A couple of weeks ago, I got emails on the same day from two different people in the church telling me that I had to read this book called "The Shack." Knowing I was going to be taking some time off, I picked it up and gave it a read.
A little background: The Shack has been one of those books that "came out of nowhere" and has steadily climbed the bestseller charts. Even though it was published over a year ago, as of today, it is the #10 bestselling book of all books on Amazon.com. It has created a lot of buzz from people who love its message of redemption to many in Christian circles bashing it for its obvious theological errors and twisting of fundamental Scriptural principles.
I mostly enjoyed reading "The Shack." The reader - especially the reader who is a Christ-follower - must understand that it is a work of fiction. Many of the descriptions of God, the Trinity, and His sovereignty are not accurate. Yet there is much that is Truth within this little book. That's what makes a book like this potentially dangerous to the reader who does not know what he or she actually believes as truth.
The appeal of "The Shack" is obvious. It taps into the emotional reservoirs that are common for us all: the guilt of past mistakes, personal failures, trying to understand why tragedies occur, and ultimately, making sense of God. As I was reading, I could easily relate to the emotional state of the main character (Mack) and to the questions about life that he had. Everyone shares the common experience of heartbreak at some point in life. And, everyone is looking for healing and hope.
The Shack attempts to provide that healing and hope through its fictional characters. While the story is genuinely relatable and its redemptive ending feels good to the reader, its inaccuracies in Truth should be a caution to anyone who reads it. Don't go looking to "The Shack" to give you hope in your circumstances. Don't go looking to "The Shack" to provide emotional healing for some hurt you may have. Don't go looking to "The Shack" for a better understanding of God.
Look to God's Word found in The Bible for hope, healing, and understanding. That is the only place to find absolute Truth in our world.
Should you read The Shack? You may enjoy it. You may want to stay away from it. I trust you can make that decision for yourself.
Just remember that ultimate Truth, life-changing Truth, is not found in an old wooden barn in the middle of the woods. It's found only in the Holy Word of God.
PS - Have you read this book? Leave a comment and share what you thought about it.
