Deconstruction and AI with Scott Simpson (Part 1 of 2)

Educator, poet, and musician Scott Simpson sat down with Brian and Paula to talk about his deconstruction journey, and how he has used AI to create a Deconstruction Manifesto and an album about deconstructing. Scott Simpson Music Hymnautica A Manifesto for Deconstructed Christianity                 By Scott Simpson I. Faith Beyond Certainty: Embracing Doubt and Mystery We commit to:  • Holding space for unanswered questions.  • Living the paradox of belief and doubt.  • Trusting that God’s reality is larger than human comprehension.  II. Jesus Above Doctrine: Following a Living Christ We commit to:  • Prioritizing Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection over denominational distinctives.  • Viewing salvation as a lived experience of love, not a future escape plan.  • Practicing self-sacrifice, forgiveness, and peacemaking as central acts of worship. III. Deconstructing Ecclesial Power: Church Without Borders We commit to:  • Building communities rooted in grace, not rules.  • Practicing radical hospitality toward those society excludes.  • Sharing power and amplifying marginalized voices within spiritual communities. IV. Faith in Action: Rejecting Capitalist Christianity We commit to: • Resisting economic and political systems that exploit the vulnerable.  • Redistributing wealth and resources in ways that reflect God’s economy.  • Living simply so others may simply live. V. Open Questions, Open Hearts We commit to:  • Welcoming hard questions without fear or judgment.  • Honoring the spiritual journeys of others, even when they differ from our own.  • Living in humility, knowing that we are all seekers in the presence of divine mystery.   Conclusion: Living the Way of Jesus Deconstructed Christianity is not a rejection of faith—it is faith stripped of artificial constructs, false assurances, and exclusionary practices. It is a return to the simplicity and radical love of Jesus. It is about living the way of Christ here and now: embracing the hungry, loving the enemy, caring for the outcast, and trusting in God’s presence in both our certainties and our doubts. May we follow Jesus not into comfortable pews or theological security, but into the wilderness of grace, where love reigns, and all are welcomed at the table. Amen.