Thanks, Ryan. Good stuff here. Deconstruction isn't thoughtless, hate-filled. It's thoughtful and love seeking. At least this has been true for the people I've been around during the process.
Deconstruction was a source of growth for me in seminary in 1990. Like you, I found the tools to reconstruct faith in the deep Christian contemplative tradition. Reorienting pastoral work towards spiritual development instead of looking for the next marketing innovation is the Reformation of our time. Glad to have found you here on Substack. I wonder what you are reading these days? I have found Andy Root very helpful in understanding how the church itself has become very secular, not really expecting God to act in our lives.
Ryan, this was well written. As a former Christian counselor and now coach, I appreciate your thoughtful response to this area. I have always been interested in helping people work through their doubts or spiritual struggles in healthy ways. I see so many writers here talking about this topic. It’s not wrong at all to grapple with and work through honest struggles spiritually or emotionally. I think that church hurt or abuse of authority is another frequently discussed topic. The thing I have said in conversation with friends and clients is this: don’t allow the enemy to alienate you from God. We live in a fallen world and the spiritual battle is real. Remember you can talk to God about these struggles or even traumatic experiences. Seek help. Satan would love to make you bitter and angry and push God and all fellowship away, but consider what is helpful and healing for you instead. God has tremendous love for you and power to heal and restore areas of woundedness. There are unhealthy human beings that will misuse power in very damaging ways, claiming to be believers, and you can walk away or run from engagement with them so fast. You never have to tolerate abuse. But God created us for belonging and a joyful identity in Christ. Ask yourself what is helpful and what is harmful as you seek to draw near to God. And also God created us as relational beings. He desires us to connect with Him more deeply. We can build our joy capacity and as a result of secure attachment with God, we can develop greater resilience in relationships with others. Healthy churches do exist. But staying connected with at least a few other mature believers who love you is so important.
Thanks, Ryan. Good stuff here. Deconstruction isn't thoughtless, hate-filled. It's thoughtful and love seeking. At least this has been true for the people I've been around during the process.
Deconstruction was a source of growth for me in seminary in 1990. Like you, I found the tools to reconstruct faith in the deep Christian contemplative tradition. Reorienting pastoral work towards spiritual development instead of looking for the next marketing innovation is the Reformation of our time. Glad to have found you here on Substack. I wonder what you are reading these days? I have found Andy Root very helpful in understanding how the church itself has become very secular, not really expecting God to act in our lives.
Ryan, this was well written. As a former Christian counselor and now coach, I appreciate your thoughtful response to this area. I have always been interested in helping people work through their doubts or spiritual struggles in healthy ways. I see so many writers here talking about this topic. It’s not wrong at all to grapple with and work through honest struggles spiritually or emotionally. I think that church hurt or abuse of authority is another frequently discussed topic. The thing I have said in conversation with friends and clients is this: don’t allow the enemy to alienate you from God. We live in a fallen world and the spiritual battle is real. Remember you can talk to God about these struggles or even traumatic experiences. Seek help. Satan would love to make you bitter and angry and push God and all fellowship away, but consider what is helpful and healing for you instead. God has tremendous love for you and power to heal and restore areas of woundedness. There are unhealthy human beings that will misuse power in very damaging ways, claiming to be believers, and you can walk away or run from engagement with them so fast. You never have to tolerate abuse. But God created us for belonging and a joyful identity in Christ. Ask yourself what is helpful and what is harmful as you seek to draw near to God. And also God created us as relational beings. He desires us to connect with Him more deeply. We can build our joy capacity and as a result of secure attachment with God, we can develop greater resilience in relationships with others. Healthy churches do exist. But staying connected with at least a few other mature believers who love you is so important.