Faith Deconstruction For Dummies Cheat Sheet

Faith deconstruction is the process by which you evaluate and think critically about your faith beliefs. For some, deconstructing your faith requires a total revamp of your beliefs. For others, your faith deconstruction will result in abandoning some of what you once believed, but not a complete abandonment. All-in-all, faith deconstruction is an opportunity to strengthen your faith, your relationship to yourself, and to God/gods.

What to consider as you deconstruct  

Deconstructing your faith isn’t something to take lightly. It can be scary to consider, and there are so many unknowns. While it’s important work, it can also be challenging, difficult, and isolating. But it’s not all doom and gloom. Here are a few things to consider when deciding whether faith deconstruction is right for you:

• You’re not bad or lost if you deconstruct your faith. Questioning what you believe and rethinking what you were taught doesn’t mean you’re having a crisis of faith. It just means you have questions that you want to better understand.  

• Faith deconstruction is normal. Thinking critically about your faith is the most normal thing you can do in your faith journey. Not thinking critically about what you believe is abnormal.

• Faith deconstruction is necessary and important. Knowing what you believe and why, instead of simply accepting what to believe because someone told you to, goes against what makes faith beautiful and effective. You’ll thank yourself in the long run. I promise.  

• Faith deconstruction isn’t abandoning God. Even though deconstructing your faith may cause you to change your religious affiliation or what/how you believe, the decision to deconstruct your faith isn’t an abandonment of God or an indictment of God. As a matter of fact, the deconstruction experience may make you closer to God.

• Take your time. Your faith deconstruction journey is likely to produce more questions than answers. That’s perfectly okay and all part of the process. Take your time, pace yourself, and be gracious with yourself. You don’t have to have it all figured out immediately.  

Reasons for deconstructing your faith

Maybe you’ve decided to deconstruct your faith, but you’re still hesitant about doing it. Or you aren’t sure you’re ready to go public about the decision. The following are a few reasons to deconstruct:  

• To gain clarity. Yes, you may end up with more questions than answers, but deconstruction can help you gain an understanding of religious history and faith in context. The context you receive can offer you some clarity to better apply what you believe to your life and purpose.  

• To assess your beliefs. What you believe is often given to you. But deconstructing your faith allows you to take stock of your beliefs, making your faith more effective.  

• To strengthen your faith. Questioning your faith deepens it by helping you understand what you believe more clearly.  

• To get closer to yourself and God. A deeper faith and understanding of your faith helps you understand yourself and your relationship to God better.  

• To build community. Faith deconstruction, when done right, removes the baggage of religious pressure. You’re better able to relate to people who may live or believe differently from you when you deconstruct the things about your faith that create exclusion and barriers.  

Benefits of faith deconstruction  

Sometimes the most difficult choices to make are the most important. They’re also the scariest ones. But when considering whether to deconstruct your faith, ponder these benefits:

• Healing. Toxic theology can harm you. Faith deconstruction creates the opportunity for you to divorce yourself from that harmful theology, resulting in a stronger relationship with your faith and religious/theological beliefs.  

• Freedom. Religion limits: faith deconstruction liberates. You grant yourself permission to escape the bondage of religion when you deconstruct.  

• Greater awareness. By having some context of the history of religion, you better understand how you’ve come to believe what you do. By having greater awareness, you can better connect to your faith and make your faith work better for you.  

• Expanding your horizons. Faith deconstruction can serve as a gateway and pipeline to people, perspectives, and beliefs you’ve never considered engaging before. Deconstructing creates the opportunity to relate to others more but also helps you become more curious about the things you don’t already know.