuff).
Childers is reminding me of what Pearcey writes in her books and my spirit resonates both with Pearcey and Childers.
Keep up the good work guys!
Simonline🏴🤔🙏😀👍
Hola Alissa 🤗 I'm so greatful 4 U & the Great Content U & others bring us🎉 Blessings ✝️ to U & ur family 💖
Do you think that some people deconstruct as an excuse to live in sin? Do they deconstuct so they can live like the world?
Too many christian parents used their religion to CONTROL their children. Jinger Duggar speaking out about her religious upbringing is a good example of how TOXIC much of it was. She says she had panic attacks, anxiety and developed an eating disorder. Josh became a molestor and child-porn addict. Watching Happy Shiny People about The Duggar's is showing just how damaging Bill Gothard's IBLP cult was and what their real agenda is – political power and world domination
So, perhaps, Alissa should have waited longer to write her first book?
Beautiful!! 😍
Jesus is depicted as a carefree person who occasionally winks and jokes around with others. My Bible never suggest Jesus ever joked around or laughed these last three years of his life. He was a solemn and serene person from everything I read in all the testaments.
Hearing that guy's letter really brought me back to the New Atheism of the mid-2000s. To me, it just sounds like the same stuff but rebranded. You've done a good job addressing those points.
That letter has the logical weight of a toddler. It is both amusing and sad.
Some fairly debatable characterizations being asserted in that list. It's hard to tell where the son is at, but hopefully they are open to thinking more deeply about these objections.
These are the objections of someone looking for a way out, more than the truth.
I thought 'deconstruction' was just a fancy new word for apostasy.
The main problem with people today is that their faith was built on the 'wisdom of man' and not the 'power of God'. i.e. they believed in their head but not their heart.
Hey this was great I’d like to present my main questions when Christians ask what I wrestle with my faith. FYI I know there are answers to these questions I just have to determine if they are satisfactory since I can get answers from other religions too.
1. Divine Hiddenness basically breaking down if God wants a relationship with us Him hiding is in direct conflict of that. The best example is the conversion of Paul. Paul through no Christian was converted by Jesus alone. So why doesn’t Jesus reveal himself to all the nonbelievers?
2. “True” problem of evil this isn’t an official term but basically it goes why prior to creation would God create knowing ahead of time so many ppl are going to hell to suffer for eternity? Could God not just omit from being created the ppl He knows ahead of time will betray Him? Mark 14:21 Jesus states that it would be better for Judas not to exist rather than betray Jesus. So God shouldn’t have created Judas to betray Jesus according to Jesus.
3. The principle of what would count as sufficient evidence to warrant a belief. If a person said they bought a car I’ll believe them. If someone said they bought a mansion rare but sure. But if someone told me they have the cure for cancer they are now describing a pattern that hasn’t been demonstrated previously thus I would need more evidence than just their word that it was true. If in that scenario I can’t take someone’s word of an event that doesn’t happen why am I taking the word of ppl that claim a man came back to life when we don’t know that it is possible?
4. In psychology it’s been established that we communicate 55% in body language 38% in our tone and 7% in our words. Why wouldn’t God communicate through body language and tone rather than just a book that is hard to decipher that even today we don’t agree on what it says. A God that is omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient, and omnibenevolent would also be omnicoherent and yet we don’t see that.
5. What would we say as Christians to prove our religion is true over the other religions? In other words don’t prove God but calculate the right flavour of God or the right religion.
Ms, Childers -blessings to you.
I hear so many people that hate the evangelicals that “put” Trump in the White House.
Deconstruction? Bit of a weird name for this who are no longer in fellowship with the Lord and his family?
The reading of the prophecy in Isaiah and Jesus speaking in Luke gave me chills. ❤
Go Orthodox.
Christianity is a lie with more than 39,000 denominations. Jesus said that another man like him was coming, and xtians still cannot see it.
Here are a few lies of christianity. 1. the trinity is a lie. 2. the virgin birth is a lie and a fantasy. 3. Jesus was not God, God doesn't die.
Immorality is everywhere. An escapable toxic prison planet. Prove me wrong (…but you haven't walked in my shoes)
This is beautiful argumentation.
Hi-ALISA;
Thank you doing this. It is a brilliant representation of your character and personality to make such well articulated nuanced clarification on the Life Moral Teachings and Philosophy of Jesus The Christ versus the conflation that grew out of over thousands of years of intrigue roguery and ignorance.
This is all you !
You parsed the overused word ‘deconstructing’ perfectly.
You are so beautiful when you’re lucid and fluid in your thinking and heart as a representative of the gospel.
Bravo !
There is no comparison of your understanding of the use of the Scriptures when matched with the online ‘evangelical christian’ tripe of Pastor Greg Locke.
Love in His Name always.
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Valuable content!!
I am glad for your bring gifted with words and with speaking with love and reason. Thank you.
Dear Alisa
This cast is in my eyes very important. You speak about a theme that moves me since 10 years or so. So thanks for this vid.
The process of deconstruction/reconstruction of faith is not as new as it might be seen, but you're right, it is a postmodern thing (at least the naming). You can say that in some ways Luther was deconstructing his (catholic) faith and reconstruct it ending in protestantism.
Deconstruction means you pick every piece of your faith and judge by the postmodern premisse of relativ truth – and you throw it away (you are right about that). You end up by leaving the faith. This is understandable but logically wrong (by the way, theologians – and all believers – should study philosophy to learn how to think properly…:-))
With the most of your examples in the second five minutes in your speech (look at your doubts, rethinking old truths ….) falls into the process of reconstructing. Been there.
Ten years or so ago a german professor for practical theology (Tobias Faix) made an online poll especially for people who went away from church and/or faith and asked them about their story. He recieved a lot of answers and destilled them into a book named (german) "Warum ich nicht mehr glaube" (Why I don't believe anymore). He worked out some motives and ways of thinking by the persons who were going through this processes. He found out that many of them had a bad or wrong theology, at least not whole truly biblical, and/or lived a life with a "sundayschoolfaith" which didn't grow and become "mature". With growing older, become aware of that not all things in life comes out like the truths from sunday school, the tension between reality and faith grows until the person become unable to make faith and reality "congruent"(as the son wrote about science facts – in his sight). This letter shows that exactly! They then deconstruct or (luckily) reconstruct their faith. The reconstruction ends up in a more (mature) grounded, secured, resilient faith. Why they didn't grow and become adult in their faith has many reasons and is a good question (Faix wrote about that in the second book named "warum wir mündig glauben dürfen" – "Why we may believe mature").
For me Faix' book was an eyeopener, it described what was going on with me (I was an Salvation Army Officer back then). It helped me in my reconstruction. My story to this point back then is another one for another day.
You made very good points. Thank you for that. But, sorry for that, for my taste with way too much words. But as I said, very good.
Wish you all the best and blessings of the Almighty.
M.D.
Alisa, thanks for your answers to the letter from a son to his father. I hope many can feel that your answers come from a heart guided by the Holy Spirit. I also have o lot of questions but the more I study the Bible the more answers I find. The Bible is a remarkable book written by 40 persons on 3 continents and in 3 different languages and with one main message. I am really thankful to God for all the nearly 70 years I have been able to read and study His divine and eternal Word.
It seems Christianity is a peculiar religion.South India is populated by more christians.Recently Tamil Nadu govt brought a law that the low caste people from hindus if they convert to Christianity will be offered reservations whenever they apply for govt jobs.Christians condemn hindus that they practice caste.But christians are not free from caste conscious.Even they follow dowry system.Very peculiar.
John 1:1&2 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God.. He was in the beginning with God.
I believe people should be able to explain why they believe random things, as well as Christians being able to explain their beliefs.
The idea that Christianity is the only faith tradition that inculcates morals is untrue. Evangelicals, ahem, sometimes identify themselves as "true Christians" even going so far as to say that other perhaps more progressive views within the faith are heresies. Familiar Alisa?
Thank you for the explanation! Well done &! Helpful for those who are struggling in their belief.
Square One – Ground Zero – is Mount Sinai — 3,335 years ago, when nearly two million newly liberated children of Israel witnessed the Voice of the Creator speaking out the first few commandments — and then calling Moses to come up the mountain and receive the Torah. This did not require faith. This was direct experience.
become grounded in the 2000 year old orthodox christian faith!
This was great, it shows that we don't need to be afraid of questions. 🙂
When I decided on Christianity, right I looked at the claims, and I looked at the evidence of those claims, and I came away with my beliefs strengthened, I think its important to know when a question has been adequately answered, I also know that many young people, go off to university, right and they elevate an instructor, or professor to genius status, they put these people on pedestals that they dont need to be then they just kind of blindly follow them even against their own faith. Jesus said that he was the truth, he would not represent an untruth in his name.
26:00
34:30
If anyone thinks the Bible isn't Inspired … consider this:-
Song of Solomon contains 5151 letters, which is 303×17. The book contains 8 chapters (7+1) and has 117verses. 'Pey' is the 17th letter of the Hebrew alphabet. It occurs 117 times. The 7th chapter contains 17 letter 'peys'. This links with Noah's ark which rested on Ararat on the 17th day of the 7th month. No human being could write a book like that. The Bible is God's Word and therefore true. So Genesis 19 really happened: it's the same God who looks down on this planet and will similarly judge this generation.
Deconstruction? It just means never being saved.
The objection to Christianity's discounting the authorities of other religions makes perfect sense if you've already decided that there's no objective truth. If that's the case, then there's no reason for any religion to be exclusive. But, of course, Christianity makes claims of objective fact which are either true or false–and if true, then anything that disagrees with them must be false.
I've been a pastor for 29 years. One of my dearest friends, a man that i served with in ministry for years and years. We prayed together, share each other's pulpits. One day he packed up his offices and left the church. He divorced his wife, moved in with a yoga instructor and eventually married her. In order to do this he had to jettison the historic biblical faith. He now is a "pastor" at a "spiritual center" where he teaches a class on "awakening the Christ within" based on the teaching of Richard Roar. I still can't believe it. 😢
All of the science problems can be summed up as "concordism". Seriously… If Christians would just ditch concordism, 99% of the problems they see regarding creation, evolution, etc. would just evaporate… but there are unfortunately big groups like answers in Genesis that regularly push a concordist view of Scripture to the detriment of the church
His point on evangelicalism holding back society in regards to science is pretty much on point… it just is what it is. Our culture at large denies some science as well, but some Christians' inability to reconcile topics like evolution with their faith without straight up denying reality is sad and does stunt society at large.
God bless you and your family and friends and ministry , I've had to examine my own beliefs and faith which has helped me and strengthen my faith in Christ
This has zero to do with deconstruction.. the guy’s son is in a cult, The cult of politics. Just listen to his first question. He isn’t looking at the Bible and probably doesn’t read it anyway. He isn’t going to thoughtfully listen to you and then comment. Instead, he isn’t going to allow you to speak and he will not participate in the arena of ideas or debate. This kid is not examining his faith, his God is his political beliefs.
It’s up to those who know the one who has left the faith, to lift them up in prayer. That’s probably the most important thing one can do. God can do anything, I can pray.
Faith IS the evidence.
I think deconstruction comes from right-wing fascist politics co-opting vulnerable Christians who do not truly understand the gospel.
De-construction?? I don’t know anything about it. For me, i have decided to continue reading and studying the “whole Word of God”. I have not reached the “prophetic books”, yet. I have chosen to not discuss my “eschatological” questions, until i have a more well-rounded World-View, through knowing the whole Bible…NIV, or ESV. I DEFINITELY believe, that God always affirms, and confirms our faith, when we are believing that He always leads us to “victory”.