The Deconstruction of Christianity: What It Is, Why It’s Destructive, and How to Respond

by Alisa Childers, Carl R. Trueman (Foreword), Tim Barnett

A groundbreaking book on the true nature of faith deconstruction

Alisa and Tim help the reader to deconstruct the deconstructionists and thus to respond to them, both with arguments and with love and sensitivity. This is a timely book! -- Carl Trueman, author of The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self

A movement called ‘deconstruction’ is sweeping through our churches and it is affecting our loved ones. It has disrupted, dismantled, and destroyed the faith of so many, and this book can help you not only understand what’s happening but also stand your ground and respond with clarity and confidence.Maybe you have a loved one who is deconstructing their faith, and you are struggling to know how to respond;Maybe you are trying to understand the radical spiritual makeover your friend or family member is going through;Maybe your relationship with a loved one has been strained or even cut off because of your “toxic” Christian beliefs and you don’t know what to do;Maybe you’re experiencing doubt yourself and facing hard questions about truth, God, the Bible, theology and the gospel.Some who leave the faith feel wounded by the church. Others feel repressed by some of the moral imperatives found in Scripture. For some, it leads to a custom-made spirituality. For others, deconstructing their faith leads them away from the truth into agnosticism, atheism, the occult, or humanism.

In this seminal book, Alisa Childers, author of Another Gospel?, and Tim Barnett, creator of Red Pen Logic, will help you understand what deconstruction is, where it comes from, why it is compelling to some, and how it disorients the lives of so many. You will be able to think through the main issues around faith deconstruction and explore wise and loving ways to respond from a biblical worldview.

Genres: Christian, Christianity, Nonfiction, Theology, Faith, Christian Living, Audiobook

283 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2024

About the author

Alisa Childers is a wife, a mom, an author, a blogger, a speaker, and a worship leader. She was a member of the award-winning CCM recording group ZOEgirl. She is a popular speaker at apologetics and Christian worldview conferences, including reThink. She has been published at The Gospel Coalition, Crosswalk, the Stream, For Every Mom, Decision magazine, and The Christian Post. Her blog post “Girl, Wash Your Face? What Rachel Hollis Gets Right . . . and Wrong” received more than one million views. You can connect with Alisa online at alisachilders.com.

Reviews

[Matthew Dimick · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was curious about the evangelical approach to the rise of deconstruction and how leadership was tackling this topic. I was disappointed to find a lack of nuance or capacity to address the actual and lived concerns of those who are deconstructing—instead the authors opt for a book to encourage their readers to stay the course and further entrench themselves in the evangelical rhetoric they peddle as professional apologists.

This is not a robust academic approach to the topic of deconstruction. There is not engagement with historical or textual criticism. The authors also fail to utilize sociological or statistical data—instead opting to cherry pick from what they saw online—seeking the most egregious examples to fit their agenda best.

As someone who has studied biblical literature, I was disappointed in the manner in which the text is understood. Sweeping statements are made about the authenticity or validity of the text without engagement in the history, editorial process, or linguistic choices in interpretation. Furthermore, if someone is deconstructing their understanding of scripture—a book that just cites Bible verses as evidence of the validity of scripture (circular reasoning) really misses the mark. It reads more like a sermon or Bible study on a cultural issue.

There is this particularly strange section where they speak of “objective” and “subjective” truth as a two story house. They insist on this notion that “Christianity is true” is an objective truth. I found such a broad statement to be a truly strange thing to quantify—especially when trying to establish a definitive binary: “Christianity is true…” because it historically exists and people practice it? Because Jesus was a living person? Because the whole of fundamentalist principles are true? It was such a strange exercise to build a foundation on. (Side note: I’m pretty exhausted by the “evidence” attributed to C.S. Lewis regarding truth. In summary, it’s either true or Jesus was lying/crazy. The demographics mostly deconstructing have witnessed that people can believe something completely untrue wholeheartedly without lying or being “crazy.” This played out in real-time on Jan. 6th. The idea that Christians would have adopted beliefs unfounded in reality without a period of 30-70 years after Jesus’ death is not really surprising.)

Another argument lost to the authors and dismissed is a reductive approach to systemic issues. Rather than genuine engagement with accusations of systemic violence grounded in a history of oppressive theology-the defense is “it was just bad individuals”. The book is dismissive of truly academic texts grounded in scholarship and research. The authors criticize theses texts for coming to conclusions (based on evidence) that point to oppressive agendas. (Ironically, these authors have no problem with casting suspicion on the agenda of those who deconstruct…)

Probably the biggest issue with the whole of the text is their myopic interpretation of deconstruction. They insist that term is only to be used when a person is leaving their faith (because some people on the internet seem to imply that directly or indirectly). This is simply untrue—someone can deconstruct their conservative ideology and choose to maintain beliefs, become more progressive, or abandon their faith. The process is not determined by the outcome.

The book is pretty clear in its homophobic stance and actively promotes transphobic rhetoric. Despite its stated desire to preserve relationships with those deconstructing (in an attempt to bring them back into the fold)—it is clear that any progressive (even Christian) position is to be met with resistance and denial. I hope parents of trans or queer children seek better advice from trained clinicians.

It’s also pretty clear they consider any deviation from creationist or fundamentalist (lite?) beliefs to be bad. There is no room for compromise or uncertainty in their theology. It looks with suspicion at most Protestant groups.

The book is 2 stars because it did meet the need of understanding where the evangelical community is. I do I believe the authors genuinely believe what they’ve written? Yes. I also feel I grew in understanding of the term “reform” and the “reform and always reforming” phrase. Through their description, I came to understand how limiting and oppressive the idea of “reform” can be and how it can cloak itself in even progressive circles. Its nice to learn something new

I also liked they voiced the audio book themselves. The personal narratives were appreciated.

[Lia Ross Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book felt like watching a documentary on the deconstruction movement. It was so helpful for me to understand what deconstruction is, what it’s not and the effects on the church today.

It is written so carefully and lovingly. The authors quote tweets and statements from those who have deconstructed but there was never any attack on people, only showing error in ideas. I appreciated that most about this book.

I’ve read Christian books that don’t do that and it can be exhausting but this book was just seeking to give clarity and insight to those of us trying to wrap our heads around what faith deconstruction is and examples of how we got here today.

Scripture is throughout this book along with research from lots of sources. I think they did a great job of flowing one chapter into another. I learned so many new things but never felt overwhelmed with information.

This book is not super academic and approachable. I think anyone wanting an explanation of what deconstruction is and isn’t should read this. It really helped me realize I really just had little understanding of this movement.

My best friend in college walked away from Christianity our junior year and it influenced my faith deeply. I had only been saved 2 years and had to relearn everything I thought I believed about Christianity. I did not understand how someone who encouraged me, prayed for and with me, and boldly shared the Gospel with others, was unrecognizable and renouncing everything our bond was built on. It took me 3.5 years to work through everything and my faith in Christ strengthened deeper than before.

This is not an example of deconstruction and the words we use to refer to these kinds of testimonies are important. I love how they broke down deconstruction vs. reforming your faith to get back to the basics of what is true and biblical Christianity.

This review could be so long because I enjoyed this book so much! Just read it. It’s SO needed and a timely read for the church today. Grateful for Alisa and Tim for writing it

[Samantha | samanthakreads · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5⭐️
Another wonderful book by Alisa Childers!

This book provides the what, how, and why of the deconstruction of Christianity. It's great for Christians, non-believers, or for loved ones who may have someone close to them deconstructing. I love the way Alisa explains in an easy-to-understand way interwoven with Scripture, truth, and reasons behind deconstruction, including trauma interconnected by bad experiences.

It's incredibly sad but not surprising that there is a surplus of people who are turning away from their faith and deconstructing, even more so with the amount of individuals actively offering coaching and promoting it on social media.

I think it's common and normal for people at some point in their faith journey to ask questions, have doubts, feel confused, struggle to understand, or even push away due to bad experiences or memories.

It's important to remember that God is not the one to blame but rather the sinful and imperfect world we live in. Alisa explains the importance of the heart motive of someone seeking the truth; if someone wants to re-evaluate, fix, and grow their relationship with God, he will guide them in the right direction. But if they truly don't want a relationship with God, no amount of evidence will sway them.

I highly recommend this book to everyone, Christian or not. The audiobook was especially great as Alisa Childers narrates the book herself (she narrates all her books!).

[Faithful Intellect · Rating 2 out of 5]

Book Review Rating: 4/10

This Book Is:
- A conservative evangelical view of deconstruction.
- A critique of the most extreme form of deconstruction.

This Book Is Not:
- For people currently deconstructing.
- For people who don't view the Bible as authoritative.
- For people who view religion as subjective (personal preference).
- A helpful response or proposed solution to deconstruction.

My Takeaways:
- The truth of Christianity has shifted from a question of objective truth based on external reality to a question of subjective truth based on personal preference/taste.
- Instead of debating the truth of a claim, our culture focuses on whether anyone deems it harmful. Anything harmful is deemed toxic regardless of whether it is true.
- Critics of Christianity ascribe motivations like power and control to those making any objective truth claims in order to shift the debate away from evaluating the truth itself.

My Critiques:
- I disagree with the extreme and narrow definition of deconstruction focused on biblical authority and the claim that Christians shouldn't use the term "deconstruction". When the church uses the term "deconstruction" to engage with all people who are reexamining aspects of their faith, we have an opportunity to show people that deconstruction doesn’t have to lead to rejecting biblical authority and doesn’t have to lead to atheism or agnosticism.
- The authors claim that people are rejecting the sound doctrines of a literal reading of the Bible, a belief that women are to be submissive to men, a belief in the sanctity of heterosexuality/heteronormativity and a rejection of homosexuality as sinful, the assumption that the American way of life is best, and an identification and partnership with pollical and social conservatism. I think there is quite a bit to disagree with in their analysis, but my bigger critique is that the authors don’t even question why so many people think these things define evangelicalism. Could it be that the evangelical church acts like these five things do define evangelicalism?
- The authors fail to identify and address the lack of discipleship that I think is the real cause of all kinds of deconstruction. What is left of one's faith after stripping away the politics, nationalism, literalism, and complementarianism that has been melded with much of evangelicalism? If the answer is not a strong and real relationship with Jesus, then no wonder people are walking away from Christianity. If their faith is limited to these peripheral beliefs, then when they deconstruct, there is nothing left.

Click here to read the full review at Faithful Intellect.

[Cathy (Thoughts on Books) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a hard read.

There is great sadness in watching someone struggle with their faith. And deconstruction, pulling away from what is biblically true, is extremely difficult to see someone go through.

This book is geared toward those who have loved ones deconstructing their faith. It explains what deconstruction is and isn’t and shares the views of those promoting it.

The authors say here:

“For the majority of people from the broader culture in the deconstruction movement, the Bible is seen as a tool of oppression to be rejected, not a standard of truth to be affirmed.”

But this book also encourages the reader to not give up on those who are struggling, to pray, to be patient and to set boundaries. To search the scriptures for the answers to our questions, and to trust God.

If you are interested in knowing more about the movement of deconstruction, you may find this book helpful.

*Thanks to NetGalley for a free ebook in exchange for an honest review.

[Brandi Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️s—This book is a much-needed equipping resource for the body of Christ!

In The Deconstruction of Christianity, Alisa Childers and Tim Barnett help readers to better understand 1) the process of deconstruction, 2) the beliefs that are being deconstructed, and 3) the person who is deconstructing. All of these so critical to effectively walking with someone who is deconstructing their faith.

I appreciated so many things about this book. First, it was incredibly well-researched. The authors didn’t just speculate—they went to deconstruction websites, watched the TikTok and YouTube videos, read the blogs and social media posts, and even had conversations with exvangelicals.

I also appreciated the graciousness and nuance with which they treated this subject. They were honest about the trauma those who have deconstructed may have experienced by folks in the church, but they also gave practical tips on standing firm while walking compassionately alongside someone in a faith crisis.

The last part of the book was the most practical and I especially enjoyed it. After being given so much amazing information about the how, what, and who of deconstruction, it was helpful to know what to do if we’re ever called to be a light to a doubting loved one.

This is surely a must-read for any and every Christian in this post-Christian world we find ourselves living in. Highly recommend!

[Daniel Pandolph · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is borderline embarrassing to read. I have not deconstructed. I would likely agree with many of the beliefs of the authors.

But my goodness is this book a train wreck. Imagine taking every weak apologetic argument ever used and then throwing it in a book and saying “See! It’s solved. You can ask questions, just don’t deconstruct.”

But most of the people who deconstruct that I’ve met are past these shallow answers. They are reading Bart Ehrman who has written intelligent responses to apologists. They are asking hard questions about the actual received text. They are asking questions about translations and the history of Christianity. They are wrestling with pervasive interpretive pluralism and trying to figure out what that means for them.

And the authors NEVER deal with the deeper issues scholars are actually dealing with. This book js DOA.

So who is this book helping? It’s not helping deconstructionists. And it certainly isn’t helping the families of deconstructionists by sending them into this battle with weak arguments which will get quickly destroyed.

It’s shameful and theological malfeasance. Childers and Barnett should be ashamed they wrote it and Tyndale should be ashamed they published it.

This right here is one of the reasons people deconstruct—because pseudo-scholarship parades itself as authoritative and so disgraces us all. Evangelicals celebrating this book need to take a long hard look in the mirror (I’m talking about you Carl Trueman) and ask themselves if their praise of this book is not some form of intellectual virtual signaling devoid of real scholarship.

So is there anything worthwhile?

Very, very little. But two things:
1) I genuinely believe the authors feel empathy toward families of deconstructionists and the pain deconstructionists feel. I don’t doubt their intentions.

2) Their discussion on how to define deconstruction is helpful (kinda) if not a bit superficial.

That’s all I’ve got. Sorry, this book ain’t it.

[Michael Cuevas · Rating 1 out of 5]

Unhelpful and dishonest.

This book, in its attempt to solve "the issue of deconstruction," will only serve as further justification for why people find it necessary.

Weak apologetics, purposefully misrepresented arguments, and an overall sense of arrogance permeate through its entirety, leaving next to nothing of worth to take away.


One notable quote:

"We shouldn't be writing a book about deconstruction" - Alisa Childers

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

I should start by saying: I am not the target audience for this book.

My parents are.

I am a deconstructed/de-converted former evangelical. I was a Christian up until the age of 25, growing up in an Assemblies of God church. I wrote human videos to ZOEgirl songs; I was one of Alisa's young fans in the early 2000s.

I chose to read and review this book for a few reasons. 1) I'm interested in the topic; this is a book I would've picked up, anyway, even though I knew I would likely disagree with the authors on a lot of points. And 2) I wanted to see if the advice was sound, if following it would lead to happy results for people like my friends and family. Because I would very much like to maintain these relationships, and I would hope that the advice they're getting isn't going to push us further apart.

So does this book give decent advice?

Sort of.

I do agree with most of the points in the section that is devoted to what to do when your loved one deconstructs. The authors do say to respect boundaries and give space, they point out that you should make sure you have a close enough relationship with someone before bringing it up, and just be kind and model good behavior (I'm not likely to see the "fruits of the spirit" in you as proof of God, but I absolutely want you to be kind to people).

As far as not affirming the pronouns of a trans family member: I understand how sticky this feels, from a Christian perspective. You don't want to compromise your beliefs to make people happy, and you're trying to teach your children about what you think is right and wrong. I absolutely get it. However, I do think choosing not to affirm someone's new name or pronouns is you choosing not to have a relationship with them. If that's not what you want, my personal suggestion would be: use the name and preferred pronouns with your family member. When you are alone with your kids, you can tell them that you don't personally agree with it, but that we should respect other people even when we disagree. This person does not share your Christian beliefs (even if they remain a progressive Christian, they have different beliefs from your own), so they can choose not to adhere to your personal rules, and you can respect them, as you would an Islamic person kneeling down in a public place to pray to Mecca. Your kids will benefit from this, as well, since they will have to go to school with and work with trans people someday; you should be teaching them to peacefully coexist and not cause conflict where it isn't necessary.

Beyond this advice section, the book breaks down what the authors mean by deconstruction (and I generally agree with them; it's a confusing term that is being used in two different ways. I personally use "deconverted" to describe myself, instead. When I was "deconstructing," I didn't know I was on my way out the faith--I thought I was asking hard questions and getting closer to God. I didn't hear about the word until after I was out).

Then the book tries to describe deconstructionists which gets... a little straw-manny. I have no doubt that the person described exists and says things on the internet, but I do not match that description, and I hope that my loved ones don't think that's who I am. I was not church hurt, nor am I a "slave to sin." I'm quite happy with my life; the biggest thing I've felt since I left the church is relief. My anxiety only stems from concrete issues now, not some unknown and ongoing source.

The writing itself is well-paced and the anecdotes aren't as cringeworthy as some of the apologetics I've read, which is why I've given it three stars. It's not a terrible book, but I do think both authors would benefit from looking more into the perspective of the person their describing.

And that's my final advice to the families of deconstructionists: please listen to your loved one. Get their side of the story. Don't assume their motives, intentions, reasons for leaving. Don't insist that they were motivated by something that they say was not a factor. Even if you think they were, what good does that do, to tell someone their understanding of their own self is wrong? All that does is try to guilt them back into going to church. That guilt is likely a big part of why they left.

I received a free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Emily Waits (emilylovesreading_) · Rating 5 out of 5]

“The serpent in the Garden of Eden asked Eve, ‘Did God really say?’ Today, he is asking a different question: ‘Did God really mean?’ Same deceiver; same goal.”

Hearing often of others deconstructing their faith and knowing several personally, The Deconstruction of Christianity was a book that I was thrilled to see being written. It is clear to the reader that this book was exceedingly well researched and written with a heart for this generation, for those struggling with their faith, and for those trying to come alongside them.

One thing that I especially loved about this book is that it’s written without assumptions. The authors aren’t speculating about what deconstruction means to those who are deconstructing. Rather, the authors do well to let the deconstructing individuals share in their own words, through quoting their testimonies directly. While hearing many of these testimonies was difficult and heartbreaking, I really appreciated that the book was written this way.

Not only will this book teach you about what the Deconstruction movement is, it will also help explain why this movement is harmful and how you can respond to it individually and as the Church. The first half of the book is informational, while the second half of the book is very practical.

Though the subject is heavy and there is a lot of information given (theological, historical, and sociological/cultural,) the authors did an excellent job making this book easy and entertaining to read. I already know that this title will make my 2024 favorites list.

[Amanda E. (aebooksandwords) · Rating 4 out of 5]

In “The Deconstruction of Christianity,” Alisa Childers and Tim Barnett detail the truth behind the deconstruction movement that has been affecting many. Today’s world leaves us struggling to hold a Christian worldview with its effects on personal relationships with those we care about. This book exists to help those experiencing such challenges, helping us to understand how deconstruction works and better respond to loved ones and friends struggling with doubt or in the thick of deconstruction.

The book consists of three parts:

Part 1 shares how deconstruction shows itself on social media and in homes and churches. Part 2 explores people’s what, how, and why in deconstructing. Part 3 details how to love and help those we care about in the midst of their deconstruction.

I personally have felt unsure of how to converse with people in our current culture as it feels like things have changed so fast and so many have walked away from belief in Christ. This book helped me make sense of so much when it comes to the deconstruction movement. I especially appreciated the practical advice in chapter 12, sharing steps to take and helpful questions to ask ourselves and our loved ones.

Highlights:

“Deconstruction is not about getting your theology right. It’s not about trying to make your views match reality. It’s about tearing down doctrines that are morally wrong to you to make them match your own internal conscience, moral compass, true authentic self, or whatever else it’s being called these days. Yet the goal for all Christians should be to align our beliefs with the Word of God, despite our own personal feelings or beliefs on the topic.”

“In today’s skeptical culture, it’s not a matter of if doubts come, but when they come. So we need to teach Christians to doubt well.”

“Not every question gets a neat-and-tidy answer. That’s because Christianity isn’t tidy. There are formidable objections, difficult concepts, and troubling texts. There will always be some unanswered questions.”

Thank you to Tyndale House and Netgalley for gifting me a copy of this book. I am leaving this review voluntarily and was not required to leave a positive review. All opinions are my own.

[Elisabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it! The authors did an amazing job of tackling such a broad and often divisive issue.

The Desired Audience:

The authors make it crystal clear that they are writing primarily to those who have loved ones within the deconstruction movement, not to those who are within the movement themselves. They welcome anybody to read it, but the ending especially is focused on how to love those within the movement without compromising on the truth or personal standards.

Summary:

The intro is about some of the history, culture, and definitions of the deconstruction movement. It also gives an overview of some of the damage the movement has caused and tends to cause. The body is about the process of deconstruction, what exactly is being deconstructed, and who the people who deconstruct tend to be. Many Bible passages, relevant analogies, and quotes from deconstruction influencers are used in this portion. The ending is how we should approach the movement and the people within it. I really appreciated the spirit of the authors in regard to this section.

Things I Loved the Most:

They pointed out all of the different uses of the word "deconstruction." For some it might mean exploring and questioning their faith, for others it might mean questioning the authority of Scripture, etc.

They used a broad variety of sources from different "Christian camps." I liked this because deconstruction has in some way affected pretty much every Christian denomination in some way.

The language they used was loving, clear, factual, and consistent.

Personal Preferences:

There was not one consistent Bible translation used. They bounced back and forth among about four English translations.

They did a tremendous job of writing for Christians of various denominations. Baptists, Methodists, Mennonites, and some Presbyterians (and probably others I'm just not thinking of) could easily agree with most of the points in this book. That being said, I feel like some additional points could have been made, but I completely understand why they were not.

There was one section about eternal security that was either not very clear or I was misunderstanding it (probably the latter). Either way, I feel like it could have been worded better, but that's just my opinion.


Conclusion:

All that being said, I loved the book, I think it's extremely appropriate for current events, and I've already recommended it to several of my friends. :)

[Mark Johnson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Before I get into my thoughts on this book, I want to share something important.

We desperately need a book on deconstruction for people who love someone going through deconstruction. Many simply want to understand what their deconstructing friend and loved one is going through. I think there’s a huge market for such a book among parents, siblings, friends, neighbors of people who have experienced deconstruction.

If someone you love is experiencing deconstruction, I don’t see this book as helpful for understanding them. If you are in this situation and want to find a better resource, feel free to reach out to me directly.

The good:

This book was, in some ways, more charitable than I expected. I think the authors are sincere, kind, and would seem to be approachable in real life. I also appreciate Alisa Childers’s particular lens in the sense that I totally get that it would be extremely traumatic for someone famous from CCM to experience so many of her fellow CCMers deconstructing and, in some cases, de-converting. They are effective at pointing out some of the obvious contradictions held by folks in deconstruction circles. I do feel like I have some common ground with these folks in the sense that they want to create space for questions.

Here is the gift that they have really given me: in-depth insight into how a lot of conservative Christians really think about deconstruction. That’s not necessarily the message that I wanted. But perhaps that’s the message that I needed as a reality check.

Beyond that, I’m just going to dump my scattershot thoughts because I have plenty. (And I actually trimmed and edited quite a bit to what you will even see.) I’m completely exhausted at the thought of having to summarize them all into a neat, tidy narrative, so here it goes:

(1) I am struck by how much certainty these authors have about deconstruction. Their words presumptuously suggest that they fully understand a topic as broad and diverse as this one.

(2) If I didn’t know better, I would be tempted to conclude that these people are trying to convince people like me (who have experienced a form of deconstruction) that we aren’t Christians. And surely that IS part of their goal—that we would convert to their way of thinking about God and practicing faith. But the unintended consequence, in some cases, might actually be to push people closer to actual deconversion.

(3) In the end, their answers are pretty simple—just read the Bible and land at their conclusions and everything will have been resolved. (I know that’s a little reductive and uncharitable, but it’s honestly a little too close to the truth for me to positively affirm the book.)

(4) Their view of Christianity is heavily tied to objective truth claims. So it’s no wonder they feel so strongly about something as ambiguous and unsettling as deconstruction can be! It’s as though for them everything is either objective truth (which conveniently aligns with their position) or subjective personal taste (their description of the deconstruction “movement”). Wouldn’t it be convenient if everything fit in nice little boxes like that?

(5) They spend a lot of time on penal substitutionary atonement. I think that’s perhaps the biggest disconnect that I have with the authors. In their view, it seems penal substitutionary atonement is THE Gospel. I think Jesus’ story is bigger, broader, and deeper than the events of a single weekend—as important and as central as that weekend is.

(6) It seems for these authors, history and sociology are inherently problematic because their receipts are a threat to biblical truth claims. They really lost me on that. They seem to be saying that no argument that is based on something other than the Bible matters. I hope I am misunderstanding them. I get that sociology and history should not necessarily be the ultimate arbiter of whether something in the Bible is true, right, or problematic—at least for Christians. But on matters that are not crystal clear (which let’s be honest—that is much of the Bible, at least from where I sit), I think we would do well to consider the body counts of various doctrines as data points for whether or not they are life-giving or death-dealing.

(7) My perception is that they completely misunderstand the work of someone like Kristin DuMez, author of Jesus and John Wayne. Dr. DuMez is not questioning anyone’s sincerity or theology. She is simply detailing what happened. Most of the people featured in JJW are sincere actors. The sincerity of people’s beliefs does not make them right or above criticism.

(8) The authors seem to believe the Bible is (1) clear and (2) objective. Which is fine. Many Christians agree with that. But I wish they would also acknowledge that such a perspective is not monolithic among Christians—not today, and not throughout church history. (E.G. It’s fine if they think the Canaanite genocide was literally historically true and endorsed by God. Just know that’s hardly a universal position among christians.)

(9) While they mostly come across as kind and charitable, there are other parts that come across as extremely condescending. Some of it borders on gas-lighting—as though none of the concerns of deconstructing folks are valid at all.

(10) I like that they are talking about creating space for questions. With that said, my perception is that they don’t give people enough credit, and that people largely are NOT leaving because someone failed to create a space for questions at the church they attended. The way they describe it, you would think that those folks basically didn’t get an answer the first or second time they asked, and they simply gave up and didn’t seek any other outside perspective and then subsequently left the faith. I don’t doubt that that is somebody’s story. But it has not been my experience with people on the deconstruction spectrum.

(11) I do not doubt their sincerity. And yet they are communicating a degree of certainty without a corresponding degree of humility, which I find to be off putting.

(12) The most personally offensive part to me was the way they went after some people who have, for lack of a better way to put it, saved my faith. There are people like the late Rachel Held Evans, Sarah Bessey, and many others who have given me so many resources for unpacking the Bible, for praying, and for practicing my faith. And they basically get lumped in with the most hot take oriented deconstruction TikTok influencers. I don’t know how to write about this part any further without getting really angry, so I’m just going to stop.

[Blessing Bloodworth (naptimereaders) · Rating 5 out of 5]

In writing this very important book, Childers & Barnett did the hard work of diving into the trenches of the popular Deconstruction movement, to explain and expose it with grace and compassion. For the audience of Christians who are experiencing Deconstruction from the outside, they tell the HOW, WHAT, and WHO of it. I learned a lot by reading their findings and research on what it is, where it came from, and how it got so popular. Beyond that, they revealed how Deconstruction is something that’s been around for a long time - back to the very first lie of Satan told to Eve: “Did God really say?”

I really appreciated the loving and compassionate tone in approaching a very tough and very sensitive subject. In this love, they strongly stood on the truth of The Word, advocated the importance of Biblical literacy, and highlighted the Scriptural precedent for warning against false teachings. Also in love, they encouraged true believers to REFORM their faith if needed ACCORDING to the Word of God, not their own relative truth (which is what Deconstruction does). Far from ostracizing those who Deconstruct, they call Believers to see them as image bearers who are hurting and doubting.

There is a fair amount of psychology, philosophical analysis, and sociological research, along with tons of direct references to social media postings & memes. I found that they communicated their findings clearly, but some readers may feel bogged down by this.

I highly recommend for any Christian who is seeking to understand the current cultural movement, is seeking to understand the Bible and apologetics more, or is walking alongside someone who is deconstructing.

Thank you to Tyndale House & netgalley for a complimentary ebook in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

[Brittany · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to this on audio, as I did with her other books, but I think this one was the hardest to follow that way. The content was good, but there were a lot of references to posts, quotes, etc. by deconstructionists, and I didn’t find it very conducive to listening. I do greatly appreciate Childers’ work, her sound theology, and her calm, clear, and compassionate tone. I feel that she communicates with grace and truth!

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was so good! I love that the audiobook is read by the authors and read very well. This is a tough subject, but dealt with in a good way. I liked how they mentioned real people and what they said. A good read!

[DT]

I have mixed feelings about this book and the author. I’ll start with my thoughts on Alisa.

ZOEgirl played a huge part in my faith journey, so I will always respect Alisa. I think people have a negative view of her because of some of the people she appeared in videos with, or were featured on her podcast. Alisa’s views aren’t as extreme as theirs. For example, she says Christians can vote Democrat despite collaborating with pro Trump Christians in the past. (The fact she had to state that just shows how messed up things are in the American church). I find Alisa to be fair and nuanced about plenty of things. It’s her views on deconstruction that make me pause.

On to the book:

Alisa knows scripture well. I enjoyed her use of scripture and some of her analogies (like the one about the tight rope walker crossing Niagara Falls to make a point about faith and trust).

However, the way she discussed deconstruction itself is problematic. She quoted memes, Facebook and Instagram posts. She didn’t talk about literature, or do any kind of statistical analysis.

For example, Alisa insists that the word deconstruction should only be used by exvangelicals or people who walked away from the faith completely, and not by Christians who are merely re-examining their beliefs. She says that the exvangelical community wouldn’t want us to use the term either and then cited ONE social media post as proof. This made me cringe so hard.

My issue isn’t with Alisa’s beliefs, but the way she tries to refute the ex-vangelical movement. It would have been more effective if she conducted interviews rather than referring to views expressed on anonymous social media profiles. I’m sure she wouldn’t like it if the exvangelicals tried to represent us by quoting random accounts on Twitter.

This makes it hard to rate the book. I walked away knowing more about Alisa and her faith than feeling like I learned about deconstruction.

[Barry · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars (= good)

This book is a helpful read for Christians who have friends or loved ones going through the process of deconstructing their faith. But the book is meant for you to read and learn from, rather than to give your friends as some type of persuasive apologetic.

Here are some good reviews:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...


And here are some quotes:

"Deconstruction doesn't usually imply a deconversion to atheism, but it's certainly a deconversion of its own kind—from a worldview rooted in the authority of the Bible to a worldview rooted in the authority of the self."
[p 26]


“First, Satan deconstructs the idea that God is loving, After all, how could a loving God withhold something that appears to be pleasing to the eyes? Surely a loving God wouldn't forbid something they desired. (Does that sound familiar?) The implication is, God is not loving. Satan persuades Adam and Eve to believe the lie that God must not care about them; he must like keeping things from them; he must be cruel…But Satan succeeds in deconstructing their belief in God's love and goodness.”
[p 46]


‘Here's how critical theory works in the deconstruction world. In the minds of many people today, Christianity (and evangelicalism in particular) is assumed to be shaped by oppressive ideologies like white supremacy, patriarchy, racism, homophobia, and Christian nationalism. For example, on an Instagram post by @eve_wasframed, the caption reads that "hell is actually completely made up by humans and has been used as a fear tactic to control people and coerce them into religion.”
‘Notice how the writer assumes hell is “made up,” then jumps immediately to explaining why it's “made up.” She's attacking motives, not arguments. C. S. Lewis called this approach "bulverism," and it's rampant in the deconstruction explosion. Lewis wrote, "You must show that a man is wrong before you start explaining why he is wrong. The modern method is to assume without discussion that he is wrong and then distract his attention from this (the only real issue) by busily explaining how he became so silly?" Imagine a scientist saying, "The earth is round" and a flat-earther replying, "You're just saying that because you're a Western white man trying to control people." Of course, this response doesn't refute the scientist's claim. Rather, it assumes he's wrong and has nefarious motives for making the claim.’
[p 143]


‘In other words, when examining evangelical positions, the primary question for these writers isn't "Is the belief true?" or even "What does the Bible teach?" but "Has this belief been used to oppress?"’
[p 146]


Quoting Andrew T. Walker:
"It is astonishing to me the incredulity of scholars who are unable (or unwilling) to understand that individuals might hold a good faith conviction due to honest biblical interpretation, and not out [of] some ulterior motive to protect one's power or privilege." He continues, "If a theological position is wrong, demonstrate the error exegetically, and not why it *must* be wrong because of the critic's precommitment to their own sociological constraints, or dare I say, ‘worldview.' Who knew postmodernism would be this predictable and boring?"
[p 151]

[Carissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Faithfulness to God comes at a cost. It’s easier to submit to societal opinions than to stand on scriptural truth.”

They define deconstruction for what it is... people walking away from Christ. Just as in the garden the serpent asked "did God really say...?", now people are asking "did God really mean...?".

The tone of the book is great, a way to understand deconstructing and correct wrong thinking. The authors don't put people on blast (like other Christian books have done) which I appreciated. They go through the history and definitions of deconstructionism and its popularity, and how to address it. The authors seem to really have done their research and aren't just diatrib-ing, but really understanding those who've deconstructed. Which not every Christian has to do, so we're thankful these authors did it and we can glean from their work.

I liked the point about asking where deconstruction leads. It can lead in all different directions so its not really a movement since a movement leads somewhere.

The book is particularly helpful for those who know people deconstructing and want to understand and help them, especially the last three chapters. This book isn't going to give you all the answers to every question those deconstructing have, but it gives a good framework/understanding. Like start with prayer, be understanding

“In many ways, we feel like we are writing with both tears in our eyes and a sword in our hand”

“It is really tragic that Christians can quote The Office but can't quote the Covenants, or that they know more about Marvel's Iron Man than they do about the Bible's God-man.”

"[Deconstruction] is not about trying to make your views match reality. It’s about tearing down doctrines that are morally wrong to you to make them match your own internal conscience, moral compass, true authentic self, or whatever else it’s being called these days.”

“Christianity isn’t tidy, and neither is the church. As long as there is a church, there will be church hurt. As long as there is a cursed creation, there will be suffering. As long as there is mystery, there will be unanswered questions. But as long as there is a risen Savior, there is hope. And that’s what I want to leave you.”

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! It was a smooth, easy, and informative read. I could have read this in one sitting if I did not have other responsibilities.

The authors gave clarity about the deconstruction movement that is puzzling many. They discussed what destruction means, why someone might deconstruct, and how to respond to loved ones deconstructing.

This book is for anyone who wants to learn more about the deconstruction movement that is exploding in our culture.
It is especially for those who have loved ones in this movement or someone experiencing doubt and facing hard questions about their faith.

I highly recommend all Christians read this book. I think it is an important topic to be thinking about and understanding.

What stood out for me in the book:
The authors discussed the importance of the heart motive of someone seeking truth. If someone does not want a relationship with God, no amount of evidence will sway them.

Book Quote: "..the problem is not with God's failure to give evidence; the problem is with our failure to accept it."


Book Quotes:

"Yet the goal for all Christians should be to align our beliefs with the word of God, despite our personal feelings or beliefs on the topic."

"Faith deconstruction is a postmodern process of rethinking your faith without regarding scripture as standard."

"Many people want freedom from obedience. The Bible offers freedom within obedience."

"Saving faith is active trust based on the evidence."

Thank you @tyndalehouse and @netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this e-book in exchange for an honest review.

[Brittany Shields · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Faithfulness to God comes at a cost. It’s easier to submit to societal opinions than to stand on scriptural truth.”


[Note: if you are less of a reader and prefer podcasts, HERE is a link to one of Childers’ podcasts where she talks about a lot of this information.]



With the same easy to follow arguments and illustrations of her book, Live Your Truth (and Other Lies), Alisa Childers and co-author Tim Barnett expose what’s really happening during deconstruction and remind us of the importance of truth and holding fast to God’s Word.

Childers and Barnett take a nuanced and confusing topic— deconstruction— and bring clarity and distinction. It is clear they were committed to researching this topic within the spheres it operates and heard from the most influential deconstructionists.

They look at the what, why, and who of the whole process with a desire to help us understand the deconstruction community, of which our loved ones may be part, and to know how to stay grounded in biblical conviction with compassion.


They recognize that there are many things out of the scope of this book. They aren’t attempting to address every theological issue deconstructionists put out. (If you are looking for some answers and evidence surrounding specific beliefs, I would direct you to the books listed at the end of the review.)

But what they do address is the pull of the deconstruction movement and their desire for relationships to be restored, both between family and friends, but also between people and the Lord.

I thought this book was very well-researched and written in a firm but loving tone. I highlighted so much!


One reviewer was turned off, saying there was no room for compromise here. I’m not sure exactly what they mean by compromise, but I think this book was written for that very reason. Following Christ requires conviction. If you believe something is true, you don’t compromise that belief for a lie.

Following Christ will put us on the outs from our culture. Romans 12 reminds us to stop conforming to the world— stop compromising. Deconstructors tend to look at culture and their inner moral compass to determine what is right. As Christians we look to God and his Word to form our beliefs, even if those beliefs are condemned by the culture.


Deconstruct or Reform?

They make the important distinction that deconstruction is not the same as reforming. Though there are many different definitions of deconstruction, a fundamental aspect of deconstruction is the rejection of authority, aka the Bible.

“The church isn’t always reforming to keep up with contemporary culture, or to get rid of old, dusty orthodoxy. Rather, it’s always being reformed according to Scripture.”

Asking questions of your faith and your beliefs is a good and healthy thing. We should know why we believe what we believe. Doubts and questions should not be suppressed but brought to light and engaged with. But as Christians we hold up each belief to our authority— the Bible— as we should. (A circular reasoning that is required for any ultimate source of truth and authority.)

“We all have uncritically accepted beliefs, and some of those were true beliefs and some were false beliefs. This is why we need to understand why we believe the things we do.”

But this type of questioning and doubting is not deconstruction. A better word would be reforming. Aligning our beliefs and the things taught to us with God’s Word as the Bereans did in Acts.

Deconstruction, at its core, seeks to undermine Scripture. Reforming, at its core, seeks to understand Scripture.

Simply put, deconstruction:

“is not about trying to make your views match reality. It’s about tearing down doctrines that are morally wrong to you to make them match your own internal conscience, moral compass, true authentic self, or whatever else it’s being called these days.”



‘The Deconstruction of Christianity’ is divided into three parts.
Part One: #Exvangelical

These chapters look at the trending hashtag #exvangelical and how Christians are interacting with the deconstruction process.

Christians have tried to “baptize” the word deconstruction to try to make it ‘fit’ with Christianity. But as Childers and Barnett helpfully point out— not only does that just add to the confusion and miscommunication and appear deceptive to a community that already distrusts Christians, it also ironically plays out the deconstructionist idea that meaning is subjective.

We should let deconstruction mean what it means and interact with it as it claims itself to be, not try to change the word to mean something it doesn’t.


They don’t address or try to defend the term ‘evangelical’ as that word in itself would take an entire book to deal with.

“There are, no doubt, aspects of evangelical culture that need to be reformed.”

But they do acknowledge that the term evangelical has a lot of baggage:

“for many in the #exvangelical community, evangelical is perceived to be synonymous with misogyny, racism, homophobia, and the political support of Donald Trump.”

What is important to note here is that the beliefs of self-identified evangelicals vary tremendously. Almost half don’t believe Jesus is God, 38% don’t believe in objective truth, and over half think God accepts worship from other religions. These all go against biblical beliefs. So what does evangelical really mean?

It’s a big thing to unpack, and one place to start would be the book Gospel People.



It is true that their target audience for this book is Christians rather than deconstructors.

“While the book is primarily written to Christians who are experiencing deconstruction from the outside, we hope to present the topic in a way that is reasonable, accurate, and filled with grace for those experiencing it from the inside.”

Because of the nature of ‘beliefs’ there will be some things that deconstructors won’t like to read. For example, the authors say, “The reality, however, is that in deconstruction, one trades being a servant of Christ for being a slave to sin. It can feel like freedom at first because we love our sin, but it’s a path that leads to destruction.” We believe this because of Romans 6. Someone who does not follow Christ is not easily going to accept or agree that they are a slave to their sin because they don’t believe the Bible.

But the authors reiterate that they are not writing to tear down and criticize people. We need to see each other as image-bearers, God’s creation, and because of that— worthy of dignity and love. They write to tear down arguments in an honest and thorough search for truth. (2 Corinthians 10:4-5)

They don’t say these things to point out the worst in people. They say these things because it’s the gospel message: we are sinners who need a Savior. If we don’t know our disease, we won’t care about a cure.

We all believe something. We all worship something. If God and his Word is not our authority, something else is. Most likely the self. So scrutinize yourself as you do Christianity.

“When it comes to faith, some questions seek answers, and some questions seek exits. There are questions that seek after truth, but other questions seek to avoid truth.”


Part Two: Deconstruction

These chapters talk about the reasons why people have been walking away from Christianity.

Some reviewers have critiqued this book for putting up straw-man arguments, but I would disagree.

The authors are not trying to pin down ‘every deconstructor’ in this book. Each individual’s journey will look different and may be triggered by varying things. People will have different questions, hurts, and frustrations.

Childers and Barnett articulate that what they are trying to engage with are the most common issues and primary grievances prevalent among the most popular or influential voices in the conversation. The voices that the individuals may be listening and relating to.

They cover a lot of ground and everything they bring up is something I have seen expressed by others in multiple places. Each issue or argument may not describe every deconstructor but I think it would be hard to argue that they are misrepresenting the arguments as they quote directly from articles, tweets, and videos with tons of views.


Here Childers and Barnett offer the illustration of a two-level house.

“In this house, facts go downstairs, and preferences go upstairs.”

Most people today relegate religious beliefs to the upstairs. You can’t make objective statements about them.

But the problem is that pretty much all religions make exclusive and objective claims about themselves. They are worldviews and a lens in which you view the big questions of life- where did we come from, why are we here, what is the meaning of life?

“We’re claiming that Christianity is true to reality— it fits the way the world really is. It’s objectively true.”

Jesus says in John 18:37 that he came into the world “to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.”

Jesus was a real, historical man who made exclusive claims about himself and the truth. We have to engage with those in the realm of facts. Either they are true or not true. They can’t be mere preferences.

“Jesus was either raised from the dead, as a historical event in reality, or he wasn’t. If he wasn’t, then Christianity is false. If he was, then Christianity is true for everyone, whether they believe it or not.”


I think that is truly what is at the heart of any conversation regarding deconstruction: What is Truth?

Because deconstruction is rooted in postmodern ideas of rejecting authority and the ability to know anything objective, ‘truth’ becomes individualized. Relative. This is where we get ‘my truth’ and ‘your truth.’ And the idea that no one can tell you what to do, what is right, and what is wrong.

Postmodern thought desires to dismantle authority structures and to group people as either oppressed or oppressors. This is the origin behind claims that Christianity— as a set of beliefs— is a toxic and manipulative power structure seeking to control people.

An honest look at the Bible shows a holy God who must deal with sin in a just way. It shows a God overflowing with mercy, love, grace, forgiveness, and a heart for the marginalized and vulnerable. The entire book tells the story of God redeeming a broken people to himself and offering hope and salvation in a world of sin and evil.

But this mantra of toxic and manipulative authority is fundamental to critical theory and pervasive in much secular thought toward Christianity today, whether people realize or acknowledge it.

[This is fleshed out more in the insightful book Cynical Theories.]

You can’t follow the logic of relativism through everything without lots of problems. There has to be some sort of level of morality and truth for a society to function. Where do those standards come from? Can we really allow popularity, cultural acceptance, and our feelings to dictate those standards?

But there is more going on in deconstruction than just identifying what is true or false. More and more, people are not asking whether or not Christianity is true, they are asking if it’s good.

If this describes you, I would recommend the book Why God Makes Sense in a World that Doesn’t because Gavin Ortlund seeks to answer that question throughout his book and does a really compelling job of showing the beauty and goodness of God and his Word.

So many of deconstructors’ stories involve abuse of some kind from a church body or church leadership. The hurts are real.

Childers and Barnett do not make excuses for the harm done by those claiming the name of Christ. And they advocate for abusers to be held accountable.

Those who hurt and manipulate people do so against the teachings of the Bible, not in accordance with it. People will misuse the Bible and misinterpret the Bible, but that doesn’t make Christianity inherently false. As Christians, our authority is not in the people who wield the Bible, but in God and the words he has given us in Scripture.

“It’s fallen people, not Christianity, who are abusive. Jesus came to set captives free.”


Part 3: #HOPE

These chapters talk about the ways the church can be a safer place for people to feel like they can ask questions. They also challenge churches to offer better answers— meaning admitting when they don’t know or offering thoughtful responses that don’t simply try to shut down questions.

They also offer a process to consider when talking with loved ones who are deconstructing. This process is less about ‘correcting’ their theology as we tend to want to do, but listening and seeking to understand what they are going through and what is concerning them. It involves setting boundaries and respecting their boundaries.

“Many in the deconstruction movement believe Christians are fearful, simpleminded, and reactionary. Be the opposite. Break the stereotype.”

There may be a time to talk about evidence, but it’s important to be able to stay in their life and show them love.

In Neil Shenvi’s book, Why Believe?, he reminds us that “God’s purpose is to change hearts, not merely to change minds.”

There are beliefs that make up Christianity, but at the heart of Christianity is a person— Jesus Christ.

If someone can be argued into faith, they can be argued out of faith. Faith requires a heart change and a realization of their need for a Savior.

Shenvi also said, “Speaking personally, Christianity is the only religion or worldview or philosophy that correctly identifies the disease I know I have and the cure I know I need.”

If a person hasn’t reached that conclusion, no argument in the world really matters.

Childers and Barnett conclude with this:

“Christianity isn’t tidy, and neither is the church. As long as there is a church, there will be church hurt. As long as there is a cursed creation, there will be suffering. As long as there is mystery, there will be unanswered questions. But as long as there is a risen Savior, there is hope. And that’s what I want to leave you.”

And that is the wonderful news of the Gospel! Deconstruction is not new. The Bible tells of many walking away from faith. But God’s plan for redeeming his people cannot be thwarted by a clever hashtag and some earnest tweeters. Jesus is real; his death and resurrection were real; and therefore, hope is real.



Thus, the authors point out the confusion around the word ‘faith.’

Deconstructionists view faith as a blind leap, a belief without evidence.

“Certainly, there are Christians who practice a type of blind faith, but that does not mean that Christianity advocates blind faith.”

The authors remind us that even John the Baptist doubted whether Jesus was the one they’d been waiting for. When confronted with this doubt, Jesus responded by sending the message that “the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them.” (Matt 11:5)

This was evidence for John’s faith; it was not in vain.

“Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, and assurance entails solid reasons to believe something.”

“God has provided enough evidence for those who seek truth but has left enough concealed for those who don’t want to submit to truth… God gives us just enough evidence so that those who want him can have him.”



I highly recommend not only this book, but follow Alisa Childers’ podcast as she talks through all kinds of topics surrounding deconstruction and ‘problems’ with Christianity.

“If Christianity is true, the stakes are life and death. The destination of deconstruction matters.”

Ask to reform.

And pray for those who are deconstructing, that they would see the Lord.


For more quotes and a list of books for further reading, see ORIGINAL REVIEW.


**Received an ARC via NetGalley & Tyndale Publishing in exchange for an honest review**


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[Jenneth Leed · Rating 5 out of 5]

Without a doubt, this is the best current book on Christianity I've read. Every Christian in college or freshly graduated should read this—and read it quickly. "Deconstruction" has come to mean so many things in today's society, and Christians desperately trying to remain hip and relevant have attempted to redefine "deconstruction" in place of biblical discernment, while actual deconstructionists tear apart their faith and the faith of others.

This book clearly defines deconstruction—both historically and the present dominant association of the word used today. It then explains what that form of deconstruction does and how it fundamentally harms those who are genuinely searching for answers and doubting parts of their faith. It then provides advice for those of us "left behind" in the faith crisis: the friends who feel helpless to stop their loved ones from turning their back on everything they believe in.

I've gone through friend crises and depression in a time of my life when most of my demographic is deconstructing in some way (either as defined by this book or in a more general sense), but this book educated me and better equipped me to handle the waves.

This book needed to be written, and there ought to be a dozen more on the topic. Thank you to the authors for finally getting down to business.

[Jonathan Roberts · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great! Needed and well written! I think this book will bless pastors, youth pastors and parents. Not only with how to think about deconstruction and what to do about it when it affects your life. Great stuff and these two authors have all the points dialed in. Really well done. Highly recommended

[Brooke · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you don’t already have a family member or friend deconstructing, you will likely come across someone struggling with this soon enough. Alisa and Tim do such an amazing job in this book tackling hard questions and providing strong biblical analysis and scholarly research into this “trend” in the church right now. I strongly recommend this book to any Christian, pastor, teacher, and parent!

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent resource and definitely one to have on your shelves. So relevant for today and well explained and supported. This is the second book by Alisa Childers I’ve read - the other was titled Another Gospel - and I highly recommend them both. Her podcast is also outstanding. It’s pretty amazing to watch how God continues to use her and her journey.

[James Forbes · Rating 5 out of 5]

This has been a really good listen. It is insightful and informative, things that I walked through seem to come up. Well worth reading and listening numerous times.

[Librada O · Rating 1 out of 5]

I did not read the synopsis of this book before I listened to it. That being said, the key takeaways for me:

* The author is not someone who has an education in the history of the Bible or its language. It's just some woman, and an occasional man, who grew up as a Christian and did normal Christian studies, like most people you know.
*People are falling away from the faith because they don't believe strongly enough. They were never good Christians.
*You are not to take the Bible literally, unless I quote such passage - then take it literally.
* You should only believe in things you can prove. All these things in the Bible have been "proven" because we "believe" them. If you need proof the Bible is real, look to the Bible for the answers. Looking elsewhere is believing in the world that hates God.
*People on social media who have "deconstructed" are people who fell away because they want to sin. Even when they say, mockingly online, they want to sin - that is to be taken at face value because they said it.
*When churches have sinful leadership, and cause harm upon its members, it's bad to "deconstruct". You need to have more faith in God.

I think my two favorite stories I heard - One was about a minister who decided to bring his church into the modern day of thinking and accepting LGTBQAI+ people into the congregation. The author's insight into this? Understandably, some members left the church, and more importantly, monetary donations fell by half.

Two, if you accept LGTBQAI+ people into your ministry/church because "God is love", then we need to redefine the meaning of the word LOVE.

To wrap it up in a bow - if you decide to question your faith and fall away (aka "deconstruct"), you were never a good Christian to begin with and you're going to hell. Periodt.

[Joan Jordan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Doubting God and His Word dates back to the Garden of Eden and man has not changed much since then. Even those raised in the church, or maybe especially those, are prone to question the things they've been taught. The authors drawn a clear, and important, distinction between asking questions as a way to learn more, which Jesus never condemned, or asking questions as a way to challenge biblical inerrancy and ultimately reject biblical authority. Unfortunately, there are those that are challenging spiritual authority because of the harm churches or church leaders have done to them.

The authors of The Deconstruction of Christianity do an excellent job explaining what Deconstruction is and showing how it manifests itself in modern day deconstructionists. This book is compassionately well written with a sprinkle of humor here and there. It helps those who want to help deconstructionists to understand their mindset and, above all, offer hope, as these people are often hurting. The most important takeaway from this book is that Scripture prevails. No amount of arguments, no matter how appealing or well-reasoned, can trump God's Word. Either we stand firmly on this Rock, or we stand on the shifting sands of culture.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

[John Martindale · Rating 1 out of 5]

The Deconstruction of Christianity
I really disliked this book. I am surprised it was forwarded by Carl R Trueman. While Trueman (what I’ve read of his thus far) is scholarly and well-argued, Childer's work is pretty shallow and vacuous.

It appears that Childers was someone who almost lost her faith but returned to it with a new convert zeal, childlike belief in the whole evangelical enchilada--not a single part of it to be questioned. I’ve noticed others fit this type too. It is interesting to speculate on this from a psychological perspective. There can be numerous triggers that lead to one’s faith unraveling and there is quite a spectrum in outcomes- from an angry new atheist, the agnostic, the Christian agnostic (extremely uncertain about it all but I am still identifying, somewhat with the tribe), complex, deeper, free-thinking Christian (fitting in no denomination), a more nominal Christian (just shove all them unwelcome thoughts to the attic) and then the true believer.

Anyhow, while I have a deep distaste for politicized post-modernism and do not like the origins of the word deconstruction, it is the word that was used and I think it can be used without the baggage (of which many are unfamiliar).

Though for anyone who doesn’t like leftwing progressive politics, it is easy to get the sense that almost everyone “deconstructing” these days is simply reconstructing a woke identity and becoming just as fundamentalist and dogmatic in the new leftwing ideology—parroting “a trans woman is a woman” like a creed and embracing group identity beliefs to prove to belong with the new “religion”. Woke does provide another cause and it embodies almost all the components of religion, and thus it is understandable for those fleeing evangelicalism (like one sinking ship) to climb into this new culturally hip woke ship.
There are a number of us, however, who want to affirm what is true, we want our beliefs to correspond with what seems to be reality. The story of Job presents Job who has a belief (perfectly just world where all that happens is deserved) and then he has experiences that contradict this theology, his friends defend the theology, and he defends his experience and confusion. Anyhow, Job’s experienced caused him to deconstruct his belief. He had beliefs that were false, that contradicted reality, and his experience revealed the rot. This structure needed to be deconstructed.
New perspectives, experiences, and evidence can pile up to the point that we realize things that we assume are not true or are not good. If we value truth and believe there is no virtue to denying truth and affirming what we know is not true, in the face of reality, then we will deconstruct.
A huge part of deconstruction for me is the relegation of those things I had no grounds to for certainty, from the certainty part of my brain to the uncertain domain, and the complete discard of elements that were false and toxic while attempting not to throw the baby out with the bathwater.

Alisa Childers on the other hand, almost lost her faith after some hard times but returned whole-heartedly, but it almost seems in a cult-like way. What I mean, is that she seems to embrace the whole package certainly, feeling no aspect can be questioned. There is a way to hold the faith within evangelical circles that is identical to the way some hold the faith in Mormonism or small cults. You can have some questions, as long as you affirm the orthodox answers and you better not question the group identity beliefs (those ideas that are so false and bad, that they show you really belong to the group that affirms them). While within an ideological box, it does not feel cultlike, it seems the air that is breathed, it all seems obvious and true, childlike faith affirms the whole package and it is unthinkable to wander out of that box or entertain anything beyond the bounds. For those not in the box, it is stifling, while there are some things that seem true enough within it, there are a lot of things that are horrible and toxic, irrational, and contrary to reality. For outsiders, to see people affirm the whole package and defend it all, and notice an entire group of people all parroting the same trite and vacuous answers, is disturbing. To see such certainty where there are no grounds for certainty, to see the irrational, inconsistent, and unhealthy way the bible is used to prevent thought and to control… yeah, it all shows some serious deconstruction needs to happen.

[BJ Richardson · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are going through a period of doubt and questioning of your faith or even significant aspects of what you have always believed... this book is not for you.

If you are the friend or family member of someone who is going through such a struggle... This book might claim to be for you, but it is not.

If you want an apologetic against the "deconstructionist" or "exvangelical" trend that has been blowing up on social media platforms over the past few years... this book is definitely for you.

The subtitle of this book excellently lays out both the structure and intent of this book. The first 1/4 of the book illuminates how the word deconstruction has come to mean something very different to many people and how its primary meaning in our world today is no longer healthy. One of the authors, Alisa Childers, mentions that she used the word in a previous book to describe her experiences after leaving the group ZoeGirl and the CCM industry behind. She now disavows the word because it has come to mean something very different for most people today. The working definition of deconstruction she and Barnett run with for most of this book is "a postmodern process of rethinking your faith without regarding Scripture as a standard." Throughout the book, they imply or assume that most people "deconstructing" are not seeking truth but rather an excuse to abandon their faith. While this might be true much of the time, such an attitude is sure to alienate anyone who might be in a season of doubt and calling it deconstruction as Alisa herself did in the past.

The middle half of the book goes into detail on why deconstruction is so destructive. Childers and Barnett repeatedly go to great lengths to affirm that questions, doubt, and even challenging your firmly held beliefs is both good and healthy. However, this is only true for those seeking to know God better, desiring truth, and keeping scripture as a standard. They claim that most deconstructionists have shifted their standard of authority to themselves and their feelings or intuition, and their intention is not to find any ultimate truth but rather to prove wrong whatever their previously held beliefs were. They are not seeking to replace a faulty structure with a better one, but only to tear it down leaving nothing behind. Again, this is true of many in "deconstruction" and probably most if not all seeking to help others "deconstruct." But it might not be true of all who consider themselves "deconstructing."

I remember shortly after graduating, I was reading everything I could get my hands on from authors like Brian Mclaren (A Generous Orthodoxy), Rob Bell (Velvet Elvis), Frank Viola (Pagan Christianity), Donald Miller (Blue Like Jazz), and the Tonys (The New Christians - Tony Jones), (Following Jesus Without Embarrassing God - Tony Campolo). These were all voices very different from what I had grown up with and I rightfully considered myself at that time part of the Emergent Church. Some of these voices I still largely agree with, others, certainly not. But I am almost certain if I had gone through this phase in my walk now rather than twenty years ago, I would be calling it "deconstruction." After all, many of the same criticisms found in this book could be, and often were leveled against the Emergent Church movement. As true and as on point as those criticisms might be, they certainly are not helpful for those on the inside.

So, if you are an outsider seeking to understand the modern "deconstructionist" craze or to engage with it at the level of apologetics, this book is an excellent resource. If you are going through a season of doubt or challenging some of your deeply held beliefs, I pray that you will find both the truth and the God of all truth on a deeper level than you ever have before. I also strongly recommend you pass this book aside for now. There are many great books written specifically for you. This is not one of them.