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What comes to mind when you hear the term "deconstruction"? You may think of Christians who have walked away from their faith, distanced themselves from their church, or wrestled with strained relationships. But what if a person who struggled with these tensions, chose to remain? What if the tough questions asked during deconstruction could transform the faith community or the relationships themselves? Could deconstruction be a virtuous process?

Listen in as we hear from Brandon Washington, pastor at Embassy Christian Bible Church and author of the book A Burning House: Redeeming American Evangelicalism by Examining Its History, Mission, and Message. As a black ministry leader, Brandon has asked tough questions about race, Christianity, and whether change is possible in his own faith community.

On virtuous deconstruction:

"We are in need of a virtuous deconstruction, where the content of the gospel is emancipated from its cultural capacity." -Bryan Lorrits

On restoration as the goal:

"From a Christian perspective, you apply deconstruction with the intention of getting around to restoration. You have to tear the bad parts away so that you can rebuild it into something that's healthy and God-honoring." -Brandon Washington

On the implications of the gospel:

"Social justice is not simply an appendage to the evangelical message; it's an intrinsic part of the whole, without which the gospel is truncated." -Carl F. Henry, founder of Christianity Today

Download the episode transcript.

If you enjoyed our conversation today be sure to check out Brandon’s book A Burning House: Redeeming American Evangelicalism by Examining Its History, Mission, and Message.

Continue learning about this topic by reading Urban Apologetics by Eric Mason.

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