Is the problem that faith is two sizes too small?
Abstract
This article takes a fresh perspective on the contemporary “problem” of deconstruction in evangelical settings by considering the problem before the problem, the construction of faith, in particular during childhood. What issues that may make faith precarious and vulnerable to deconstruction can be addressed during children’s faith formation to make it more resilient to the bumpiness of teenage and adult life? The kinds of characteristics that make faith precarious or “two sizes too small” are faith that is antagonistic, simplistic, or moralistic; reliant on certainty and resistant to questions; and not personally-owned. Instead characteristics of resilient faith or faith that fits are being elastic, open to questions, and allowing for mystery; formed in community; and takes children’s faith seriously and acknowledges them as active meaning-makers. By shifting the focus, this article offers a formative theological approach, rather than being anti-deconstructionist.
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- 2026-06-12 (2)
- 2026-05-19 (1)
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