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Skillet’s John Cooper on Why the ‘Poison’ of Deconstructing Tempts Many Christians

John Cooper/Instagram

Skillet’s John Cooper on Why the ‘Poison’ of Deconstructing Tempts Many Christians

By Movieguide® Contributor

Christian rock musician and lead vocalist of Skillet, John Cooper is brazen about sharing his opinions on contemporary trends surrounding Christianity. 

Movieguide® recently reported on a viral video of Cooper warning concertgoers against one of the hottest trends in Christian culture. Cooper says:

“It is time that we declare war against this deconstruction Christian movement,” Cooper said at a recent concert. “I don’t even like calling deconstruction ‘Christian.’ There is nothing Christian about it. It is a false religion.”

In an article shared on Faithwire, Cooper elaborates on his concern about the practice:

I’ve been outspoken about what I believe to be the dangers of deconstruction and relativism within Christianity. Everyone that I know who has left Christianity in the last five years began with what he or she described as “deconstructing my faith.” It is an epidemic that some still refuse to acknowledge. A friend of mine texted me a few days ago and asked, “Why are you so brazen in your words about deconstruction?”

Cooper’s op-ed comes after many prominent people who professed to be Christians have walked away from the faith or chosen to embrace the term “ex-vangelical.”

Fellow musician Kevin Max, who previously performed in Christian bands Audio Adrenaline and DC Talk, voiced he was having a “crisis of faith,” in May 2021.

John Steingard, formerly of Hawk Nelson, announced in 2020 he was no longer a believer in God.

But the deconstructionist movement isn’t happening just among famous Christians, rather, many laymembers are also walking away from the church in the name of questioning.

Cooper offers his own definition based on what he has witnessed being broadcast by people who use social media to publicize the deconstruction of their own faith:

First, though, I want to provide a disclaimer: Some will disagree with my definition of deconstruction, and I do not wish to argue about terms. I will simply comment on a popular interpretation and then provide what I believe to be an accurate definition, explaining why I am so brazen about my warnings. Some say that the term simply means, “reading the Bible afresh and being willing to challenge your beliefs that may be based on traditional thinking.”

Despite why many people may say they are deconstructing, Cooper believes they are using it as an excuse to abandon their faith in order to appeal to pop culture.

Cooper further explains what he believes is happening within the phenomena:

True deconstructionism leads to rejecting absolute truth, which is a core tenet of postmodernism. I fear the term “deconstruction” is being manipulated to soft pedal something into the faith that we should not allow. It is not a term that has been used historically within Christianity to describe reformation or doctrinal faithfulness. Whether or not we agree on the terminology, I believe it’s being used deceitfully by those who truly do wish for Christians to not only deconstruct their faith but also to deconvert…  These not-so-subtle arguments are poison, yet they are tempting to many Christians, because they fall in line with current popular culture. …

Does the “world” (non-believing culture) hate ex-Christians? Have you ever seen an ex-Christian influencer make the secular culture angry because of his or her stance on a culture war issue such as abortion? Of course not! Because ex-Christian influencers tend to align with everything culturally popular and acceptable. And you can bet whenever the next faux pas begins to have culture-tipping-point power, they will be on the “right side of history” (but the wrong side of the Bible) on that argument, too. Believe me, it is tempting to be able to be a “spiritual person-who-may-still-kinda-be-into-Jesus-but-not-really-but-sometimes-even-though-God-isn’t-real” person and also be embraced by the world.

However, Cooper is not without hope. True faith will withstand any storm:

If anyone reading this chooses to deconstruct without holding onto faith in the authority of Scripture as a conviction, I will still love and accept you just as I would love my daughter if she stopped brushing her teeth. Nevertheless, I would fear her teeth would fall out, just as I fear your faith will fizzle out.

“For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 3:11, ESV).

Read Cooper’s full thoughts below:

 

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