Deconstruction is the process of taking apart the building blocks of a literalist interpretation of Christianity. That is, it is the process of unlearning and relearning.
Not Literal
The simple fact is that Christianity is not literally true. That is, the many of the stories in the Bible cannot be taken as literal history, science, and fact. That is not how religion works.
When you begin to look at Christianity as a network of myths interwoven over many ages, cultures, and peoples, you begin to see Christianity for what it truly is. It is a spiritual story of a spiritual and psychological journey.
Metaphor is Not a Lie
And so Christianity is transmitted by myth, metaphor, and parables. A metaphor is not a lie, it is a symbol that is taken figuratively. It expresses in figurative language what cannot be properly expressed in literal language.
For example, Jesus is called the door. That doesn’t mean that Jesus is a piece of wood that hangs on hinges. It means that he is the gateway to the spiritual world. Most of the Bible operates on this level.
Childish Thinking
Christians usually begin their spiritual journey taking the Bible literally, because they don’t know better. But there comes a time when we need to put away childish thinking. Taking the Bible literally is childish thinking.
Once we begin to see the Bible as myth, metaphor, and parables, then we begin to understand the deeper meaning of its symbols. We move from denotation to connotation.
Science and History
>We turn to science and history to learn facts, we turn to religion to discover spiritual and psychological truths. Confusing those two will cause a spiritual crisis. Many have left Christianity because of this confusion.