Deconstruct Them All: The Importance of Questioning Traditions More Broadly

One piece of advice I offer to Christians navigating the process of deconstructing their faith is this: don’t limit your deconstruction to just one specific tradition or denomination—expand it to encompass all Christian traditions. Often, when people begin deconstructing, they’re reacting to a particular branch of Christianity that they’ve grown up with or encountered. While that’s a natural starting point, it’s crucial to broaden your exploration. When you examine Christianity more holistically, across time and cultures, you gain a broader perspective on what is truly central to the faith versus what is simply a product of a particular historical or cultural context.

Deconstructing multiple traditions can help you see what is consistently vital to Christian belief—things like the life and teachings of Jesus, the core themes of love, grace, and redemption—and what may be more peripheral, such as certain doctrinal positions, church structures, or practices that vary widely. This process allows for a more nuanced understanding of Christianity itself, helping you discern what parts of your faith might still hold deep meaning and truth for you, and which elements were perhaps shaped more by human institutions than divine revelation.

In many cases, this broader perspective may even lead to a reconstruction of faith that feels more authentic, grounded not in any one tradition’s interpretation, but in the essential core of Christian belief as you’ve come to understand it through a more expansive lens. In short, by deconstructing multiple traditions, you not only clarify what isn’t essential to your faith, but you may also rediscover what is, and potentially find a renewed sense of spiritual purpose.