Following Jesus: A Journey of Always Reforming

What does it mean to deconstruct your faith? And is deconstruction even the right term for this process? [[NOTE: As the name implies, Deconstruction Doula helps people deconstruct safely. The 'doulas' that write and serve in our community all come from very different places spiritually. We therefore provide a safe place for those deconstructing to do so in an agenda-free way. We don't push any 'final goal' for deconstruction, believing as we do in the competency of individuals to make their own decisions about what they believe or don't believe. We also don't judge anyone's deconstruction goals; the purpose is not to persuade anyone of anything except this: deconstruction is normal. It can be done safely. And there is healing on the other side.]] [[TW: This article is aimed at those who are new to deconstruction, curious about the term, or otherwise unfamiliar with the ongoing public conversation around deconstruction. You may find some of this language triggers a post-traumatic stress response. Please use caution and consult with a mental health provider if you are considering self-harm.]]

The Meaning Behind Faith "Deconstruction"

In recent years, many Christians have started using the term faith deconstruction to describe the process of examining, questioning, and sometimes reshaping their beliefs. However, the word "deconstruction" itself comes from a postmodern philosophical framework. It was primarily intended to describe the process of dismantling an oppressive political or philosophical system. It's not a term that was intended to be applied to one's faith, and it can be frontloaded with some of the poli-sci baggage of its inception.

That said, the word can apply surprisingly well when a Christian begins their deconstruction because they suffered abuse or witnessed it go without acknowledgement or repair. In these situations, Christians who begin to deconstruct are often wrangling with much more than their theology; often, they're confronting something much more complex and difficult to define: the American Institutional Church. Their theology will necessarily get caught up in that process, and thus, it is often labeled 'deconstruction.' In that sense, there's a reason our culture started to use the word for this process. It does capture a component of the experience that's important to understand. A deconstructing Christian is not deconstructing their theology necessarily, though this is not uncommon. Usually, they're deconstructing how the theology they were taught was practiced. And even where they are deconstructing their theology, it's almost invariably because of their experience with Christians who claimed those doctrines.

With all that said, 'deconstruction' is still not technically the best descriptor for what most Christians are experiencing. Much ink has been shed on this subject, however, and unfortunately, it's often more concerned with talking down or being pedantic rather than acknowledging that whether this is the "right" term or not (whatever that means), it is the term that our culture uses for this process. Acknowledging that changing the lexicon is neither the point nor possible, Deconstruction Doula embraces the term.

Here's why.

Historically, the church has understood this process as a commitment to Semper Reformanda—a Latin phrase meaning "always reforming." This principle, rooted in the Protestant Reformation, expresses the idea that our faith should always be tested, refined, and aligned more closely with reality. Rather than tearing faith down, it is about removing cultural baggage, misconceptions, and harmful teachings that do not reflect the heart of God or the Gospel.

Christians Have Always Engaged in This Process

Though it has a modern name, the journey of faith deconstruction is not new. Throughout church history, believers have engaged in healthy, expansive questioning of both doctrine and institution as they sought to better understand God and His Word.

1. The Reformers and Biblical Purity

During the Protestant Reformation, figures like Martin Luther and John Calvin challenged long-standing church traditions and abuses that were not biblically supported or outright biblically condemned. They did not seek to abandon faith, but to purify it - in spite of the accusations. oftheir opponents that they were "destroying" the church by their critique. But their goal was not to destroy the church; it was to reunite individual believers' to their scriptural foundation. In this sense, "deconstruction" actually does apply in its original sense to the Protestant Reformation: it was about, in part, dismantling an oppressive political, economic, and religious system.

2. Revival Movements and Renewed Focus

Throughout history, revival movements like the Great Awakenings called believers to examine the heart of their faith rather than relying on tradition. They called churches to repentance for practices like slavery and domestic abuse, and were excoriated for it as "accusers of the brethren." Preachers like John Wesley and Charles Spurgeon emphasized the importance of a personal relationship with Christ and urged people to repent of the corruptions in the church of their day. Both Wesley and Spurgeon, as part of their work to encourage Christians to examine their faith, took on systems of church and political government, and pushed - sometimes fiercely - for reform. (It's worth noting that Spurgeon lost in his effort; search for the Downgrade Controversy to learn more.)

3. Women of Faith Who Challenged the Status Quo

Throughout church history, many women have played a crucial role in challenging anti-Gospel or otherwise abusive church practices and teachings. One powerful example is Julian of Norwich, a 14th-century Christian mystic and theologian. Amid the devastation of the Black Death, Julian wrote Revelations of Divine Love, which challenged the prevailing harsh images of God with an emphasis on His deep, maternal love and mercy. Her reflections helped shape Christian spirituality and gave believers a framework for trusting God's goodness in the face of suffering. She, too, was attacked for her efforts.

A criminally (and I mean that almost literally) overlooked example is Sojourner Truth, an African American abolitionist and evangelist in the 19th century. Her powerful speeches confronted not only racism but also the misuse of scripture to justify oppression. She urged Christians to examine their faith and align their actions with biblical justice, challenging the church to live out the gospel in radical ways - and some who claimed the name of Christ tried to take her life for it.

The Tension of Deconstruction vs. Deconversion

For many believers, the term "deconstruction" can feel unsettling. There is a concern that questioning faith might lead to abandoning it altogether. And there is very much a link from deconstruction to deconversion (these aren't the same things, nor do they operate on the same spiritual axis). While some ultimately deconvert, many others find that examining their beliefs leads to a stronger, more deeply rooted faith. How this turns out, in our experience, largely depends on the support - or lack thereof - a deconstructor receives during this process.

Faith deconstructors usually don't begin the process voluntarily. Usually, some life event, or tragedy, or experience of abuse forces a confrontation between the false beliefs they have about God, the Gospel, or themselves and the reality or what they experienced. This can be such a shock to the system that it triggers a crisis of faith. The process of resolving that crisis of faith sometimes happens through well-supported deconstruction.

(And to be clear, if you're on a deconstruction journey and you aren't comfortable with the term, we will joyfully call it 'semper reformanda' - or just about anything else - with you!)

Faith Deconstruction as Spiritual Maturity

Rather than something to be feared, deconstruction is a sign of deep spiritual restlessness; it's driven by the longing to know truth, and powered by courage, desperation, sheer need, and a whole array of emotions and needs entirely dependent on who's doing it.  Deconstruction can mean you are seeking a faith that is real, tested, and personal, rather than inherited or assumed. It can instead mean you are experiencing a kind of 'gospel wakefulness' (to borrow a very useful term) in which some experience or encounter with God has opened your eyes. to Jesus and His ways more clearly. It can mean you truly desire to find righteousness, or know the truth. It can mean you hunger for God's justice to be done, or that you feel the lack of His justice in His people. It can mean you long for goodness to have an actual, meaningful impact on your life and community. It can mean you really, really, really want His Gospel to be true— —in spite of what you've seen.

If you are in this process, know that you are not alone. And you don't need to be afraid. The truth will set you free, after all.

👉 Download our FREE self-assessment to gauge your own exposure to spiritually harmful, unbiblical beliefs and practices. 👉 Join a peer support group for Christians navigating faith shifts.

Your faith was never meant to be static. It is meant to grow, mature, and deepen—always reforming, always seeking truth, always drawing nearer to Christ.