The Shack

[writehumor]

The Shack is one of the most thought-provoking books I've ever read. You may not agree with the man's theology because he paints outside the traditional church's lines, but he will certainly cause you to revisit what you believe about God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit - in a good way.

[Tarin]

Here's an earlier discussion (http://christianwriters.com/forums/showthread.php?t=15872) on the book.

[Laina]

I really wanted to read this book. Many Christians are recommending it including a friend of mine. I decided to look at some reviews and found some disturbing comments. I found this review and decided against the book.

You want to recreate God in your own image;

You find Isaiah's portrayal of a holy God seated upon His throne to be a disturbing image;

You would prefer to metaphorically cast God the Father as a loving and large black woman named "Papa," Jesus as a laid back and friendly Middle Eastern man, and the Holy Spirit as a calm and cool Asian woman;

You want a God so small that you and she/he/she can just hang out together as best buddies;

You regard the Bible as an extremely biased, narrow-minded, and insufficient revelation of God in leather binding with "guilt edges" (page 65);

You therefore believe that God talks to people today, and that whatever she or he says to people trumps biblical truth (page 66);

You believe that God is never to be feared (page 90);

You believe that Jesus' miracles do not affirm Him as God, but prove only "that Jesus is truly human" (page 99);

You want a God who does not hold people accountable for, nor punishes sin (page 119);

You want a God who does not demand that you submit to him or her, but one who submits to YOU (page 145);

You want a God who accepts everyone -- "Buddhists...Muslims, bankers and bookies" -- as his or her children no matter what their beliefs or behavior, and that Jesus has "no desire to make them Christian" (page 223);

You believe that Jesus lied when He warned, "Broad is the road that leads to destruction" (Matthew 7:13), because in The Shack Jesus says, "Most roads don't lead anywhere."

Make no mistake... 90% of this book is spot on. But isn't that exactly what makes its 10% error so insidiously deadly? Look, we can allegorize many things, but we don't mess with the Trinity. This book is a Trojan horse subtly infiltrating the Christian community -- one that makes our God extremely small and completely manageable, a God who, in the final analysis, is no God at all.

[carmel]

I read the book (it was a gift from my daughter). I liked it for the most part. Althought I did think it pushed the envelope (at times I was out of my comfort zone). But I liked it sufficiently well to pass it on to another family member. I do believe that miracles happen - if God chose this particular event to reveal himself, who am I to judge?? Carmel

[kshsj777]

I really wanted to read this book. Many Christians are recommending it including a friend of mine. I decided to look at some reviews and found some disturbing comments. I found this review and decided against the book.

You want to recreate God in your own image;

You find Isaiah's portrayal of a holy God seated upon His throne to be a disturbing image;

You would prefer to metaphorically cast God the Father as a loving and large black woman named "Papa," Jesus as a laid back and friendly Middle Eastern man, and the Holy Spirit as a calm and cool Asian woman;

You want a God so small that you and she/he/she can just hang out together as best buddies;

You regard the Bible as an extremely biased, narrow-minded, and insufficient revelation of God in leather binding with "guilt edges" (page 65);

You therefore believe that God talks to people today, and that whatever she or he says to people trumps biblical truth (page 66);

You believe that God is never to be feared (page 90);

You believe that Jesus' miracles do not affirm Him as God, but prove only "that Jesus is truly human" (page 99);

You want a God who does not hold people accountable for, nor punishes sin (page 119);

You want a God who does not demand that you submit to him or her, but one who submits to YOU (page 145);

You want a God who accepts everyone -- "Buddhists...Muslims, bankers and bookies" -- as his or her children no matter what their beliefs or behavior, and that Jesus has "no desire to make them Christian" (page 223);

You believe that Jesus lied when He warned, "Broad is the road that leads to destruction" (Matthew 7:13), because in The Shack Jesus says, "Most roads don't lead anywhere."

Make no mistake... 90% of this book is spot on. But isn't that exactly what makes its 10% error so insidiously deadly? Look, we can allegorize many things, but we don't mess with the Trinity. This book is a Trojan horse subtly infiltrating the Christian community -- one that makes our God extremely small and completely manageable, a God who, in the final analysis, is no God at all.

That is very disturbing. If the book really teaches that, then yes we should judge against that. The Bible calls for Christians to be discerning against error.

[Xenia]

I read the book (it was a gift from my daughter). I liked it for the most part. Althought I did think it pushed the envelope (at times I was out of my comfort zone). But I liked it sufficiently well to pass it on to another family member. I do believe that miracles happen - if God chose this particular event to reveal himself, who am I to judge?? Carmel

We ARE to judge... see: http://www.bereanwatchmen.com/j.r.hall/exposing-false-doctrine.html

[carmel]

Thank you Xenia for your referral to:
http://www.bereanwatchmen.com/j.r.ha...-doctrine.html
I read through a lot of the biblical quotes. My quantary is:
I thought the book 'The Shack" made the trinity more accessible in the 'dream' (this is what I think it was that he experienced). The fact that he saw God as a large black woman (as one respondant pointed out) didn't offend me. I realize that the story was not 100% biblical. BUT, IF and I use that word to qualify what I am going to say: IF it was a communication between God and the man who wrote the story - he can only relate the happening within his own experience. The novel is fiction. We must never forget that. I do recommend that the novel be read as such. Carmel

[Timber Wolf]

The best way to get someone to swallow a lie is to mix it w/ just enough truth.

You shall judge a tree by its fruits. Do you indiscriminately pick things up off the street and put them in your mouth? NO?? Why not, who are you to judge?? We make judgement (we discriminate) on a daily basis about what we eat, drink, wear, watch (write) / listen to, etc.

[carmel]

Timber Wolf, The point you make is very valid. 'The best way to get someone to swallow a lie is to mix it w/ just enough truth.'
Over a year ago I had one of my characters in my book, "Mrs. Atwater" display that exact point. 'She could look you in the eye, if she was at least telling a half truth.'
You explain it so much more succinctly. Thanks

[Calrew1]

I appreciate that we can reply to these kinds of things without berating one another. It is good to know that we Christians can challenge one another and push one another to think on things from a biblical manner without insulting one another.

thanks.

[ChrisD123]

The Shack was very much a "chance read" for me. It was mentioned by an old schoolmate at my recent 30th high school reunion as a book with an interesting take on the Trinity.

I have to say I really enjoyed the read and it both confirmed a great deal of what I believe and shook me at the same time.

It was confirming of my beliefs that we have an all-good and all-loving God that created and, in the greatest act of love, freed His creation.

It shook me in a way that I need a regular shaking. That is, God wants us to love unconditionally and to spread that love in His world through relationships everyday. To me that means less time conjuring and contemplating how things should be and more time making it so.

Any book that, in this day and time, can evoke those kinds of thoughts and emotions in its readers...well...how can it be anything other than a good thing?

[Xenia]

Here is a previous discussion about it...

http://christianwriters.com/forums/showthread.php?t=15872&highlight=shack

[David Meigs]

Chris, I merged your post with this previous discussion of Shack. !thumbsup!

[JoyG]

I wanted to love that book. But in the end I couldn't finish the whole thing. Maybe one of these days I will go back to it, but I don't have any plans right now.

I really wanted to watch God make that man whole again. I wanted to feel the love He had for the man and his daughter. I wanted to apply that love to me and my relationship with God.

However, the description and the roles of the members of the Trinity tripped me up too much to continue. I had to put the book down.

Before I stopped reading, there had been some really heartwrenching gripping scenes that brought tears to my eyes. For example, when the main character sees his daughter through a waterfall and she's telling him she's ok...

But in the end, the theology was too big of a flaw to overlook, imo.

[grateful]

Again, I'm late to the party, but I just finished THE SHACK. I've often been accused of being too critical. I am an old lady, and have been a Christian for a very long time. As I read it, I prayed that God would show me "dangerous" passages that might trip me in my spiritual walk.

It is fiction, remember. as is THE DA VINCI CODE, a work of fiction that did lead people into error. But this is not that, and is not going to lead anybody into error, in my not so humble considered opinion.

As a critical old praying Christian, I declare, I loved the book. I thought it was beautiful.

Elaine

[JMK]

Okay; I have to add my comments since I just finished The Shack a couple days ago.

It's rare that a book makes me cry, so I liked the book.

It's fiction, not a theological treatise, and I've found that there are frequent disagreements among Christians about the interpretation of Scripture and about doctrine. So it was easy for me to dismiss anything I disagreed with in that respect.

As I recall, in the story, God the Father said he appeared in the form of a large black woman to jar MacKenzie out of his preconceived ideas about God. In my opinion, that's good; most of us need to allow God to be God in whatever manner He chooses to disclose himself, not by our life-long held ideas.

The book states that MacKenzie became a kinder, more peaceful man as a result of his encounter with God as he experienced him.

I think we could criticize the tales of Narnia if we object to God being portrayed as an animal (a lion), even though the Bible mentions the Lion of Judah.

I like to keep things simple, although I admit I tend to complicate things in my head.

The Shack held my attention; I tended to give the "theological" parts a cursory read.

I think it's an especially good book for nonbelievers because I believe God (the Trinity) takes us where we are and gently leads us to the fuller truth about Himself.

The biggest message in the book was that relationships are where it's at. God, the Trinity, is a "community" so to speak, and in that sense is in a relationship.

[hannah]

The Shack was recommended to me as an "unusual read" at the beginning of our summer. I bought and read it with a mixture of emotions - from shock, anger and sadness re: the first couple of chapters, to mild amusement, irritablility and finally disgust towards the end of the book.

I much prefer our God to be awesome in holiness, mystery and power - and my Abba Father...

Hannah x

[JMK]

Hannah, I'm with you about my personal preference for God: holy, mysterious, powerful, and definitely my Abba-Father...and more. But, may I add, I don't think the book is supposed to be about our personal relationship with God the Father, Jesus Christ, or the Holy Spirit. It's simply a work of fiction in the secular-book world, and at least it gets non-believers maybe thinking a bit about the possibility of the existence of God?? Amen. We can talk this topic to death and see many different perspectives. Thank God we have been blessed to know, love and serve Him.

[CharlesJCox]

My God is not the god of The Shack.

I met the author of The Shack in a Carl's Jr. in my hometown of Visalia. I was reading The Return of the King. He asked me about it, and I explained it to him, as well as the author. His eye lit up, and he began discussing his book.

He also explained he had never finished reading a single book in his life. He vaguely described his book, and told me that I could buy it at Borders. I figured it was just a local release, and then I see "New York Times Bestseller" at the top. My jaw dropped about a foot.

Apparently, this man also attended my previous church once.

I liked the guy. He was a humble man, and apparently near the end of his life (old age). I wish I had known that the only God he knows is this "cosmic Santa-Claus," described in his book. The utter blasphemy of portraying the parts of the trinity the way he does made me very sad for him. God is more than a Great-Grandpa-In-The-Sky. He is a judge - the perfect and holy judge.

The true God will judge us for the sins we have all committed, and we will all receive the death sentence. Eternity in hell awaits us, unless we accept Christ's death on our behalf.

Jesus is a friend, but he is more than that. He is our only way out of hell. As a great hymn writer once said, "Twas grace that taught my heart to fear, and grace my fear relieved."

The god portrayed in the Shack is not worthy of fear. He wouldn't harm a fly, let alone one of us sinners. But the true God will unleash his wrath on all those who deserve it - that is, lest we accept the atonement given us by Christ.

[Laina]

Hannah, I'm with you about my personal preference for God: holy, mysterious, powerful, and definitely my Abba-Father...and more. But, may I add, I don't think the book is supposed to be about our personal relationship with God the Father, Jesus Christ, or the Holy Spirit. It's simply a work of fiction in the secular-book world, and at least it gets non-believers maybe thinking a bit about the possibility of the existence of God?? Amen. We can talk this topic to death and see many different perspectives. Thank God we have been blessed to know, love and serve Him.

Actually I'm not sure how to describe this book. It really is fiction, but the man is a Christian and is making an attempt at portraying the God of the universe within a fictional story about a tragic accident and while doing so paints a picture of a God that I don't know.

Not only that, on his blog he said that he was attempting to write a book for his family, his kids - about how he thinks and feels about life. He wrote about his conversations that he was having with God. In fact, he was going to name the book, "Conversations With God", until he found another book by that name.

What he did was to come up with a fictional story to carry his conversations that he had with God. So while the setting is fictional, much of it is non-fictional in a fictional setting.

So it really is about a personal experience with God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.

[KentNZ]

What do we think of the shack as a piece of writing? (I'll get on to the theology as a result of this question...)

That was something that I struggled with. I loved the 'heart' of this book, but I thought the writing was really simple, and in places, just 'bad'. I felt like it was written for the lowest common denominator, as as such, kind of insults the intelligence of the reader... As someone who aspires to be a writer, when I hear of a book that attracts such a large amount of attention, and in particular, one that is hailed as so evangelistic and life changing... I want it to be a really, really good book! And it isnt. And it is.

This is where we have to be very careful to remind ourselves that it is fiction. But we also have to remember that as writers, our fiction paints a worldview that people will carry away with them... and this book paints a wonderful picture of the love and care God has for us. But it's not the whole picture.

I wonder if we would all reaction less strongly to the portrayals of God (and the mighty, holy, mysterious God that He is) if the book didnt read so much like a cheesy theology lecture. I mean, a few chapters in the middle there were like turning from one short theological discourse to the next, and it felt really inauthentic.

But. BUT. Parts of it touched my heart and rattled my spirit. And helped me understand the love of my Father toward me, and that's worth the purchase price.

Is this a place for some grace for some average fiction that just seems to be taking hold of the market right now? (I'm based in the UK, but from what I know of family in NZ, and the buzz in the US, this book is doing the rounds all over the place...). Is there something in the heart of this book that God wants people to know? I think God is big enough to work through all of us, broken, flawed, and certainly uncertain. I know there are times when I have gotten my theology wrong. And I want to be a writer of 'accessable, real-life non-fiction (theology) books'. Let's not be shackled by the Shack. Lets spend a few days in there, and see who else we meet there.

Yes, lets always take the opportunity to clarify and teach the truth about who God is, but lets not throw out the opportunity that this book gives us... a chance to point to the heart of God. We can tidy up the theology in the conversations that follow...

[JMK]

"That is very disturbing. If the book really teaches that, then yes we should judge against that. The Bible calls for Christians to be discerning against error."

Not trying to be sarcastic. Fiction books are generally written to entertain and to maybe get across some values in the process.

I don't think the author of The Shack was trying to teach people about God in the sense of teaching them a doctrine or theology, etc. If the book had been written by a Christian for the intention of "converting" people, then I'd see plenty wrong with it.