The Prevailing Worldview in the American Church (Part 2)
Last time on the Seeds and Water blog… Doug took us on a journey deep into the traditional church worldview—witnessing a hierarchy so rigid it could rival the most impenetrable family secret, a church more about ticking boxes than building community, and a salvation story told as a solo act.
Rethinking our view of doubt might just open the door to a richer faith. Could the same be said of morality?
Prevailing Worldviews continued…
The Moral Universe is Structured in Absolutes
In the traditional worldview, morality is black and white. This is based in Enlightment rationalism. There goes that academic brain again. I could have just said, logic-based thinking that values facts, reason, and certainty over mystery and experience. Wait is that any better? Someone help me out here.
How about this? God is God. We are God’s creation. We don’t know everything! We might like to think we can, but we don’t and if you lean into that you get good awe and wonder.
Certainty in moral thinking was the dominant framework for generations, but now?
People experience real-life complexity that doesn’t fit into black and white moral categories. Let’s back up a few decades to illustrate. The church used to say divorce = sin. But real life isn’t that simple. What about abuse in marriage? We’ve learned to say God hates divorce but also not be so black and white on the issue.
Many don’t feel guilt over sin the way older generations did. Don’t cancel me. I’m not saying sin isn’t sin. I’m saying a lot of people don’t feel guilty about it.
Salvation is Primarily Personal and Individualistic
The church’s message of salvation has been largely focused on the individual:
“Are you saved?”
“Have you accepted Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior?”
That’s not wrong, but it’s incomplete.
The modern world is asking bigger questions about salvation:
What about justice, healing, and reconciliation on a communal level?
Is faith only about getting to heaven or is it about transforming the world here and now?
Why This Matters for Deconstruction
This worldview worked for a long time—but as culture, knowledge, and human experience evolve, and many are now finding tensions that lead them to deconstruct.
Understanding these tensions doesn’t mean throwing out faith. It means recognizing where our frameworks are incomplete and how we can create space for growth. It’s part of our collective sanctification and how God is restoring all things.
In the next post, Aaron is going to talk about an emerging worldview. I’m a little jealous because I resonate with it. But he’s going to do an amazing job.
Remember: The goal isn’t to tear down—it’s to understand. It’s to make space for a faith that is deeper, richer, and more connected to the real world of the next generation.
Written by: Doug Foltz