The Shack”
By William P. Young
Published by Windblown Media (2007)
11 hours; that is the amount of time it took me to read this book. This is truly one of those books you can’t put down. I started one evening and only slept a few hours out of necessity, but when I awoke I immediately began reading it again. Young has weaved a tale that many are saying is destined to become a classic among Christian literature.
Using the tragic event of a missing child, Young develops a story of a father meeting God in a very unusual way. Through this meeting he learns of God’s ways and purpose in many things. He dares to ask God the questions that many of us harbor deep in our souls, but are afraid to voice. Through the meeting he finds answers, forgiveness, and hope; and he faces his own past and hurt.
There will be criticism of this book. It challenges modern day institutions and theology. Fundamentalists of all Christian sects will be forced to examine their assumptions and biblical interpretations. Some will choose not to and dismiss it outright, and will unfortunately miss the meaning contained in its pages. For those who choose to read it thoroughly they may find Sarayu teaches them something about knowing God that they had forgotten or never known.
I highly recommend this book to all lovers of God, grace, redemption and well-told stories.
Edit added on 8/19
I wanted to add some additional information, yet retain my original review intact. Here is a statement I made in the comments in response to someone’s elses comment. I think it helps clarify the above:
A Quick Follow-up on my review….
Every reader is going to find some challenges to their theology in this book – including me.
People will have problems with his use of a woman to represent Father God, his view of the church, his lack of a Reformed approach to God’s dealings with man, etc.
My encouragement for people to read this book, does not mean I don’t see problems with it. It just means that I think he makes some good points and uses a great story to make them.
He also deals with age-old questions that some will agree with him on and some won’t. For example, as you point out, the problem of evil. Everyone will have a different theological answer for this (thus the phrase ‘problem of evil’).
So, read the book with your eyes wide open, but I still say, “read the book.”
Added Sept 20, 2009
A response by a collaborator on the Shack to criticism regarding this book can be found at the http://windblownmedia.com/about-wbm/is-the-shack-heresy.html. It addresses the charges of universalism, distorting the trinity, lack of Scripture, etc. Very good read.
Filed under: Reviews | Tagged: book reviews, christianity, religion
An amazing plus for the book is Young’s willingness to point out Nietzsche’s “Will To Power” as a dominant motivator for human-to-human relationships and therefore within this “chain of command” or “great chain of being,” we are stunted in true community altogether.
An amazing negative for the book is his obsession with God being so very careful not to encroach upon human freedom. If independence is what prevents us from trusting God, then, why would our free choice be so carefully guarded by God?
I see no reason for God to behave this way. I certainly don’t see it in Scripture either. We may prefer that this were the case, because it easily exonerates God from the “problem of pain or evil.” But I’m afraid this is where the book exercises great imagination. From a human standpoint, we feel the need to be free in order for love to exist, and we feel that God must be free of any guilt for any pain. How can God be absolutely free, if we are. I don’t subscribe to Open Theism or universalism? How ’bout Willie?
A Quick Follow-up on my review….
Every reader is going to find some challenges to their theology in this book – including me.
People will have problems with his use of a woman to represent Father God, his view of the church, his lack of a Reformed approach to God’s dealings with man, etc.
My encouragement for people to read this book, does not mean I don’t see problems with it. It just means that I think he makes some good points and uses a great story to make them.
He also deals with age-old questions that some will agree with him on and some won’t. For example, as you point out, the problem of evil. Everyone will have a different theological answer for this (thus the phrase ‘problem of evil’).
So, read the book with your eyes wide open, but I still say, “read the book.”
I completely understand your post, your review, and your disclaimer. I too would like to clarify my last paragraph since I’ve had another day to digest the book:
Lastly, I don’t subscribe to
1. “the wastefulness of Grace” such as suggested in Open Theism (“The God Who Risks”) when he gives man a temptation and a choice. He implies that God would thoughtlessly yet deliberately lavish all mankind with His love, but we would only receive it if we choose to. Thus, when we chose independence over trust, God’s Creation was taken down a path that He didn’t intend. Young believes that God limits himself before He would limit man’s free will. or
2. Universalism (that God is redeeming everyone to Himself). If you look again, you’ll notice that no one is outside of God’s grace in The Shack. Is there anyone whom God is not “especially fond of?” or
3. Process Theology (that God is making us better over time–much of which is very cognitive) in effort to establish better community between man and God. If this is so, then why would we need Christ’s atonement? And wouldn’t mentally immature individuals or children be last to get it–if ever? How ’bout Willie? Is he not a modern theologian blending several of such views?
The real tragedy here is that in effort to better understand the infinite within our minds, we’ve given the Infinite human traits–i.e. fallibility-:
Did Jesus’ slippery fingers drop more than the sauce bowl– Did he drop the whole planet, or just a few of us? Can he not skip stones better than Josh?
Sorry, one last problem: if living loved is the goal that Sophia is teaching, and not getting justice, why does Mack insist on framing the Little Lady Killer at the end of the story?
I would submit that the author is not promoting universalism, but instead unlimited atonement.
Thus, God’s grace is available to all and Christ died for all, but it does not become effective until faith is exercised. This is in line with 1 John 2:2 which states that, “And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.”(nkjv)
Unlimited Atonement teaches that Christ’s sacrifice covers the sin of the whole world, but does not provide justification for everyone until they believe (trust) in who Christ is and the promise of forgiveness he offers.
As I mentioned in my review, Reformed theologians will have a problem with this.
Thanks for your comments.
Correction…I mentioned in my comments not the review that Reformed theologians would have problemswith this book.
As far as I understand The Shack is based on true events and if so what happened to the Little Lady Killer. Is there anywhere where we could find out more about the trail ecxt.?
Check out http://www.theshackbook.com. The author gives a little insight into how he developed the storyline and where the ideas came from. He also discusses some of the characters – however slightly.
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 have stopped us from seeing Him in some instances as a loving, caring person who wants to connect with His kids.
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
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Hey Shawn. I’m not trying to kill a dead horse, but I’m referring to Universalism, not mere free-will Arminianism. William “Paul” Young shares his influences publicly in his blog. He is influenced by universalism in the modern theology of Schleiermacher, and philosophers such as Locke and Barth.
Hi Breadandsham,
I guess I did not interpret his story to mean universalism; where everyone will eventually be reconciled to God.
I saw that he was promoting unlimited atonement and the extension of God’s grace to every person. The difference being that although God loves every person and has provided possible justification for every person through Christ, not every person will believe. Thus God has done his part for all, but not all will do theirs – to have belief or faith in Christ.
I’ve read some of his blog, but didn’t notice the influences you’ve mentioned in what I read. Perhaps I missed an article.
Hey, Shawn,
Check out the review at…
http://www.challies.com/archives/book-reviews/a-review-of-the-shack-download-it-here.php
Also Ray Pritchard at …
http://www.keepbelieving.com/blog/2008-7-14-the-shackmdashsome-preliminary-observations/
What Young is propagating through this books is not so much unlimited atonement which is biblical, but an unbiblical devaluing of the trinity as revealed in Scripture, salvation as revealed in Scripture, and the authority of the Word and sound doctrine in the life of the believer, as well as a direct attack on the importance of the local church (which is evident on his webstie).
I read the book and see the great sadness in Young’s life and we all know it in our own lives and even ministries. But Young’s prescription is worse than the hurt. Healing is always found in the Truine God as revealed in Scripture, the inspired sufficient Word of God, the community of believers (even when they are part of our great sadness), and finally the Lord Jesus Christ who is the way, the truth, and the life! I KNOW YOU AFFIRM THESE TRUTHS, but unfortunately Young does not! What Young is promoting through his fiction is not a Reformed vs. Non-Reformed Theology issue – it is a Sound Doctrine vs. Unsound Doctrine issue!
There is greater hope for our great sadness in the person and work of Christ than can be found in The Shack. Yes, in reading the book I cried during parts of it (hard not to do if you have a daughter!). And yes it connects with those who can relate to the “great sadness”, but the medicine offered by the book is worse the wound!
I loved this book.
It opens up discussions and touches people in deep places.
A missionary visited our church recently and he read this book twice while here.
It made him think and brought about healing in deep places, of course with the help of our wonderful heavenly Father.
His wife had a baby after an act of indescribable violence was commited against her on the missionfield.
They kept the baby, who is now a beautiful little girl, but it has been a painful issue for the husband all these years.
This book helped him to reflect on many things surrounding what happened to his wife and he is better off for it.
I think people have to read this book with an open mind and they will find a lot of help in it.
I also think the danger may be, if someone doesn’t have a sound doctrine base already, or if they take this book and replace the Bible with it, then it can be a problem.
Hey…just found your site…..LOVED the book. As someone who also lived through more than one tragic event in her life, this book FINALLY helped me to understand the true SOVEREIGNTY of God. I couldn’t recommend it more !!
Great stuff on here, btw….
Just finished the book,and I must say it has made me think,on what exactly,I am not sure yet.Though I CAN tell you that the part about forgiveness really got to me,especially as I am struggling to forgive someone who did me a terrible wrong as a child.
Werd, yea ther seems to b alotta ppl hu luv this book.. an a few hu dont… yer.. mynameisrush.com has a killer (an i mean killer… scathing) review of the book.. which i recommend. i personally loved th book. yea.. buuut… i did wanna checkit bak 2 the scriptures like paul recommends.. annnd yea.. rush.com seems to have done just that… and didnt like th results… anywho peace to y’all cause Jesus luvs ya, an as the Prince of Peaces, wishes to bringit yo… i dont usually type like this.. im just tired… yea… ah hi…
Hi, I have just had the journey of a lifetime. Struggling for so many years with so much doctrine and others opinions of what Christians should be and never knowing which one was right, I find the truth. This book I believe is God inspired because it confirmed God’s still small voice that has been trying to speak to me through all the nonsense. I have ignored it for fear of being deceived and therefore separated fro God. But I can’t escape the change that has happened to me in recent months and through reading the words in this book. True peace is only God given – it comes from no-where else, because it is no-one else’s to give. That is what I feel having read this book.
Yeah there are a couple of bits that I thought “Don’t know if I agree with that”, and there are other bits that will cause upset, but as it says so many times in the Bible, old and new testament, God wants us to know how much He loves us, to love Him in return. That is the message we need to take from this.
Too often we start bickering about what we believe to be true according to our understanding of scripture and end up fighting to defend our corner and not doing the one thing that Jesus told us to do…..Love one another. Suddenly our beliefs become more important than showing love or grace. Love is not something a person can do, it is a “happening” when you just “be”. When you allow God to be in control and trust Him. Trust is something I have very little of . But I see now, as Sarayu, I think says, that even the tiniest amount of trust is enough to start the journey. That’s where I am.
I don’t know all the ins and outs of the mysteries of God – thankfully – but I have eternity to learn. For now I want to learn how to really love and I can only do that by knowing I am loved. For me that is the most important message I read in this book.
Thank you Mr Young for your perseverance with a such a hot potato. May God bless you. xx
I am 12 and i absolutley loved this book. I read it in 8 hours and couldnt put it down. My life relates to this book in a few ways. I have no relationship with my dad right now and this book defenitley helped me to see things in a different way. This book is amazing it is beyond words. And i recomend it to everyone and anyone who enjoys reading. For a girl who is 12 I do have many problems with my family. I always thought that i was unloved and that everything wrong that was happening to me was God’s fault. I have a father who has told me to my face that he is picking my step-mom (a real witch) over his own kids. The only thing that used to get me through this all was my dreams. I write music and I have been told i have an amazing voice. Anf the only thing that kept me going day after day was the hope that my dreams would one day come true. I had no friends during 5th grade and the only family i was close to were my 3 dogs. i thought they understood me and everything that was going on. i loved those dogs soo much they were all i ever talked about. then one day during the summer i was told i had 2 weeks to say godbye to the dogs. that was the hardest thing i ever had to deal with. i went into a deep depression and couldnt come out. i didnt believe that anything could get me out. and believe it or not a boy pulled me out. his name was chris and he was always so full of energy. I yhad never felt the way i did about anyone before. I wrote a song about him and everything. then one day when he broke up with me i fell again. I’m finally starting to have some hope becauwse of this book. this book helped me so much and i now have a closer relationship to God and many others. I think that Mackenzie is literally amazing and he is also my hero. and i really think that when you read this book your life will be changed. May God Bless Mackenzie Allen Phillips and Willian P. Young!!
thank you both without you i don’t know where i would be.
xoxox
thank you,
i am going to see my dad. tomorrow. he has cancer and i am going to recommend he read this book..I know he is afraid, and that this book will help him…..Chad
The artistic literary ways that Young chooses to use in this book make it just as interesting as the content itself, if not more so. Before criticizing, pay closer attention to what his motivation appears to be. It seems as if Young is just encouraging us to seek after the Father when we are faced with the difficulties of life that we don’t understand. Stop reading so much into things…it’s funny that Christians and “church folk” complicate things more than the world. Let’s take more time to get to know our Father, our Saviour, and our Teacher & Comforter, to develop relationship with them…so that they can answer the questions that fellow humans can’t. I know that’s what I’m going to do after reading this.