Deconstructionism – is it a valid way to interpret the Bible?

Answer

Deconstructionism is essentially a theory of textual criticism or interpretation that rejects the idea of a single correct meaning or interpretation of a passage or text. At the core of deconstructionist interpretation are two main concepts. The first concept is that no passage or text can convey a single reliable, consistent, and coherent message to all readers or listeners. The second concept is that the author of the text bears less responsibility for the content of the piece than the impersonal forces of culture, such as language and the author’s unconscious ideology. Therefore, the fundamental principles of deconstructionism conflict with the clear teachings of the Bible that absolute truth exists and can be known (Deuteronomy 32:4;Isaiah 65:16;John 1:17-18;John 14:6;John 15:26-27;Galatians 2:5).

The deconstructionist approach to interpreting the Bible arises from postmodernism and is simply another rejection of the existence of absolute truth, which is one of the most serious logical fallacies one can make. Denying absolute truth is a logical fallacy because it is a self-contradictory statement. No one can logically deny absolute truth because in doing so, they are compelled to make an absolute statement—contradicting the very premise they claim does not exist. When someone asserts that absolute truth does not exist, inquire, “Are you absolutely certain of that?” If they answer “Yes,” they have made a statement that contradicts their initial premise.

Similar to other philosophies stemming from postmodernism, deconstructionism promotes human autonomy and defines truth based on human intellect. Therefore, according to the postmodern thinker, all truth is relative, and absolute truth does not exist.

The heart of postmodernism and deconstructionist thought is pride. The deconstructionist believes that they can uncover a personal or social motivation behind what Scripture says and therefore determine what is “truly being conveyed.” The outcome is a subjective interpretation of the passage in question. Rather than embracing what the Bible explicitly states, the deconstructionist is presumptuous enough to believe they can ascertain the motive behind the writing and unveil the “real” or “hidden” meaning of the text. However, if one were to follow deconstructionism to its logical conclusion, then the conclusions of the deconstructionist would themselves need to be deconstructed to ascertain what the deconstructionist “truly” expressed. The endless circular reasoning is self-defeating. Reflecting on how fundamentally flawed this type of thinking is, one is reminded of 1 Corinthians 3:19, “For the wisdom of this world is foolishness before God. For it is written, ‘He is the one who catches the wise in their craftiness.’”

The deconstructionist does not study the Bible to discover the intended meaning by the author but to try to uncover the cultural and social motives behind the writing. The deconstructionist is solely restricted in their interpretation of a passage by their own imagination. To the deconstructionist, there is no correct or incorrect interpretation, and the significance of the text transforms into whatever the reader desires it to be. One can envision the consequences if legal documents such as wills and deeds were approached in this manner. This method of interpreting Scripture neglects the essential truth that the Bible is God’s objective communication to humanity and that the meaning of the passages originates from God.

Rather than engaging in debates about deconstructionism or other postmodern theories, we should focus on exalting Christ and emphasizing the sufficiency and authority of the Scriptures. Romans 1:21–22 encapsulates the mindset of most postmodern thinkers who adhere to theories like deconstructionism: “For even though

Although they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks; instead, they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing to be wise, they turned into fools.”