# Book Review of The Shack



## greenbaggins (Apr 1, 2009)

There is a new book review of The Shack out there in this month's Ordained Servant. There is a reference in that review to a name that I know I've seen somewhere before. I believe it is the first time that name has been quoted in print before. See here.


----------



## Scottish Lass (Apr 1, 2009)

Congratulations!


----------



## MMasztal (Apr 1, 2009)

Congratulations. Sadly, this book has been making the rounds in the Christian school where I teach. Everyone seems to love it. I was given a copy by a student for a Christmas present last December. Not knowing anything about it, I read it and was shocked at the number of blatant heresies contained in the pages of The Shack.

A H.S. student showed me her copy and asked if I had read it. I told her I had and gave her my opinion on the book. Well, she told her parents who I found out were "Shack"-fans which promptly resulted in a parent-teacher conference with the Head of School  This is my first year teaching at the school.

Things actually went well. Sadly, they subscribe to the "Jesus is my friend"/Guideposts type of theology. I unapologetically explained my views and hopefully drove home the point that anything other than a high view of God is lacking truth. 

For what it's worth, I'll be back next fall for another year.


----------



## Backwoods Presbyterian (Apr 1, 2009)

Amen Brother! May God Bless your tenure.


----------



## DonP (Apr 1, 2009)

Cool a PCA minister makes a quote in the OPC officers magazine. 

But the weakness to me is it turns God into the new age healer of emotional damage and baggage. 

Rather than the savior of sin and deliverer from sinning. The important healing. 

Healing the emotions and satisfying understanding would lave one going to hell and feeling a little better here on earth.


----------



## INsearch (May 26, 2009)

greenbaggins said:


> There is a new book review of The Shack out there in this month's Ordained Servant. There is a reference in that review to a name that I know I've seen somewhere before. I believe it is the first time that name has been quoted in print before. See here.


..... review had me in utter shock... what a crazy sounding book, I had never heard of it till today and I already know I don't want to read a single page of it! congrats on the quote man!


----------



## PresbyDane (May 27, 2009)

Congratulations


----------



## CDM (May 27, 2009)

This is one of those times that my six year old son has the best answer:

"The book lies about God, we shouldn't read it . . ."

His position remains unrefuted to this day.


----------



## shackleton (Jul 16, 2009)

I just picked it up and decided to read it since there is so much talk about it.

There seems to be a trend nowadays of people trying to escape the feeling that God is a mean, hate filled, vindictive ogre who is just waiting to smite everyone and gets nothing but pleasure from doing this. A lot of books, especially those from the emergent camp, seem to focus on trying to make people shed this notion of God. Most of these folks, like McLaren and a few pastors I know of personally around here, came from very legalistic churches where there was a lot of talk of God and his wrath against people who disobey the law and little if any talk of God's grace or the gospel. (All law and no gospel) The church would teach how to keep God happy and thus keep you from being smitten by his anger. (Which usually just included things like, don't drink, don't smoke, don't dance, don't listen to certain kinds of music, etc. But these are all things that have to do with the flesh and nothing to do with real holiness.) This leads to the belief that I am only pleasing to God if I am perfect and through trial and error realize that I cannot obtain perfection and so left with the feeling of futility that God will never be pleased with me I become angry and bitter or cynical and don't want anymore to do with God or the church. 

So along comes a movement that tries to portray God as loving but goes so far that God is pretty much a pushover who could not help mankind if he wanted to. Someone no one would respect. Someone who could not ultimately free the world from evil the way the bible states that he does. 

I came from a movement like this and struggle to see God as _not _being, a hateful, vindictive, ogre. The relationship with my own father helps feed this, sort of like Mack in the story, but I do not think the God portrayed in "The Shack" is the answer.


----------



## awretchsavedbygrace (Jul 16, 2009)

"Mack tried again to look at the Asian woman ... . From her attire, Mack assumed that she was a groundskeeper or gardener ... . [T]he large woman put her arm around Mack's shoulders, drew him to her, and said, "Okay, we should probably introduce ourselves to you. I am the housekeeper and cook"... . "And I," interrupted the man who looked to be in his thirties and stood a little shorter than Mack himself, "I try to keep things fixed up around here. I enjoy working with my hands, although, as these two will tell you, I take pleasure in cooking and gardening as much as they do" (85-86)."


Right...... 

-----Added 7/16/2009 at 04:23:46 EST-----

'Then,' Mack struggled to ask, 'which one of you is God?' 'I am,' said all three in unison" (87).


Right.......


----------



## SolaScriptura (Jul 16, 2009)

Lane,

May it be the first of but many...


----------



## Romans922 (Jul 16, 2009)

Lane, 

Do you think the Ordained Servant 'review' was a good one?


----------



## Andres (Jul 16, 2009)

Congrats! 

My aunt gave me The Shack for my last birthday. I honestly did not know how to react when I unwrapped the gift. I gave her an obligatory smile and thank you. The book has been relegated to the bottom of one my bookshelves. How long am I required to keep it before I can just throw it away? (My bday was in March.)


----------



## greenbaggins (Jul 16, 2009)

Romans922 said:


> Lane,
> 
> Do you think the Ordained Servant 'review' was a good one?



I thought it was a good review. The main weaknesses of the book were certainly laid out for all to see.


----------



## awretchsavedbygrace (Jul 16, 2009)

Andres said:


> Congrats!
> 
> My aunt gave me The Shack for my last birthday. I honestly did not know how to react when I unwrapped the gift. I gave her an obligatory smile and thank you. The book has been relegated to the bottom of one my bookshelves. How long am I required to keep it before I can just throw it away? (My bday was in March.)



As soon as she turned her back away, you could of thrown it out. Is she a Christian?


----------



## Andres (Jul 16, 2009)

XBlackWaterX said:


> Andres said:
> 
> 
> > Congrats!
> ...



Sadly, I am not sure. She certainly professes to be, but she also enjoys Joel Osteen. I have explained to her before how Osteen preaches a false gospel and she knows of my disdain for him. My family on that side (mother's side) are Roman Catholic. My aunt does attend a Methodist church now, but I visited with her one Sunday and the Methodist church was not any better. Please pray for our differences in doctrine to allow for an opportunity to share the gospel, rather than divide.


----------



## Romans922 (Jul 16, 2009)

Andres said:


> XBlackWaterX said:
> 
> 
> > Andres said:
> ...



Sounds like my mother-in-law, who also recommended the shack, as well as my mom who would be a RC, who also recommended the shack. Very interesting.


----------

