Order, Disorder, Reorder
LETTER BY BRIAN MORYKON
Many seasoned Christians have been on a three-part faith journey.
Construction, deconstruction, reconstruction.
Orientation, disorientation, reorientation.
Order, disorder, reorder.
Some of those words, especially “deconstruction,” can be confusing or stir up defensiveness. Even who coined the terms can cause polarization.
Instead of dwelling on the terms or who came up with them, let’s focus on the general three-part pattern. The middle-part, the disorientation, is one some Christians resist and never enter, some enter and never leave, and others work through and come out transformed.
In this week’s webinar, Philip Yancey shared the vast difference between how he and his brother navigated disillusionment with their childhood faith. His brother became an atheist. Philip, through his writing, wrestled with God through a multitude of issues. While tidy answers didn’t always emerge, the process forged in him a deeper faith in Jesus.
In addition to the webinar replay, several other resources are below, including an exercise provided by Trevor Hudson. We hope you find them helpful for whatever stage you are in your journey.
Brian Morykon
Director of Communications
Get Renovaré Weekly
Thoughtfully introduced spiritual formation articles, podcasts, and webinars to help you become more like Jesus.
Thanks for subscribing! We'll send you a confirmation email.
Featured Content
-
From Fear to Grace Finding faith on the far side of deconstructionWebinar ReplayIn this webinar, hosted by Carolyn Arends and guided by participant questions, Philip will explore topics like recovering from toxic church experiences and if there is hope for overcoming the religious and political divides in the US. Register free…
-
articleNothing Wasted Excerpt from Philip Yancey’s Where the Light Fell An encouraging word from Philip Yancey's memoir about God's redemptive work in and through our past wounds.
-
articleHurting and Forgiveness Richard Foster writes compassionately of the hurting and being hurt that make up a part of any community and offers counsel and hope for Christian forgiveness.
-
articleAre All Doctrinal Arguments About Doctrine? Chris Hall offers helpful words of caution to Christians, and particularly to pastors and teachers: Guard against a polemical spirit.
-
articleSelected Sayings on “Discretion” From The Desert Fathers Our image of the early desert Christians may be one of rigid rules and over-bearing discipline. Surprisingly, the ammas and abbas were celebrated for discretion—sensitivity and elasticity—in guiding their little communities.
-
articleExercise: Remembering Our Personal Stories From Discovering Our Spiritual Identity Trevor Hudson invites us into a three-part spiritual exercise, designed to refresh our awareness of God-with-us, heal past wounds, and renew our sense of purpose and partnership with the Holy One.