The Shack

I pondered reading "The Shack" for the last few months, mainly because of the mad popularity surrounding it. As I write this review the book is cur... (show more)

I pondered reading "The Shack" for the last few months, mainly because of the mad popularity surrounding it. As I write this review the book is currently #4 on Amazon.com where it has been reviewed 904 times. My copy says that there are already over 1 million copies in print - not bad for a novel released just over a year ago by a first-time author (William P. Young). I first heard of the book from Tim Challies at challies.com, where he criticized the book on many points and called for careful discernment when reading it. As a pastor, I thought it would be necessary to read in case a member of my congregation inquired about the content within the book. Last week, I had one such inquiry by an elderly woman in my church. She thought that the book was very good, although it had points of which she didn't agree. After speaking with her I decided to buy the book and give it a go. I completed reading it this morning with great relief. Personally, the experience of reading the book was far less satisfying than I anticipated. While uplifting and, to some degree, comforting, the book is theologically impotent. Any casual reader can determine that the book's overall attitude toward Scripture is persistently dismissive. Most characteristics of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (aka Papa, Jesus, and Sarayu) are drawn from metaphors of relationship and feelings. Hence, the Bible is never quoted or spoken of as authoritative or God-breathed. As one reviewer put it, "unlike the biblical Jesus, who constantly quoted the Old Testament and spent many post-resurrection hours 'opening their minds to understand the scriptures,' The Shack's Papa, Jesus, and Sarayu turn Mack's (the main character in the novel) attention away from Scripture, coaxing him to trust instead their simplistic lessons set in idyllic, Thomas Kinkade-like scenes and delivered in the familiar therapeutic language of our age."

More importantly, the biblical message of salvation through Christ alone is clearly absent. One might think that the message of Christ is not necessary for a novel about God in a world of pain. But while "The Shack" is fiction, it is clearly intended to communicate theological truths. The salvation of "Mack" is at the center of the story. But Mack is not saved from sin, death, and hell, but from organized religion and the fearful desire to control God's perfect design for the world. Salvation, then, is found by surrendering these misguided ideas and embracing the mystery of relationship. As Papa (God the Father) explains to Mack, "Submission is not about authority and it is not about obedience; it is all about relationships of love and respect. In fact, we are submitted to you in the same way...we want you to join us in our circle of relationship." To this end the book is very postmodern. The gospel according to William P. Young is about a journey toward a loving God who wants a loving relationship. Sin, death, and hell are not part of the story. The story is bound up in the mystery of a relationship. If sin, death, and hell are not part of the story, then there is also no need for Christ, substitution, and life. Furthermore, in "The Shack," God does not need to punish sin: "I don't need to punish people for sin. Sin is its own punishment, devouring form the inside. It's not my purpose to punish it; it's my joy to cure it." Moreover, Young claims that God has already forgiven all men of their sin, but that it remains for humans to accept this forgiveness - "In Jesus, I have forgiven all humans for their sins against me, but only some choose relationship." Does he mean all sins of every person? Is he advocating universalism? If so, this is an incomplete view of the Gospel. The Gospel is that all have sinned and are deserving of the just penalty of death. But God gave his son, Jesus, to be sin as a substitute for sinners. Yet Jesus conquered sin and death when he rose from the grave. Only those who look to his resurrection and have faith in Jesus alone will be "saved." By being united to Jesus through faith they will likewise be raised from the dead, for "there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus...If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you" (Romans 8:1, 11)

It is important to remember that Young is not trying to explain a systematic theology. Yet it's clear that he has theological intentions. Therefore, although this review is not exhaustive, it is imperative that the reader be discerning when reading the book. "The Shack," I believe, undermines the Bible. To that end, as one author put it, "The Shack is spiritual comfort food loaded with theological trans fat. Though not without some nutritional value, its effect on the body of Christ is more harmful than healthy." (show less)