The Shack

The Shack

Once in a great while a Christian book finds itself on the national bestseller list. In my opinion, some religious books are not much more than self-help manuals with a religious veneer. Is it no wonder that non-churched people are easily turned off by platitudes and promises that are hard to swallow in the real world?

About ten years ago a Christian book did make the national bestseller list. An author by the name of William Paul Young wrote The Shack. He wrote it as a story for his children. Little did he know that his work would upset the apple cart of evangelical theology. He portrayed the Godhead as a trilogy of characters that stretched our rigid dogma.

The reaction within the church was swift and harsh. Although there were many who relished the fictional portrayal of Father, Son and Holy Spirit, others were crying heresy. In the flurry that followed, many a pulpit warned of blatant errors and ordered their people not to read it. The subsequent free publicity kept this book in the public eye for a long time.

What it is within the character of the American church that cries wolf whenever someone starts coloring outside the lines of our theological borders? Whatever it is, it conveys that there is not much wiggle room for creativity and imagination within the walls of the church.

I confess I enjoyed The Shack. I read it twice. I also used it as a focus for our weekly home group. How refreshing it was to hear people express their personal epiphanies. How exciting it was to see believers engaged in critical thinking about their faith. There are rewards for challenging petrified mindsets.

If you have not read The Shack, I encourage you to get a copy. It is still in print. Some people believe it is anathema. Others of us are enriched in knowing that God is real!