Thank you for your response, though you did not answer my question. What your response provided was the source of your understanding, not your actual understanding or definition of FDM. I asked for your definition/understanding because I did not want to make assumptions about your views on FDM.
When someone says/writes “deconstruction” in terms of faith, different meanings could be intended. Here are a few:
1. To deconstruct is the process of unlearning one’s faith. Often, this leads the individual to walk away from their faith and denounce Christ.
2. To deconstruct could involve a more analytical approach where one evaluates tenets of their faith and unlearns the doctrines that are deemed to be unbiblical. The difference here is that the person is still a Christian and desires to rebuild/reconstruct their faith according to Scripture, which is beautiful.
3. A third possible definition could be that deconstructing is a healthy habit for every Christian to do regularly if defined as evaluating what one believes compared to what the Bible teaches to be transformed by renewing the mind (Romans 12:2).
In part 2, Carrie provides the reader with what working definition of “deconstruct” she was using when she wrote, “According to the Oxford dictionary, deconstruction means to “analyze (a text or a linguistic or conceptual system) by deconstruction, typically in order to expose its hidden internal assumptions and contradictions and subvert its apparent significance or unity.”
What’s key to see in Carrie’s intention is her following statement, “Deconstructing a church or religion looks like recognizing the rotten fruit of such a system, tearing it all down, then reexamining each piece to see if there is any value in it, to reconstruct something better and truer.” To reconstruct something better and truer. Now, you don’t know Carrie, but I do. When she writes, “something better and truer,” she means the true gospel of Jesus Christ found in the Bible.
She continues displaying her heart when she wrote, “If there is any hope for deconstructing people to return to a church, we need to start using the correct terms. We need to stop dignifying Sovereign Grace with the title of “church.” The same applies to any other “church” that is actually a cult.” Again, if there is any hope for deconstructing people to return to a church – Those don’t sound like the words of someone who has jumped from the flames into the fire, to use your expression.
Over the course of her 5-part series, Carrie has written with clarity and bravely called out the wolves of Sovereign Grace Churches to warn the sheep. She is not looking to bash Christianity but rather uphold the beauty of God by rebuking the grime and crud of heresy.
And is this not what Paul meant Christians to do in Ephesians 5:11, “Do not participate in the useless deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them”? Heck, Paul actually named false teachers publicly:
* “Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me” (2 Timothy 4:10).
* “You are aware that all who are in Asia turned away from me, among whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes” (2 Timothy 1:15).
* “By rejecting this [faith and a good conscience], some have made shipwreck of their faith, among whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander” (1 Timothy 1:19–20).
* “Their talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus” (2 Timothy 2:17).
D L, I read your latest article entitled, Christian Leadership, and enjoyed it very much. The reason for wanting to engage a little with you is because you seem to be a brother in Christ. We have much more in common, therefore, than what we disagree on. As Christians, should we not be slow to speak and quick to listen (James 1:19)?
However, not knowing Carrie and without asking her a single question, you assumed that she was jumping from one vice to another, only to conclude with your suggestions on how she should proceed back to faith (“renew your prayer life, read the Bible for yourself and seek God’s presence in your life – not another person or cult”).
D L, Carrie prays continually, is a student & lover of the Bible, and has a deeper relationship with the God of the Bible than many (part 6, the last of the series, is all about Jesus as the Good Shepherd, as experienced personally in her own life). She is not seeking the presence of another person or cult, contrary to your assumption. Instead, her love for God and God’s people moved her to courageously call out the false teachers claiming to be Christians. By God’s grace, her 5-part series has strengthened many people’s faith and brought much-needed awareness to the dangers of this cult called Sovereign Grace Churches.
For mutual good and peace among fellow Christians, I would ask you, in the future, to pause and seek to understand one’s position before you publicly correct them.
In Christ,
- Keith
