Is the book 'the shack' a 'sound' book for Christians to read?
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Asked July 18 2014
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Lesley Clark
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Terry Galloway
I think definitely not. Others will say that it is just fiction, but the author is using the precious and powerful name of Jesus and therefore, not representing Jesus in the same way as the Bible. The book has three characters representing the Trinity of God and doesn't teach the truth about the Trinity. Also I believe that William P. Young is a universalist which goes against John 17 for instance. I did not read the book, but I had someone give three copies to my three children and said that it was the most life changing book he had ever read. There was an instant red flag because the only book that truly transforms a life is the Bible. I just prayed and opened the book to the page where Papa is saying that Jesus was wrong when He was on the cross and said "My God, My God, why has thou forsaken me". This was prophesied in Psalm 22. Those exact words were written maybe a 1000 years before Christ used them. So in essence, Papa is saying that Jesus had it wrong (sin, a lie?) when Jesus as God incarnate was never wrong, never lied and never sinned. Papa says that he never left Jesus in the book. But also, this goes against the Gospel. The whole point of Jesus taking the cup of suffering (Mark 14:32-42 and Luke 22:30-46) to die for mankind's (yours and mine too) sin is that He did not want to be separated from the Father, but because of God's holiness, He cannot tolerate sin and needed Jesus to die to atone for our sin. He was the perfect, spotless, holy Lamb of God. Http://www.gotquestions.org/Jesus-Lamb-of-God.html The people of God had used the blood of the lamb as instructed by God to be delivered at Passover and Jesus' blood was shed on Passover to be the final perfect sacrifice for sin forever-- It is finished! So, no I would not read The Shack since it is unbiblical. There are many educated pastors who would tell you the same thing. Michael Youssef has a sermon on youtube called The Shack Uncovered. Got Questions has a very thorough answer about the book at http://www.gotquestions.org/The-Shack-review.html. Tim Challies also has a very indepth review online. I suggest getting to know the author of the Bible better, by using the time you would have spent on reading a book, to instead read the best read book of all time (The Bible) which never has a single lie. Blessings.
Wendy Roseman
The Shack is a FICTION book and should be taken as just a fiction book. I have been serving God for 25 years and I loved the book. I didn't read the book for a theological foundation, but for the fiction work that it is. I have found, however, that people's opinion of the book is one of two: I loved it or I hated it. Most of those arguments, to me, have been based on one thing and one thing only: God shows up as a big black woman that can cook. I have no problem with that. He could have shown up as a man, but that...well I don't want to discuss that because it could very well ruin your reading. Also! Don't listen to my opinion or anyone else's. Read the book and form your own opinion. God gave us minds to ponder and think and if we always listen to other's opinions we'll never do anything for ourselves. GO FOR IT!
Frank Scimeca
The book The Shack is a story of the journey of a father after the horrific loss of his daughter. In the book he encounters the Trinity in human form. The forms that the Diety is portrayed is controversial as God is a woman. The author addresses this in a way that makes sense that this man's preconceived notions needed to be broken, as do many of ours. The story is a beautiful story of redemption and the love that God has for us. There is no unbiblical tenants but rather an eye-opening journey that leaves the reader closer to God's love. I have read it twice and each time I am deeply moved. I recommend this book for anyone to read.
Kelli Trujillo
Supporter
I'm generally very skeptical and unsupportive of any kind of entertainment or media that doesn't clearly represent scriptures with unwavering biblical accuracy. Having said that, I read The Shack, and although it wasn't my "normal reading fare" I found it to be enlightening, interesting, and even challenging. Admittedly, my biggest hurdle when I started to read it was the introduction of "Papa" (AKA Abba Father) as a robust woman who loves to cook and stuff the main character with his favorite foods. As I kept reading, however, it began to strike me that although God is our "Father" and generally assumed to be overwhelmingly masculine, God is discernible and visible in ALL of His creation. Therefore, why shouldn't we discern bits and pieces of His loving character in a kind, gentle, wise woman who loves to cook us our favorite meals and enjoy them with her over a welcoming table and warm conversation? It seems to me that this depiction of God as a woman is the major issue some people have with the book, but I beg to challenge this issue. Mankind, meaning BOTH men and women, are created in God's image. A crack addict I once met, after I offered him rest, a shower, and the first square meal he had eaten in three days said of me, "That woman is Jesus!" Mother Teresa spent her entire life embodying the hands and feet of Jesus to people who never would have received Him otherwise, and she trained up a sisterhood of women to carry on in her footsteps. Women can sometimes represent Jesus to others in ways that men simply can't, and this is why I believe the author decided to depict Abba Father the way he did. Personally, I think it was a bold stroke of genius. Let me just clarify here that I'm not at all asserting that we should jump on the bandwagon of extreme feminist groups who want to change verbiage in the Bible to make women more prominent or to make God seem more feminine, etc... All I'm saying is that women are just as capable as men of expressing God's character and representing God to others, and in some aspects, women are generally able to do a better job than some men are. I thought the advice the three Persons of the Godhead gave the main character was sound as he faced the unthinkable possibility that God had allowed his precious daughter to be victimized by a child rapist/murderer. What I liked most of all was the way the author brought the Trinity to life in three different characters. Whether he was completely accurate as to how their different roles played out, that might be speculative; then again, 1 Cor. 13:9 states that until we're united with Jesus on the other side of this life, none of us will have the corner on the market when it comes to knowing everything about God, His character, and His Word. It's been a while since I've read the book, so some of the greater theological sticking points aren't fresh in my mind right now. However, I don't recall having such major issues with it that I wouldn't recommend it. I enjoyed it, and I came away with two major thoughts: 1) There is a lot more to God's character than we will ever truly understand while on this earth, and 2) It's only by pressing into God with determined faith and trust that we'll be able to overcome the pain and tragedy we'll inevitably face in this life. I will caution this: I think it might not be a good book for a newer Christian to read, simply because it deals with deep theological issues and might be confusing in some places. Then again, how will we mature if we don't wrestle with a bit of confusion from time to time? All in all, I would recommend it as an entertaining read with some interesting perspectives that will give the reader some meat to chew on. However, it's fiction, it's not the Bible, and it's not meant to be read as an authoritative commentary relating to the Bible.
frances Keene
I read the book, The Shack, and I read THE BOOK,"THE BIBLE". The book, the Shack" is so New Age. New Age has gotten into our churches, our lives. It has come in so easy and slick that it slithered across the threshold without anyone noticing. Christians should keep watch not only with our eyes but with our spiritual wisdom too.
Gregory Boldon
The question asks,"Is the book 'The Shack' a 'sound' book for Christians to read?". There are several definitions of sound. The question uses sound as an adjective. Sound, in the question, implies "competent, sensible, valid (Dictionary.com). My wife and I have read "The Shack" and have found that it is none of these. It is heresy of the first order. "It's fiction, entertainment not meant to be a substantive view of the Bible", say some who read it. "The Shack" is an abysmal representation of Bible facts. How can it be read for entertainment when it mocks the Bible with its misrepresentation of Biblical facts? There are Christian books available to read that do not denigrate God or His Holy Word. The present state of Christianity in our nation is abysmal. "The Shack" is a book that misleads and obscures a clear empathetic view of the Bible. I pray parents do not give children a book to read that convolutes Scripture as this book does. Using "The Shack" for answers or entertainment is not a decision that would be God-pleasing. I encourage all Christians to mark and avoid "The Shack." It is not pleasant for Christians to 'mark and avoid' so we have a tendency to ignore divine instruction. We trade immediate relief and/or enjoyment for future disaster. Romans 16:17-18 refers to marking and avoiding false teachers. I submit that it applies to all 'false teaching', "Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple." Romans 16:17-18 KJV
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