Overview

Deconstruction isn't the end; it's the starting point for something new. This book points you toward what comes next. Among exvangelicals and former fundamentalists, it's common to hear discussions about faith deconstruction--the process of relinquishing long-held religious views that turned out to be uninformed, untrue, or unjust. But it's less common to hear people talk about what happens next. After you reject some or all of your old beliefs, what new beliefs will you put in their place? How will you redefine what the Bible is and what faith means? How will you construct a new worldview? When grappling with these questions, it can be helpful to hear from thoughtful Christians who have asked the same questions themselves. That's why James McGrath--an award-winning New Testament scholar and educator--has created this book. Writing in a personal, conversational style, McGrath shares his experiences of outgrowing a narrowly defined Christianity and learning how to inhabit a more spacious, dynamic Christian faith. In addition to sharing his own story, McGrath offers practical advice for discerning the next steps in your unique faith journey. He doesn't tell you what to think; instead, he introduces you to more expansive ways of thinking about Christianity, the Bible, the church, and more. And he encourages you to bring your whole self to the creative process of learning to live in meaningful relationship with God and with others. For anyone who feels stuck in the deconstruction space, Beyond Deconstruction will empower you to move forward--and will give you hope about what lies ahead.

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9780802884596

Table of Contents

Reviews

""McGrath outlines in this pensive guide how former Christian evangelicals can refashion their faith. . . . Curious exvangelicals will get a lot of mileage out of this."" --Publishers Weekly ""In this timely writing, biblical scholar James McGrath calls us to move beyond the kind of shallow religion we often see around us and go deeper into what a loving, liberating, life-giving faith can actually be. In ways that will both make you think and make you smile, McGrath challenges us to discover anew what it means to be followers of Jesus and his way of love, transforming both our own lives and the world around us."" --Michael B. Curry, 27thpresiding bishop of the Episcopal Church, author of Love is the Way: Holding on to Hope in Troubled Times ""For all of us who have found ourselves sitting in the rubble of our once-certain faith, wondering what in the world to do next, James F. McGrath has helpful ideas. Advising against giving up in despair or rushing to new certainties and fundamentalisms, he invites us to inhabit a faith that works, explores, experiences, and connects. I found this book to be generous, compassionate, and wise. I believe it will be a good companion for all of us interested in rebuilding our faith on the other side of deconstruction."" --Sarah Bessey, author of Field Notes for the Wilderness: Practices for an Evolving Faith ""Beyond Deconstruction is a pastoral and practical, commonsensical and compassionate guide to faith reconstruction for post-evangelicals and post-fundamentalists. A significant contribution to the religious landscape!"" --David P. Gushee, author of After Evangelicalism: The Path to a New Christianity ""James McGrath has accomplished something remarkable: he's shown us how to be more biblical by being less biblicist, more Christian by being less dogmatic, and more faithful by embracing uncertainty. Beyond Deconstruction is simultaneously a demolition manual for toxic faith and a construction guide for something far better. With the wisdom of a seasoned biblical scholar and the heart of a compassionate mentor, he offers a roadmap for those who refuse to choose between intellectual honesty and spiritual depth. This isn't just deconstruction; it's resurrection. McGrath shows us how the ruins of collapsed certainty can become the foundation stones for a faith that is both more humble and more beautiful than before. McGrath's fourfold framework--faith that works, explores, experiences, and connects--provides a holistic vision for a faith that doesn't discard its blessings when moving beyond the burdens of certainty."" --Tripp Fuller, host of Homebrewed Christianity podcast ""Finding your way beyond deconstruction requires you to discern what you actually believe and why. James McGrath serves as a helpful and humble guide, offering ideas, resources, and hope for all who wonder if there is something beyond deconstruction."" --Mary S. Hulst, author of A Little Handbook for Preachers

""In this timely writing, biblical scholar James McGrath calls us to move beyond the kind of shallow religion we often see around us and go deeper into what a loving, liberating, life-giving faith can actually be. In ways that will both make you think and make you smile, McGrath challenges us to discover anew what it means to be followers of Jesus and his way of love, transforming both our own lives and the world around us."" --Michael B. Curry, 27thpresiding bishop of the Episcopal Church, author of Love is the Way: Holding on to Hope in Troubled Times ""For all of us who have found ourselves sitting in the rubble of our once-certain faith, wondering what in the world to do next, James F. McGrath has helpful ideas. Advising against giving up in despair or rushing to new certainties and fundamentalisms, he invites us to inhabit a faith that works, explores, experiences, and connects. I found this book to be generous, compassionate, and wise. I believe it will be a good companion for all of us interested in rebuilding our faith on the other side of deconstruction."" --Sarah Bessey, author of Field Notes for the Wilderness: Practices for an Evolving Faith ""Beyond Deconstruction is a pastoral and practical, commonsensical and compassionate guide to faith reconstruction for post-evangelicals and post-fundamentalists. A significant contribution to the religious landscape!"" --David P. Gushee, author of After Evangelicalism: The Path to a New Christianity ""James McGrath has accomplished something remarkable: he's shown us how to be more biblical by being less biblicist, more Christian by being less dogmatic, and more faithful by embracing uncertainty. Beyond Deconstruction is simultaneously a demolition manual for toxic faith and a construction guide for something far better. With the wisdom of a seasoned biblical scholar and the heart of a compassionate mentor, he offers a roadmap for those who refuse to choose between intellectual honesty and spiritual depth. This isn't just deconstruction; it's resurrection. McGrath shows us how the ruins of collapsed certainty can become the foundation stones for a faith that is both more humble and more beautiful than before. McGrath's fourfold framework--faith that works, explores, experiences, and connects--provides a holistic vision for a faith that doesn't discard its blessings when moving beyond the burdens of certainty."" --Tripp Fuller, host of Homebrewed Christianity podcast ""Finding your way beyond deconstruction requires you to discern what you actually believe and why. James McGrath serves as a helpful and humble guide, offering ideas, resources, and hope for all who wonder if there is something beyond deconstruction."" --Mary S. Hulst, author of A Little Handbook for Preachers

Author Information

James F. McGrath is the Clarence L. Goodwin Chair of New Testament Language and Literature at Butler University in Indianapolis. His blog, Religion Prof, can be found on the Patheos network. His books include The A to Z of the New Testament, Christmaker: A Life of John the Baptist, Theology and Science Fiction, and What Jesus Learned from Women.

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