The Shack: Don’t Read It Alone

Spirituality Column #90
July 29, 2008
Current! In Carmel (IN) newspaper
Current! In Westfield (IN) newspaper

The Shack: Don’t Read It Alone
By Bob Walters

Everybody is talking about The Shack, the terrific 240-page paperback by novice writer William P. Young.

The Shack is a novel, not a Christian tract or self-help book. It’s not scripture or a new book of the Bible. I say that because Christians sometimes get carried away with how they misidentify especially helpful literature, sermons and preachers.

So let’s not worship this book … but by all means, read it. And if you can, read it with someone else. This is a book you will want to discuss.

The Shack reveals plain yet potentially startling Biblical perspectives – I’m inclined to call them truths – about the nature of God, the Trinity, humanity, religion, creation, good, evil, grace, forgiveness … and a whole lot of other stuff.

Like any good novel the basic story is captivating. Surprises abound. Curiosity is whetted. Emotions are intensely experienced. The writing is first rate. The factual and scriptural basis of the story – like one of Jesus’ parables or even a great sermon – allows for deeper understanding of our faith – and doubts – amid God’s enormous mystery.

Without giving away the story, something really evil involving great personal loss happens. Redemption ensues. And while some Christians’ favorite subjects are guilt and hell, Young avoids the traps of focusing on these defeating concepts. I say “defeating” because in my experience when guilt and hell comprise our inwardly-directed spiritual focus, we are a mess of inab ility to know God’s love; and when they are outwardly directed, we are unable to share God’s love.

Young’s focus is love and relationship, and his palette is truth and humanity. Christ imagery is a common literary device, but the image Young paints of Christ is fresh, surprising … and straight out of the Bible.

If there is a limitation on the broadness of the book’s potential popularity, it might be that it describes with absolute confidence – and stunning realism – the truth of the Trinity. It also blows apart many common mistakes made by Bible literalists, revisionists, and systematic theologies.

What the book describes is a God without limitations who craves a personal relationship with every person on this planet. It’s a God I want to love.

Walters (rlwcom@aol.com) has intentionally said almost nothing about the story content and theological muscle of The Shack. It’s too good to ruin.