Tota Scriptura: Submitted!
July 1, 2026
American Christianity has lost a third of its members in a single generation, and the more that conservative Christianity has entrenched itself in America’s culture wars, the more it has fueled the deconstruction movement and antipathy towards evangelical faith. This book argues that an unrecognized cause of our loss of direction lies in distortions of our doctrine of Scripture that have their root in the American worldview. If we are willing to course correct, we can reconstruct the evangelical church more truly in the image of Christ and, in turn, make room for disillusioned Christians to reconstruct their faith too.
Evangelicalism originally arose as a reform movement with a commitment to be always reforming. At its heart is the conviction that God’s gospel stays the same, but the church is always changing—and thus always at risk of departing from its moorings. In America, evangelicalism has increasingly become associated with conservative politics, apologetics, and wars for American culture, and this has coincided with an alarming increase in dechristianization and the growth in popularity of deconstructionist movements.
Tota Scriptura explores commonly cited problem areas within evangelicalism, both in theology and practice, and argues that we can’t hope for healthy reconstruction of our floundering members without significant reconstruction of the church that is commissioned to disciple them.
Primary Discipline(s): Hermeneutics, Theology, Apologetics, Ethics
Base Community: Staff
Leader: Jordan Pickering
Primary Author(s): Jordan Pickering
Collaborators: n/a
Acknowledgements: Craig Bartholomew, Peter Altmann, George Athas, Cas Monaco, Jen Pollock Michel, Mark Ryan, Wesley vander Lugt, Kevin O’Donnell, Gary Cockerill, James Spencer, J. David Stark, Timor Fabiny, David Larsen, Darrell Bock
Partner Organisations: A publisher is attached.
Funding: None
Problem: Deconstructionists who are critical of evangelicalism and leaving the church are often portrayed as being the problem, but this prevents us from seriously considering where our theology and ethos may be to blame, and it means that disillusioned believers are treated with enmity and driven closer to deconversion. Deconstruction can be a positive if there is a route into reconstruction of a stronger faith, but the church must be willing to pursue its own reformation first, and to provide healthy community for those whose faith is failing.
Process: At present, this project is focused on the fulfilment of a book contract. A detailed proposal and outline has been accepted by a publisher. The process ahead involves a phase of source discovery and reading, potentially some call for conversation partners and collaborators on certain topics, the writing of a full first draft, and some calls for review and critique prior to submission.
Aims and Outcomes: This project is aimed primarily at engaging those who recognize that the rate of social change and dechristianization in our world demands an urgent response. It means to be a conversation partner for pastors, college lecturers, and all those who are attempting to support Christians who are deconstructing their faith, and who are eager to shape their Christian communities wisely in response to our changing world. I hope that it will be clear and compelling enough also to be readable by thoughtful laypeople, especially those who are deconstructing.
It’s intended impact is:
Production Goals: Publication of a book (already contracted to a publisher).
Next Meeting: TBA
Projected Completion: June 2026 (writing process); publication 2027.
Quick Notes: Nearing submission.
The final manuscript is now with the publishers.
Having missed the original deadline, the intention is to submit at the end of June. Five short chapters to go!
In March, we are holding an informal event in which you are invited to poke holes in my arguments critiquing Chicago-style inerrancy.
If you have something to contribute to the following questions, email your thoughts to tota@kirbylaingcentre.co.uk.
Your contributions are greatly appreciated and are integral to our vision of collaborative, interdisciplinary research. We endeavor to acknowledge all the efforts of our collaborators and to give due credit, but note that we can’t guarantee that any contribution will be used in the final product.
If you have an interest in reading the manuscript as commenter or endorser, please let Jordan know.
When the team produces research components and additional resources that may be of public interest, these will be made available here.
Noteworthy passages from Kinnaman and Lyons’s book Unchristian (2007).
