The Faithful Deconstruction Podcast is brought to you in partnership with Missio Alliance.
In Episode 3 of 6 of Faithful Deconstruction, Jessie Cruickshank of Whoology and Rowland Smith of ForgeAmerica explore how we journey with one another through deconstruction so we don’t lose our faith
Deconstruction can often leave us feeling like strangers in a land we once knew well. As we begin to question our beliefs and challenge the narratives we’ve been taught, it can be disorienting and even frightening to feel like we no longer belong in the familiar spaces of our faith communities.
In this video, we will explore the journey of faithful deconstruction and how to navigate the experience of feeling like a stranger in a land we once called home. We will discuss the importance of self-compassion, boundary-setting, and community support as we navigate the unknown territories of our faith journeys.
Whether you are in the beginning stages of questioning your beliefs or have been on the deconstruction journey for some time, this video will offer you practical insights and guidance to navigate the challenges of being a stranger in a known land.
We have created a free resource called Six Questions to Help you Rediscover Your Faith available to download at Whoology.co/faithfuldeconstruction.
So, if you’re interested in exploring the intersection of faith, doubt, and learning how to navigate the deconstruction process in a healthy and transformative way, be sure to watch this video and join us in the conversation in the comments section below.
Missio Alliance Comment Policy
The Missio Alliance Writing Collectives exist as a ministry of writing to resource theological practitioners for mission. From our Leading Voices to our regular Writing Team and those invited to publish with us as Community Voices, we are creating a space for thoughtful engagement of critical issues and questions facing the North American Church in God’s mission. This sort of thoughtful engagement is something that we seek to engender not only in our publishing, but in conversations that unfold as a result in the comment section of our articles.
Unfortunately, because of the relational distance introduced by online communication, “thoughtful engagement” and “comment sections” seldom go hand in hand. At the same time, censorship of comments by those who disagree with points made by authors, whose anger or limited perspective taints their words, or who simply feel the need to express their own opinion on a topic without any meaningful engagement with the article or comment in question can mask an important window into the true state of Christian discourse. As such, Missio Alliance sets forth the following suggestions for those who wish to engage in conversation around our writing:
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If you disagree with something the an author said, consider framing your response as, “I hear you as saying _________. Am I understanding you correctly? If so, here’s why I disagree. _____________.
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One of our favorite tenants is that “an enemy is someone whose story we haven’t heard.” Very often disagreements and rants are the result of people talking past rather than to one another. Everyone’s perspective is intimately bound up with their own stories – their contexts and experiences. We encourage you to couch your comments in whatever aspect of your own story might help others understand where you are coming from.
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