Are you tired of playing by the rules of a rigid, dogmatic faith?
Are you ready to break free from the chains of religious tradition and embrace a more authentic, personal spirituality? If so, it’s time to deconstruct your faith.
Deconstructing your faith means questioning the beliefs and practices you’ve been taught and dismantling the structures that have kept you boxed in. It means daring to explore new ideas, challenging the status quo, and reimagining what it means to be a person of faith.
Remember: Deconstructing your faith is not the same as rejecting or abandoning one’s faith altogether. Instead, it is a process of deepening and refining one’s spiritual beliefs and practices.
But let’s be honest. Deconstructing your faith isn’t for the faint of heart. It’s a messy, often painful process that can leave you disoriented, lost, and angry. You may find that the things you once held dear no longer have the same meaning and struggle to find a sense of belonging in a world that no longer fits the mold of your previous beliefs.
So why invest the energy it takes to deconstruct your faith? Deconstructing your faith allows you to let go of harmful or oppressive beliefs and practices and embrace a spirituality that aligns with your authentic self.
It’s about letting go of what no longer serves you and making room for what does.
When you deconstruct your faith, you create space to explore new ideas, find new communities, and discover a conviction based on love, compassion, and inclusion rather than fear, shame, and exclusion.
So, how do you deconstruct? It starts with asking questions. It’s about stepping back and asking yourself, “Do I believe this? Why do I believe it? How does it align with my values and experiences?” Another aspect is redefining your spiritual practices. Asking yourself, “How do I hear God or Spirit?” as you explore new forms of prayer or meditation, you’ll re-evaluate the role of ritual in your spiritual life and find new ways to connect with the divine.
As you ask these questions, you may come against challenging toxic beliefs and practices that may harm oneself or others. This process can include questioning patriarchal or exclusionary teachings, rejecting harmful methods like conversion therapy, and lead to you advocating for greater inclusivity and acceptance within one’s faith community.
Take time to educate yourself, and don’t be afraid to seek out new sources of knowledge and inspiration as you deconstruct your faith.
Read books, listen to podcasts, and converse with people who have gone through the deconstruction process to help you gain new perspectives and insights. Read books and articles by authors who challenge your assumptions, and seek out communities open to exploring new ideas.
Part of your exploration may also be exploring other spiritual traditions. Maybe you attend services or events of other religions, read spiritual texts from other traditions, or learn about the beliefs and practices of other faith communities.
Deconstructing your faith is an ongoing process of discovery, questioning, and growth. It’s about recognizing that faith is not a static thing but a dynamic and evolving part of our lives.
If you are considering deconstructing your faith, many resources are available to help you. Here are a few to get you started:
- Books: Many books are available on how to deconstruct your faith (mine will be out in February 2024!), but I’ve compiled a list of the books I recommend for you, sorted by theme, here.
- Podcasts: Many podcasts explore the topic of deconstructing faith, including interviews with experts, personal stories, and thoughtful discussions on the process of deconstruction. Here is a list of the favorites I trust.
- Online Communities: A plethora of online communities are available for those who are deconstructing their faith. These communities offer a space for sharing experiences, asking questions, and finding support. I invite you to check out my free Facebook group, The Faith Deconstruction Cafe.
- Faith Deconstruction Coaching: Typically smaller and more private than free online deconstruction spaces, group coaching provides a perfect blend of community and support from a coach. (My Wilderness Community is a great option! It’s super affordable and comes with live calls and a HUGE archive of workshops!)
Remember, when you deconstruct your faith it’s not about throwing the baby out with the bathwater; it’s about breaking free from the chains of tradition and embracing a spirituality that is authentically yours.
So go ahead, embrace the journey of curiosity, and build a spiritual life you love.
Hungry for more? Here are a few popular faith deconstruction related posts you’ll find helpful:
What Does it Mean to Deconstruct Your Faith?
Sometimes You Have to Leave the Church to Find God
Is Deconstructing Your Faith Biblical?
8 Reasons Why Christians Should be 2SLGBTQIA+ Allies
Deconstructing While Parenting
How to Get Out of Toxic Religion
The Best Faith Deconstruction Conferences & Online Summits
Deconstructing Your Faith When Your Partner Isn‘t
The Best Books for Deconstructing Your Faith
Still want to learn more?
Here’s a Facebook Live about what faith deconstruction is!
Angela is a Faith Deconstruction Coach and host of The Deconstructing Faith Summit who helps people break free from toxic religious culture & empowers them to recover from #churchhurt. She has led online ministries for a decade, enjoys working with clients 1:1, in groups, and is a dynamic conference speaker. She’s a Lark’s Song Certified Life Coach who reaches thousands of people in 40+ countries each month on Facebook, IG, Twitter, Pinterest, and her blog.
She’s a firstborn, Enneagram 8, Gen Xer who loves to question everything. She holds a BA from Indiana Wesleyan and a Masters in Leadership from Wesley Seminary. Her graduate research project focused on leadership development and opportunities for Gen X women in the US church.
Angela and her unique online ministry are featured in Lyz Lenz’s 2019 book God Land: Story of Faith, Loss, and Renewal in Middle America. She has published articles in Hope for Women and HOPE is Now magazines. She has been featured in The New Republic, Publisher’s Today, and Religion News Service.
Her first book, Deconstructing Your Faith Without Losing Yourself, Will be published by Eerdmans in February 2023.
Angela is also a wife, mom to 5, and a proud resident of Marion, Indiana with her family when they’re not traveling the US in their RV.
