Book Review - The Shack
I finished The Shack by William P. Young tonight. This book has had quite a bit of buzz surrounding it recently. It is currently #8 on Amazon.com's bestseller chart. It was even mentioned on The Tonight Show. So what is God like? It's a question that intrigues me. A fictional book that makes an attempt to answer this very real question certainly catches my interest. And The Shack was an interesting read. However, I was disappointed by the book as a whole. The writing style seemed overly simple for this complex topic and the story aspect of the book was quite predictable.
There were some parts of the book I did like. For example, one theme in the book deals with how God can allow bad things to happen, and even use these events for good even though He did not will them to happen. The book did help me clarify this issue in my own mind.
However, there were some aspects of the book that were too weird and just not quite aligned with what I know about the Bible for me to recommend the book.
When I read a book like this, I keep this one thought strongly in my mind. . . different people have different ideas regarding who God is and what God is like (including me,) people also have things they hope about God. But in regards to who God is and what He is like, it doesn't matter what anyone thinks or hopes. . . God is who He is. He doesn't change dependant on my (or anyone else's) thoughts or hopes.
A book like The Shack can give the reader a glimpse of how the author views God. I'm just not sure this book offers the most accurate description.
Here are a few links to people with (I believe some justifiable) concerns about The Shack.
Chuck Colson: Stay Out of The Shack
Don Holmes: The Shack - A Very Critical Review
And this video of Bob Botsford:
There were some parts of the book I did like. For example, one theme in the book deals with how God can allow bad things to happen, and even use these events for good even though He did not will them to happen. The book did help me clarify this issue in my own mind.
However, there were some aspects of the book that were too weird and just not quite aligned with what I know about the Bible for me to recommend the book.
When I read a book like this, I keep this one thought strongly in my mind. . . different people have different ideas regarding who God is and what God is like (including me,) people also have things they hope about God. But in regards to who God is and what He is like, it doesn't matter what anyone thinks or hopes. . . God is who He is. He doesn't change dependant on my (or anyone else's) thoughts or hopes.
A book like The Shack can give the reader a glimpse of how the author views God. I'm just not sure this book offers the most accurate description.
Here are a few links to people with (I believe some justifiable) concerns about The Shack.
Chuck Colson: Stay Out of The Shack
Don Holmes: The Shack - A Very Critical Review
And this video of Bob Botsford:
Labels: book reviews
posted by Steve Gall at
11:02 PM
1 Comments:
What is so interesting about the book and possibly one reason it is receiving so much attention is it dares to cross conventional thinking in the way we have understood God in the past. Our stereotypical concepts for how we see God has stopped us from seeing Him in some instances as a loving, caring person who wants to connect with His kids.
Grant it you will be challenged and enlightened as you read through the storyline. One interesting and somewhat controversial comment Paul Young makes in his book is sure to make a lot of people think differently about a cliche we have been throwing around in the church for years. It is found on page 149, Paul writes in Jesus' words "My Life Was Not Met To Be An Example That You Can Copy". For years, we the Christian community have held onto the idea that Jesus' life or "behavior" was to be followed. We have all heard and even used the cliche "What would Jesus do?" or WWJD for short.
We have seen it on bracelets and tee shirts for years. Problem is that when you look at it from a new covenant aspect it you would never hear Jesus tell us to mimic his behavior. Instead Jesus would tell us that we are to mimic or copy the relationship he experienced with the Father through the Holy Spirit. It is out of this relationship that behavioral issues, difficulties and temptation finds answers, not through some pull yourself up by the bootstraps mentality. Bottom line is that this book will challenge old belief systems that probably need to be challenged. Only then can you truly experience Christ as life, which beats religion any day!
Scott Johnson
http://www.ChristianWorshipers.com
Post a Comment
Links to this post:
Create a Link
<< Home