It’s no secret that Evangelical Christians are terrified of the Deconstruction movement. First of all, they have no idea why it’s happening, and they have no clue how to stop it, and the best they can think of in response is to demonize the entire process, create strawmen arguments to counter it, and use as much fear and misinformation as possible to ensure the few people left in the pews don’t get too curious about it and start asking questions themselves.
But, for all the hand-wringing and mud-slinging going on from Evangelicals on this, it seems as if they’ve failed to understand the real threat this entire Deconstruction movement poses for them. In fact, I hesitate to mention it because it might give them some ideas about how to respond to the whole thing. But, luckily for us, it seems like they’re not really paying much attention to anything anyone actually says or thinks on the Progressive/Deconstruction side, so we’re probably safe to talk about it here.
Here’s the real – and dare I say beautiful – danger that this Deconstruction process poses to American Evangelicals:
The new generation of children being raised by Deconstructed parents who will never believe they are wretched, sinful, dirty worms; who will never be told that God is angry, wrathful and cruel; who will never sit still for anyone who attempts to teach them that gay people will burn in hell, or trans people are an abomination to God, or that sinners will be tortured for eternity, or that when Jesus returns he will slaughter millions of non-Christians in a bloody war, or that God sacrificed Himself to Himself to appease Himself and save us from…Himself, or that Jesus endorses violence against our enemies, or that God is a Conservative Republican [or a Democrat], or that God demands our worship.
See, as more and more adults being to doubt, question and reject that toxic, un-Christlike version of God being peddled from the pulpits across the nation, their children – and their children’s children – will also grow up in a world where that toxic theology not only isn’t taught, it also isn’t tolerated, or accepted, or entertained for one single moment.
I cannot wait for the next generation of young people to grow up without once hearing this “Bad News/Good News” theology. I can’t wait for these children to tell a better story of Christ, and model a more accepting, affirming, and tolerant Gospel that more closely resembles the Jesus of the Sermon on the Mount than the Jesus who hates sinners and only loves those who love him in return.
It brings me so much joy to know that parents are raising children who will never wake up in fear in the middle of the night that the Rapture has happened and they’ve been left behind.
It makes me so happy to know that these kids will never become slaves to a Bible that people wrote and canonized to control them through fear, and shame and guilt.
It makes me smile to know that one day very soon those Evangelical pews will become so empty they might have to sell the building to make room for a daycare center, or a community garden.
Slowly, but ever-so-surely, as generation after generation begins to tell a better story, and share a more beautiful Gospel, and introduce their children to a more loving, accepting, affirming, and Christlike God who actually resembles Jesus, those teachers of that schizophrenic God of Wrath will find no one willing to sit and listen to them spew their false gospel that has never been “Good News” to anyone.
I’m looking forward to that inevitability.
Just wait and see.
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Keith Giles is the author of the 7-part best-selling “Jesus Un” book series from Quoir Publishing. His latest -and final book – in this series, Jesus Unarmed: How The Prince Of Peace Disarms Our Violence is available now. Keith is also the host of Second Cup with Keith [a new solo podcast available now on the Ethos Radio App, for Apple and Android and on Spotify; and the Heretic Happy Hour Podcast [along with co-hosts Matthew Distefano, Dr. Katy Valentine, and Derek Day], and the new Imaginary Lines YouTube Channel with poet Darrell Epp. He and his wife, Wendy, currently live in El Paso, TX and work with Peace Catalyst International.
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