Over the past thirty-seven years of my journey with the Lord, I can count on one hand the number of books that I could honestly say, “Every Christian should read this!” With over 1,000 books in my library, I have chosen most of them for their theological integrity versus their ranking on the New York Times Bestseller list. If I could only own three or four books plus a Bible, I would choose The Pleasures of God (John Piper), The Pilgrim’s Progress (John Bunyan), The Jesus I Never Knew (Philip Yancey), and The Shack (William P. Young).
The Shack is one of those rare books that grabs you…heart, soul, and mind. One refreshing factoid is that the author didn’t actually write it for publication; in fact, it’s the only book he’s ever written and William Paul Young (aka “Willie” or Paul) will quickly tell anyone that it was his wife’s idea. She thought it was important for him to put something in writing for his children, to explain what makes him tick. He explains on his blog,
The Shack was a story written for my six children, with no thought or intention to publish. It is as much a surprise to me as to anyone else that I am now an ‘author’. Overall, I am a very simple guy; I have one wife, six kids, two daughter-in-laws and two grandkids on the way. I work as a general manager, janitor and inside sales guy for a friend who owns a small manufacturers rep company in Milwaukie, Oregon, and I live in a small rented house in Gresham, Oregon, that Kim has made into a marvelous home. My time is spent loving the people that are a part of my life. I am not connected, or a part, or a member of, or involved inside any sort of organization or movement anywhere. The truth is that I doubt anyone would want me.
You see, he grew up in West Papua, New Guinea, as a third culture kid (we used to call them MK’s) until the age of 9 or 10. Imagine being raised in a tribal culture, thinking of yourself as a member of that culture, then being uprooted and replanted in his native land of Canada, only to find yourself eventually moving to the backwoods of Oregon. [He's as mixed up culturally as my children and grandchildren will be one day.]
Young uses the genre of fiction to explain a lot of things about God that just do not fit neatly into a systematic theology book, or a PowerPoint presentation, or even a feature-length Hollywood production. You sense immediately that this writer is a trained theologian, but his amazing artistry puts words into the most profound sequences like the awe-inspiring Renaissance masters who could produce priceless treasures from blocks of stone or a simple palette of ordinary paint.
Read the endorsements of others, or preview the first twenty-three pages, or listen to an online interview of the author by Greg Albrecht or the hosts of the God Journey podcast. There’s enough here to whet your appetite and convince you to trade the cost of three latte’s at Starbucks for this 250-page paperback.
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RELATED POSTS (on this blog)
The Shack :: The Power of the Story
Comments 12
Bill,
YES! YES! YES! Everybody needs to get this book and read it! I just finished it and wow! It touched me in places that I needed to be touched! It was a fresh drink from a deeply spiritual stream. Like you, this one has made my top three list for sure! By all means, any and all who read this GET THE BOOK!!!
Randy Umberger
Posted 11 Aug 2007 at 8:36 am ¶The Highlander
There is no question that “Wille” Young has written a book that tugs the emotions of any reader, especially a father. However he leaves a lot of questions about God’s role in suffering unanswered. To read more on this I suggest people read Bart Ehrman’s book, God’s Problem: How the Bible Fails to Answer Our Most Important Question–Why We Suffer
Posted 13 Apr 2008 at 5:17 pm ¶I couldn’t put it down. I laughed and cried and was overjoyed as I shared the weekend get away with the Holy Trinity. They were as I had often thought of them throughout my life and now someone else was actually able to but my random thoughts and images into words…..Could this be put into a movie??? I am not sure, but if it was well done I would own it….of course I knew that those who wrap themselves in the self-righteous robe of religion would call this book heresy, because it portrays God as forgiving and excepting and they love to pigeon-hole God into a “theirs only” hole…..anyway thank you, Willie, for writing this GREAT book…I’m giving it to all my friends…..love to you, Lynn
Posted 04 Aug 2008 at 1:48 pm ¶I read The Shack and was amazed at the simplicity, depth, and power of the ideas captured in the characters and dialogue. The sudden criticism it now has garnered is to be expected from those who carry the burden of defenders of doctrine. Young has no such burden. Rather, he carries the burden of sharing his own experience with a God of love creatively and that never goes over well with the academics. When you’re done with The Shack I invite you to read my own stories here, http://www.spiritisdeeperthanflesh.com/ written to clarify my own faith for my young adult children. Nice review, thanks for posting it.
Posted 08 Aug 2008 at 3:56 pm ¶How can I order The Shack book?
Posted 16 Aug 2008 at 8:48 pm ¶Elease: Just click on one of the links (underlined in blue) in the above article. The one contained in the “PS” would be the best link to use. If you’re in the UK, let me know and I can refer you to a Christian bookshop that has them in stock.
Posted 21 Aug 2008 at 8:20 am ¶A god who is a woman, called Papa? Who says there are greater miracles than being raised from the dead? Who isn’t in control of all things?
Doesn’t sound much like the God of the Bible to me.
I am afraid I don’t share your enthusiasm for this book. It borders on profanity, and crosses the border in some places in my view.
Posted 22 Aug 2008 at 1:23 am ¶Aaron: We finally found something we disagree on! What are friends for?
Seriously, there are parts of The Shack that bring me to tears every time I read them. It IS a work of fiction, but Young does a masterful job of weaving his own theological insights into the narrative. I don’t agree with every statement in the book, but then I don’t believe some of the stuff I read in Piper, Mohler, Driscoll…well, just about anyone! But that’s alright. I still learn from the writings of others, rather than trash them as heretics (not that you’re doing that here…but many of Young’s critics do that). I think he’s a good brother with some great insights!
Posted 23 Aug 2008 at 4:04 pm ¶Bill,
I have to say that I understand that it is somewhat of an allegory, and for some reason my mind has a hard time relating to allegories.
I have never read Pilgrim’s Progress through for that reason. Though I have started it several times.
But my objection to the book goes further than that. Though I am sure that some of the conversations that Mack has with the God are comforting and helpful to his readers, his portrayal of God is neither comforting or helpful to me. I find it offensive, and unnecessary.
I don’t want to judge the author’s motives for doing so, but it seems like it did it for the shock value.
Anyway, I don’t mean to impugn anyone who finds the book helpful, or suggest that they are less than they ought to be. And I am glad we are friends!
Posted 23 Aug 2008 at 7:23 pm ¶Well, I absolutley LOVED THIS BOOK! I have read many on this subject, and this is by far the best book EVER! It hits the nail on the head as far as I am concern. This is somewhat what I believe. God is ALL good, he doesn’t judge us. Why do you think Jesus died for us? To relieve us of our sins. This makes sense for me.
Posted 28 Sep 2008 at 4:17 am ¶…When you read the book, have you try to list and compare the God it dipicts against what God actually says who He is in the bible?
Although this book have some good things, it also contain too many serious thological error.
Just to name one, “In the book, jesus answered “I am the best way to salvation….”but in the bible, we know what Jesus actually says, “I am THE way,THE truth, THE life; one one comes to the father but through me.”….As christian, it is essential that our faith rests upon this understanding of salvation - Jesus is the only way not just the best way.
I sincerely pray you will ask God to show you who He is through His words, so you can continue to worship Him in Spirit and in TRUTH, not in some imaginary thoughts of our own. Otherwise, you are not worship THE God, but a god… who is no GOD at all.
May God give you His dicernment in knowing the right from the wrong through the power of Holy Spirit when you approach him through our one and only sufficient mediator Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior who died for us for our sins.
God bless.
Posted 29 Sep 2008 at 8:17 pm ¶p.s: My lanaugage and tone might be very strong. I apologize if the tone offended some. I am not here to discredit this book all together. Rather, read my post and the things i pointed out as a note of caution: read this book with your own critical thinking and a discerning mind. Whether we like it or not, agreet or disagree, God is not going to be who you think He is, not even based on some of your personale experiences, but God will only be the God who He says who He is through His own words.
Posted 29 Sep 2008 at 8:29 pm ¶Trackbacks & Pingbacks 5
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