Biblical Lesson: Transforming Faith Through Deconstruction

This weeks biblical lesson inspired by Michael Morrell’s conversation on “From Deconstruction to Contemplative Composting” in the Rethinking God with Tacos podcast: it invites us to see faith not as something to be discarded when it breaks down, but as something that can be composted—transformed into fertile soil for deeper growth in Christ.

1. Breaking Down Is Not the End

• Deconstruction: Many believers experience seasons where old certainties collapse. This can feel like loss, but Scripture reminds us that God works even in dismantling. “Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit” (John 12:24).
• Faith traditions, doctrines, or practices that no longer sustain us can be broken down, not to destroy, but to prepare for renewal.

2. Composting as Transformation

• Contemplative composting: Michael Morrell uses the metaphor of composting—taking what seems dead and letting it become nourishment for new life.
• In biblical terms, this echoes Paul’s teaching: “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away; behold, the new has come” (2 Corinthians 5:17).
• What feels like waste or failure can, through prayer and contemplation, become the very soil where love and wisdom grow.

3. Consent and Community in Faith

• Consent in spirituality: The podcast emphasizes that authentic faith requires freedom, not coercion. Jesus himself invited rather than forced: “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).
• Community and curiosity: Composting is not done alone. The early church thrived in community, “devoted to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship” (Acts 2:42). Questions and curiosity are not threats but gifts that deepen discipleship.

4. Mysticism and the Power of Love

• Mysticism: Morrell highlights the contemplative tradition—silence, prayer, and mystical union with God.
• Scripture affirms this: “Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10).
• Transformative love: Love is the ultimate fruit of composted faith. “Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony” (Colossians 3:14).

Practical Takeaways

• Allow old forms of faith to break down without fear—they can become the soil for new growth.
• Practice contemplative prayer as a way of composting doubts and struggles into wisdom.
• Stay rooted in community, where curiosity and questions are welcomed.
• Keep love central, for it is the fruit God desires from every season of transformation.

This lesson reframes deconstruction not as a crisis but as a sacred process of renewal. Just as compost transforms decay into life, so God transforms our brokenness into deeper communion with Him. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rethinking-god-with-tacos-podcast/id1505604825?i=1000741606281