Another Christian musician has announced that he has “deconstructed” his faith. In this case it seems to mean that he has come to reject is “evangelical” convictions. These two terms, “deconstruct” and “evangelical” can be used to signify a number of things so it is not clear what this person intends. Whatever he means the truth is that a great lot of Christians have been raised outside the boundaries of confessional Protestant (Lutheran and Reformed) theology, piety, and practice. That may be in revivalist evangelical theology, piety, and practice (QIRE) or it may be in fundamentalist theology, piety, and practice (QIRC). When people realize that there is another world beyond their upbringing they tend to react. We may hope and pray that folks emigrating from the QIRE and the QIRC travel to the ancient ecumenical faith, as confessed in the Apostles’ Creed, the Nicene Creed, the Athanasian Creed, and the Definition of Chalcedon. From there, we hope and pray that they find and embrace the Reformed theology, piety, and practice and unite with a Reformed confessing congregation. Whatever happens, however, a public crisis of faith but prominent “evangelical” figures should move us to prayer but not to doubt because it says more about the nature of American “evangelical” and “fundamentalist” Christianity than it does about the biblical and historic Christian faith.
©R. Scott Clark. All Rights Reserved.
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R. Scott Clark
R.Scott Clark is the President of the Heidelberg Reformation Association, the author and editor of, and contributor to several books and the author of many articles. He has taught church history and historical theology since 1997 at Westminster Seminary California. He has also taught at Wheaton College, Reformed Theological Seminary, and Concordia University. He has hosted the Heidelblog since 2007.
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One commentator asks, “why do they announce this?” Why, in other words, do people with some sort of name, announce this? Probably for continuation, to continue upon their fame; and it is probably broadcast by those with a desire to have such things announced, to cause others to stumble. But God is not trumped. His are the most complete, first and last announcements (Gen 1:3; Is 45:19; Lk 12:2-3; Rev 22:16-20).
I was saddened to read this. I came across an article where he describes himself as an “exvangelical” and denies claims of no longer being a Christian, but states he follows “the Universal Christ”? That term can be a head scratcher and is showing up more these days. There is a good interview Shane Rosenthal (White Horse Inn) had with Alisa Childers, back in February of this year, regarding Progressive Christianity which gives further insight. Your readers may also be interested in Alisa’s YouTube channel as well.
Strange that his name isn’t mentioned, but I will follow the convention.
Used to like their music, but even back then – when they and the rest of the CCM (Contemporary Christian Music) scene was in vogue – I remember thinking the music was mostly fluff. Very few CCM folks were writing new songs with the depth and richness of the hymns, or penned soul-searching poetry about a passionate pursuit of Jesus (with some notable exceptions…I would argue Keith Green, Rich Mullins, and Charlie Peacock are among them).
CCM had a lot of musicians that couldn’t cut it in the secular realm, so they sold some cotton-candy spiritual music for a few years until they perfect their craft and then sing a “Baby, Baby” song to go big in the secular music scene. I’m not sure it should be a massive surprise to any real Christian that some of these entertainers end up being seeds that dropped by the road or got choked out by thorns.
Matt,
I chose not to mention the artist’s name because I did not want to focus on him and upon his pop-star status nor did I want to pile on—he is clearly sensitive about that. It seemed to me that he wasn’t being entirely clear about what he meant about “deconstructing.” It seems that he is leaving evangelicalism but not necessarily Christianity.