I’ve had a number of people ask me about the book “The Shack.” I recently was loaned a copy to book read. And I have to be honest and say that I wouldn’t suggest reading it. Why? In my view it is heretical and in opposition to sound Bible doctrine.
For starters, I have a real problem with the God the Father being a large black woman and the Holy Spirit being also being a female. I know some will say… “Lighten up! It’s just a novel!” Answer: Trust me… I am holding back. At least I’m not sending death threats like the radical Muslims when their faith is in their view misrepresented in a novel (Salmon Rushdie). It’s just when it comes to God I tend to take things a little serious.
But rather than taking up a lot of room writing my thoughts… I found a clip by pastor Mark Driscoll who puts what I believe into clear easy to understand terms.
You can also hear Dr. Al Mohler’s thoughts by clicking here. His comments about the book begin at 11 minutes and 22 seconds into the program… if you’d like for forward through initial matters.
Ron- I have also read the book. I have listened to the remarks by Mr. Driscoll and read your’s. I found the book to be a delight. Perhaps you take this work of fiction too seriously. I find the notion that a work such as this will undo thousands of years of biblical theology to be irrational. From one person’s perspective, it seems that a great many pastors and religious leaders do not trust their congregations to be able to discern truth from fiction or to be able to handle ideas and concepts different from what they’ve been taught in church. Why is this? This book is repleat with symbology and metaphors. Isn’t the bible also filled with symbology, metaphors and parables? Everyone I have talked to about the book completely understands that it is a work of fiction. But they also like the relational dynamics that they pulled from the images and metaphors between it’s covers. We very often find God where we look for him because he is with us all the time. I wonder if sometimes our preoccupation with doctrine and the structure of religion doesn’t block him out just as the religious people of Jesus’ time did… I respect your view and opinions, but on this I disagree. God bless!
Searching,
I appreciate very much your thoughtful reply. It is obvious you are a thinker with a level of maturity that is beyond many others.
I agree and am quite sure that God’s Word will reign supreme and this novel is less than a blip on the eternal timeline. However delightful some may find the book, it none the less does present the Trinity in a improper manner. The Trinity is never treated so lightly in Scripture as in The Shack. The Bible does not use metaphors, symbols, or parables in describing The Holy God. While I appreciate your thoughts, on this one we will agree to disagree. I am one of those that believes if anyone desires to know God better, the best place to seek that information is what God Himself has written… not a novel.
Does doctrine and the structure of religion block God out? That would all depend on if the doctrine is presented in love. Does the structure of religion block people out? There I would agree, because many churches are not reflecting the love of God.
Had the author not presented what he did in the way he did, I probably would have been much more accepting. I like much more the way J.R.R. Tolkien presented in metaphor form the principals of his Christian faith.
Thanks again,
Ron