Have you ever played with Legos?
There’s not really a “right” way to go about constructing a Lego set.
For some, it’s all about the instructions.
The set has clear page-by-page instructions; the end product will be exactly as pictured/designed IF you follow them.
Have you SEEN those Lego instructions, though?
Especially for some of the more intense, elaborate sets? They are designed to the minute detail. If you can observe a picture and then find that block in the pack, it is almost impossible to screw up the creation.
But those instructions are infinitely better than they were 20+ years ago. Older instructions consisted of small images of the particular blocks and one page had multiple steps.
If you are a Lego guru, that worked out brilliantly.
If you are NOT a Lego guru but an earnest mom on Christmas afternoon, not so much.
It was a recipe for disaster.
You’d get the thing put together with a very excited young child only to find extra pieces looming in the package OR, even worse, the final Lego contraption wouldn’t function as designed.
That’s where so many are in our world today with their faith.
Their dogmatic system is failing them and they don’t even know why.
They just know something is “off” or not right.
Deconstructing religion is a hot topic in our society right now.
“Christian deconstruction is the process by which a Christian critically reevaluates the tenets and doctrines of traditional Christianity and emerges with a different perspective on their faith.
According to Brian Zahnd in his book When Everything Catches Fire, deconstruction is “a crisis of Christian faith that leads to either a reevaluation of Christianity or sometimes a total abandonment of Christianity.”
Back to the Legos . . . sometimes the construction has gone so poorly that the only option is to tear the entire thing apart and start again.
What if you could take the Lego set and have a concept of the desired result but then use the pieces creatively to design it?
Lego creations are built from tangible materials, blocks.
Faith tenets are not.
They are built from ideas, intellectual understanding, and a soul connection/understanding to The Divine that abides in all of us.
Many factors shape those tenets, but no two people will understand everything in the same way because our brains are wired differently.
Over this next series, we are going to talk about faith deconstruction.
If you are “all good” in your faith journey and what you believe, that is amazing!!!!!
Truly, I am happy for you!
But I bet if you were to explore your circle of friends/realm of influence, you’d find some struggling folks. This is a series you can share with them. A safe space for all people, seasoned “Christian” or not.
I look forward to deconstructing with you!
Grace and Peace,
Andrea