A large number of Americans today are moving away from the Church and sometimes from the Christian faith. About 40 million adults who used to attend church no longer do so. For the first time in 80 years, more adults don’t go to church than do. It’s a change so radical that the authors of a recent book on the subject call it The Great De-churching.(1). Along the same lines, approximately 30% of Americans no longer identify with an established religion (the so-called “Nones”).(2).
Given this cultural milieu, it is perhaps not surprising that a number of Christians have publicly declared that they are deconstructing their faith. The word “deconstruction” can mean different things in different contexts, but here I will refer to its meaning as an overall rejection of the Christian faith. This is often, but not always, followed by an adoption of atheism, agnosticism, or skepticism.
In recent years, several prominent Christians have publicly renounced their faith, including Jon Steingard (former lead singer of the Christian band Hawk Nelson), Joshua Harris (author of the influential book I kissed dating goodbye), Marty Sampson (former Hillsong worship leader), Abraham Piper (son of pastor and author John Piper), and Bart Campolo (son of speaker and author Tony Campolo).
As Christians, we are understandably saddened by these announcements, and for some, it shakes their faith. Many of these converts once had successful ministries, from which we may have benefited. Seeing them move away from Christianity can be a blow to our confidence. How should we think about and respond to these incidents when they occur? I think the following three points are helpful.
Deconstruction is not new
First, it is important to keep in mind that it is nothing new for Christians, and even church leaders, to turn away from their faith. The apostle Paul mentions at least three people who walked this path during his years of ministry. In 1 Timothy, he describes two individuals named Hymenaeus and Alexander who had rejected “faith and a good conscience” and had therefore “been shipwrecked concerning the faith” (1 Timothy 1:19). In his second letter to Timothy, Paul refers to a man named Demas who abandoned Paul because “he loved this world” (2 Timothy 4:10). To put things into perspective, it’s important to remember that people have been deconstructing since the days of the apostles.
When we have the opportunity, the Scriptures exhort those of us whose faith remains strong to try to restore those who have erred. Of course, this can be quite difficult, and the results are ultimately in God’s hands. Yet Jude encourages us to “be merciful to those who doubt” (v.22), while Paul writes that “if anyone is caught in sin, you who live by the Spirit, gently restore him” (Galatians 6:1)(3).
One of the best things we can do in this situation is to know how to listen. As author Jana Harmon astutely observes:
Just because someone calls themselves an atheist or a skeptic doesn’t mean we can assume exactly who they are and what they believe. It is important to take the time to listen to their individual perspectives, to hear what they believe, why they believe it, and to understand their views and objections to God and faith. . Listening to understand not only allows you to value who they are and what they think, but it also reveals personal issues that often lurk beneath the surface of intellectual objections. Careful listening gives you a path to meet them where they are(4).
Unfortunately, sometimes doubts and questions are swept under the rug in a believer’s life until they fester and ultimately result in deconversion. As two biblical scholars noted: “In some Christian contexts, there is such a zeal for pure doctrine that it is very difficult for people to admit that they have questions and misunderstandings, and it is difficult to find a friend who can sit and listen and talk”(5). Without compromising biblical truth, we should create environments in our churches and friendships in which people feel free to express honest questions and doubts.
Questions and doubts are part of the Christian life
I haven’t seen those who have deconstructed say this explicitly, but I suspect that many of them believe that their questions and doubts indicate that they have (or surely will) turn away from the Christian faith. But as Os Guinness points out: “Doubt is not the opposite of faith. Unbelief is. Christian philosopher Travis Dickinson adds: “Having doubts, even serious ones, doesn’t mean you don’t have faith. Faith and doubt are not opposites like black and white. In fact, doubt seems to require some measure of faith or at least belief. Think about it: if you didn’t believe in Christianity, then there would be nothing to doubt… doubt only makes sense in the context of belief and faith. » (6).
Whenever we hear of someone deconstructing their faith because they have doubts, we must remember that this is a common experience in the lives of God’s people. Abraham and Sarah doubted whether they had a natural son, Job doubted God’s goodness, Moses doubted his ability to lead the Israelites out of Egypt, the psalmists often wondered why God took so long to act, and Thomas doubted that Jesus rose from the dead. They all continued to walk with God despite their doubts, and we consider them today as models of faith. Like the father of the demon-possessed boy in the Gospels, the faith experience of believers often follows the pattern: “I believe; help me overcome my unbelief! (Mark 9:24).
One might wonder why God doesn’t instantly remove all our doubts or obstacles we encounter to belief. Dominic Done may be right when he suggests:
I think the reason is that God values intimacy over resolution. He wants us to know Him, not just know Him. Belief in God is more like confidence than certainty, because confidence is the language of relationships. Thus, God invites us to trust him in all seasons. Not only through enchanting mountains where faith is as natural as breathing, but when he leads us into long desolate valleys, where doubts snatch the life from our soul. (7).
The way back home
A final point of encouragement for those who are drifting away from Christianity is that they can return to it. Author John Marriott tells the story of Darrin, whom he calls a “converted.”
Darrin “prayed to receive Christ and was baptized at the age of seven. He read the Bible, evangelized others and, he said, did his best to live as a Christian. However, over time, he became convinced “that the Bible taught that God chose some people to go to heaven and condemned others to hell, even before they were born… Not wanting to be part of such an unjust God and capricious, he abandoned the faith. »
Darrin connected with other skeptics online and for years became a regular contributor to a website devoted to debunking Christianity. Then suddenly, to the surprise of his friends, he posted the message below on his website:
Last week I realized that I could no longer call myself a skeptic. After 15 years away from Christianity, most of which was spent as an atheist with the active and busy intent of destroying the faith, I returned to a church (with real intention of going to worship) on Sunday last. Even though I know I will struggle with doubt for the rest of my life, my life as an atheist is over.
He went on to say:
In short, I got tired of the lack of explanations on: The existence of the universe, moral values and duties, objective human value, consciousness and will, and many other subjects… I realized I couldn’t answer them no matter how many topics there were. long nights I spent reading books.
Today, Darrin belongs to a theologically orthodox church and serves the Lord. As long as a person remains alive on earth, there is always hope that he or she will return and serve God again and enjoy fellowship with His people. (8).
Remarks
1. Jim Davis et al., The Great Destruction of the Church: Who is leaving, why are they leaving, and what will it take to bring them back? (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2023), 3.
2. Bob Smietana, Religion Reorganized: The Remaking of the American Church and Why It Matters (Nashville: Worthy Publishing, 2022), 143.
3. I don’t believe honest doubts are a sin, but I do think the principle of trying to gently restore an erring believer still applies.
4. Jana Harmon, “What I learned from 100 atheists who converted to Christianity,” The Worldview Bulletin Newsletter, July 9, 2023, https://worldviewbulletin.substack.com/p/what-i-learned-from-100-atheists.
5. RC Lucas and Christopher Green, The message of 2 Peter and Jude: The promise of his coming, the Bible speaks today (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1995), 226.
6. Travis Dickinson, Wandering towards God: finding faith in the midst of doubts and big questions (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2022), 9-10. The Os Guinness quote cited by Dickinson can be found in the Guinness Book God in Darkness: The Assurance of Faith Beyond the Shadow of Doubt (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 1996), 29.
7. Dominique Finished, When Faith Fails: Finding God in the Shadow of Doubt (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2019), 166-167.
8. John Marriott, The Anatomy of Deconversion: Keys to Lifelong Faith in a Culture Abandoning Christianity (Abilene: Abilene Christian University Press, 2021), 228-229.
This is an edited version of an article that first appeared on Summit Ministries.
Christopher L. Reese (MDiv, ThM) is a writer, editor and journalist. He is the founder and editor of the Worldview Bulletin and general editor of the Dictionary of Christianity and Science (Zondervan, 2017) and Three Views on Christianity and Science (Zondervan, 2021). His work has appeared in Christianity Today, Bible Gateway, Beliefnet, Summit Ministries and other sites.
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