On the limits of deconstruction

This week the Huffington Post published a nice article called “Why Jesus taught with questions instead of answers.”  The author helps us see how Jesus unraveled religious doctrine and other oppressive systems.  But it left me hanging, and I definately couldn’t go with him when he accused all groups of loving definitive answers, (because it makes their group look right and others wrong.)  If I did not know better, I might have thought that Jesus was an individualistic deconstructionist.

I want to add an addendum to the article more than arguing with the author.  My main interest is this: Jesus often started with questions but he didn’t end there.  He didn’t just deconstruct the oppressive system, he constructed the life-saving alternative.  He healed, he fed, he included, he served, he gathered followers and taught them how to love.  He died and rose and created something brand new: a community whose currency is love and forgiveness and radical generosity.  He birthed a regenerated people who are building something new with him all over the world.

Lots of people are experts at deconstruction.  It’s not that hard; we’ve been schooled in it since the ’80s.  Most of us can reason-away even our most basic human gifts.  It’s easier to be ironic than to deal with the reality of the dignity and responsibility that God imparts to each of us.   Deconstruction is useful as it leads to the construction of something life-giving, or fruitful as Jesus said.  We are known by our fruit.  It’s not hard to tear down and pick apart, but what do we want to build?

Circle of Hope is planning for 2015 right now by asking lots of questions.  We’re relying on God more than on definitive answers to help us discern the way forward.  And I think we have a strong foundation to build on.

If the long list of comments after the Huff post article are any indication, people are interested in Jesus.  We have all kinds of reactions to him and opinions about him, but we’re all more than a reaction.  We’re invited to be a new creation.