Counterfeit Christianity, Part 1 – Faith Deconstruction
Much as we may protest, we are living in a postmodern era [1A][2A]. Across a variety of fields, postmodernism translates into a conviction that previous ways of depicting the world are no longer reliable [1B].
The scholar Hans Bertens describes postmodernism as a deeply felt loss of confidence in mankind’s ability to represent the real at all [1C]. This has resulted in a critical re-examination of established institutions and social norms [1D][2B]. Objectivity is considered an illusion [2C]. Vision supersedes hard data like historic facts [2D].
It is essential that this be understood, if Christians are to reach a lost generation.
Questioning Tradition
Deconstruction, in any context, involves the following [2E]:
- Avoiding absolute statements.
- Denying the legitimacy of dichotomies, such as good and evil.
- Finding the exception to any generalization, and pushing it to the limit.
- Interpreting arguments in their most extreme form.
- Writing obscurely, so as to allow for the most possible interpretations.
Faith deconstruction is a postmodern process of rethinking Christian faith without regarding Scripture as a standard [3].
Tragically, faith deconstruction is a sincere but misguided effort to find the truth without reference to the most reliable source of truth, i.e. Scripture. Progressive Christianity is the form this takes [4A].
Progressive Christianity
The Christian Progressive Movement is generally considered to have emerged with the founding of the Center for Progressive Christianity in 1996. However, it is linked to the Social Gospel Movement of the late 19th and early 20th Centuries [4B].
Progressive Christianity attempts to “reform” Christian belief in light of postmodern insights [4C][5A]. Gnostic heretics attempted something similar in the early church.
Progressive Christians contend that social justice – not Salvation – is at the heart of the Christian message, stemming from and consistent with biblical themes [4D]. There is a heavy focus on the downtrodden (something with which Christianity has always concerned itself), and on environmental stewardship [4E][5B].
Scripture is to be interpreted liberally, rather than literally, and to be given no more credence than extrabiblical sources. This is in sharp contrast to the views of early church fathers like Justin Martyr (c. 100 AD – 165 AD), Irenaeus (c. 130 AD – 202AD), and Tertullian (160 AD – 240 AD), all of whom to a man considered Scripture the revealed word of God [6].
All this combines to offer believers a different God, a different Christ, and a false gospel which cannot save.
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[1A through 1D] Wikipedia, “Postmodernism”, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Postmodernism.
[2A through 2E] University of Alabama, Barefield College of Arts and Sciences, Anthropology, “Postmodernism and Its Critics” by Daniel Salberg et al, https://anthropology.ua.edu/theory/postmodernism-and-its-critics/.
[3] Wikipedia, “Faith deconstruction”, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faith_deconstruction.
[4A through 4E] Wikipedia, “Progressive Christianity”, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Progressive_Christianity.
[5A and 5B] NPR, “Preaching Gospel of Love and Justice, William Barber Mobilizes Progressive Christians” by Tom Gjelten, 10/31/18, https://www.npr.org/2018/10/31/659837563/preaching-gospel-of-love-and-justice-william-barber-mobilizes-progressive-christ.
[6] Another Gospel? By Alisa Childers, Tyndale Momentum Publishers, release date October 2020.
This series will continue next week with Part 2 – A False Gospel
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A Lawyer's Prayers 
I saw all these right away when I moved to the northern hemisphere and it has disturbed me ever since.
Recall that “post-modernism” is simply a repackaging of heresies with which Paul, Peter, James and John all contended even in their lifetimes, less than 50 years after Jesus ascended.
“The more things change the more they stay the same.”
Blessings, ❤️&🙏, c.a.
Interesting. Thanks.
The Colossian Heresy claimed that the work of Christ was incomplete unless one adhered to legalistic rules (Colossians 2:18-23); Paul also warned about those who promote “myths and endless genealogies” (1 Timothy 3:4) and sensualists who use the gospel to get sex (2 Timothy 3:6). There were also false teachers claiming Jesus had already returned (2 Thessalonians 2:3). There were also those in Corinth (2 Corinthians 11:4) teaching a “different Jesus”; not sure exactly what was different, but perhaps His God/Man nature, His atonement, His sinless life??
Peter describes false teachers who secretly introduce destructive heresies, deny that Jesus saved them, and exploit believers with their deceptive teachings for personal gain. (2 Peter 2:1)
James addresses heresies that one can live any way one wishes since Christ has forgiven our sin. (James 2:14)
John addresses those who deny that Jesus was a real human (1 John 1; 2 John 1:7). Further, he talks about the heresies that had crept into the five of churches of Asia (Smyrna and Philadelphia were dealing with persecution by Jews).
As I said, “The more things change, the more they remain the same.”😉
Thank you for expanding on this, CA.
Thanks for this helpful introduction to a topic which is so relevant to today’s Ecclesia. Blessings, Anna!
Blessings to you and yours, as well, Erroll.
“But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed“. Galatians 1:8-9
One of the most troubling things that I see happening in the Church today is the willingness to look outside of God’s Word for “another way” to attain salvation. Of course, this is pure fallacy, however based on the numbers of the formerly faithful now abandoning the “old gospel ship”, one can only surmise that they are doing so at their own (eternal) peril.
No question about it, we are seeing the great falling away as described by Paul to the Thessalonians (2 Thessalonians 2:3).
It is heartbreaking to watch. 💔
It’s as if we are hearing Pontius Pilate echoing down the ages, saying, “What is truth?” to the very embodiment of Truth. I pray for those who are led astray by lies in the guise of intellectualism. May the truth set them free.
I entirely agree, Dora. This is far from genuine Christianity.
Interesting. You present helpful ideas to consider. Salvation, the heart. I didn’t dechurch myself as much as stepped back from preaching and teaching out of context. Thank you. I wrote in Science and Spirituality: Celebrating the 150th anniversary of the first edition of Mary Baker Eddy’s Science and Health, “To expand thought, be willing to test knowledge outside the context of laboratories, textbooks, theaters, scriptures, doctrine, cultures, stormless days, romantic comedies, pious platitudes, personal or virtual realities. Test knowledge up against the standard of infinite life.
“Ancient Greek philosopher Heraclitus wrote, ‘No [individual] ever steps in the same river twice. For it’s not the same river and [they are] not the same [person].’ Each moment after stepping into moving water, it is as the first time. Expand thought to compel proof of immeasurable life, timelessly.”
Amen!