Over the past few months I have heard a great deal of people talking about and asking my opinion of the book, The Shack. The Shack is an allegorical story set in the Northwestern United States. In the story the protagonist, Mack, is struggling with a “Great Sadness” after the abduction and murder of his youngest daughter, Missy while he and his children are on a camping trip. One winter day when Mack goes out to check the mail he finds a note in his mailbox from “Papa,” a name used by his wife to describe God, inviting him to return to the shack where evidence of Missy’s murder was found a few years earlier. After sending his wife and children to spend a few days with his wife’s sister, Mack travels to the shack to meet “God.” When he arrives the shack looks much like it did the first time he saw it. As he starts to leave the shack it is transformed into a picturesque cabin complete with tenants. As Mack approaches the door to knock he is greeted by “a large beaming African-American woman” who Mack identifies as “God” but refers to as “Papa.” He is also introduced to the two other occupants, a Middle Eastern workman identified as “Jesus” and a “small distinctively Asian woman” by the name of “Sarayu” who of course represents the Holy Spirit. Over the course of what appear to Mack to be a weekend, he spends time with all three who supposedly make up the Triune God. During the visit Mack confronts the “Great Sadness” of Missy’s death and experiences healing and a restored relationship with “God” as a result of what he learns form his three hosts. In the final pages of the story the body of Missy is recovered with “Papa’s” help and her body is reburied before Mack returns home only to be involved in an automobile accident on the way and is forced to spend some time in the hospital. Afterward he leads his wife and authorities back to the shack where he shows them Missy’s grave as well as the trail back to the place where her abductor had left her body. With this new information the abductor is found and prosecuted for several murders involving young girls. Of course, this is only a brief summary of the book itself. However, the issue is not with the book’s story, but its theology.
Some might argue that since this is considered to be a work of fiction or allegory, then its views regarding God should not be taken theologically. However, any statement about God or any portrayal of God is in itself a theological statement since theology is the study of God. So what theological problems does this book present?
First of all, the idea which seems to be at the center of the book and is primarily treated during the cabin scene is the idea that Christianity as it is understood and taught today is not what God actually intends. In other words Christianity has been misconstrued by man and is much more stringent than what God actually intends. Certainly in many instances man has read into Scripture undue expectations upon believers, but to call into question all of Christianity in the way that the book does is to come close to making the same assertion that many cults do and that is this: Christianity as it is today is not what God intended and it is necessary to correct some of the “errors” and being it back into line with what God intended all along.
Second, and one of the most obvious theological errors of the book, has to do with the characterization of God as a large African-American woman. This is in direct contradiction to what the Bible teaches. No where in the Bible is God referred to as a woman neither is the Holy Spirit referred to as a woman, but always God the Father and the Holy Spirit are referred to in the masculine.
Third, on page 99, Papa declares, “When we three spoke ourselves into human existence as the Son of God, we became fully human.” To begin, the Son of God was not spoken into existence, but according to the New Testament, “when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law” (Galatians 4:4). Jesus was born just as we were in order that he might be fully human and fully God so that he could completely identify with those for whom He died. Also, the Trinity did not speak themselves into human existence in Jesus Christ, but instead Jesus Christ is God the Son the second person of the Trinity.
Fourth, on that same page Papa makes yet another statement that clearly conflicts with what the New Testament teaches about Christ. She states, “Jesus is fully human. Although he is also fully God, he has never drawn upon his nature as God to do anything. He has only lived out of his relationship with me, living in the very same manner that I desire to be in relationship with every human being.” Now, it is true that Jesus is fully human. It is also true that He enjoys the same relationship with God the Father that God desires to share with every human being. However, to state that Jesus never drew upon His nature as God is to deny the clear accounts of Jesus miracles in the Gospels. It would also shed doubt on the resurrection since there is no doubt that such a miracle would require Jesus to draw upon his nature as God. Jesus said, “For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life so that I may take it again. No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father." (John 10:17-18)
Also, on page 110, Jesus says, “I am the best way any human can relate to Papa or Sarayu.” This is not what the Biblical Jesus says. He emphatically states in John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life and no one comes to the Father but through me.” Jesus is clear. He is not the best way, as though there are other ways to the Father that are equally effective, He is the only way! If this statement is not clear enough, on page 182, Jesus states, “Those who love me come from every system that exists. They were Buddhists or Mormons, Baptists or Muslims…” This could be understood to mean that followers have come from all of these walks of life and many more and that would be an accurate statement. However, Jesus continues by saying a few lines later, “I have no desire to make them Christians, but I do want to join them in their transformation into sons and daughters of my Papa, into my brothers and sisters, into my Beloved.” So if he has no desire for them to be Christians, then what does he want them to be? Christians, true Christians, are Christ followers. The only way for any one to enter the family of God is by repenting and inviting Christ into his or her life as both Lord and Savior.
Then, on page 145, Jesus says, in reference to the idea of lordship and submission, “That’s the beauty you see in my relationship with Abba and Sarayu. We are indeed submitted to one another and have always been so and always will be. Papa is as much submitted to me as I to him, or Sarayu to me or Papa to her. It is all about relationships of love and respect. In fact, we are submitted to you in the same way.” This does not in anyway square with the teachings of the Bible. God is not submitted to mankind. Granted, there are instances in which God gives in to the requests of man, but He is not required to do so. He is God. Not to mention the fact that Jesus also submitted to the will of the Father and declared so on several occasions not the least of which occurs in John 6:38 when He plainly says, “For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.”
Though The Shack is intriguing in its story, it is insidious in its portrayal of God and His relationship to man. This is certainly not a book I would recommend much less consider it required reading for those who attend the church in which I pastor. Though what this book presents sounds appealing, it is contrary to the teachings of Scripture which is to always be our final authority in all matters, but especially in matters of theology.
For other's comments regarding this book, let me recommend the following:
I realize that I have been very lax in posting to this blog, and to anyone who has been disappointed on this point, I apologize and I am trying to be more diligent in my writing. Recently, I have sensed a strong urging of the Holy Spirit to post a new entry, but I had no idea what until a moment ago. As part of my devotional life for the past couple of months, I have been reading through the psalms. For anyone who has ever read slowly, patiently, and prayerfully through the psalms, I do not have to tell you what a treasure trove the book of Psalms is. For everyone else, let me encourage you to make this part of your devotional reading as soon as possible. Today, I read through Psalm 86. As I read the very first verse, my mind went back to a scene from yesterday. My wife had asked me to go to the store and get a few things she needed. So I stopped my afternoon custom of catching up on the latest news, which of course included frequent reminders of the deplorable shape that our economy is in and how hard people are being hit, and I set out for the local grocery store. I made my way through the aisles and was about to pick up the last item that I needed, a loaf of bread, when I noticed a shopping cart that had stopped beside me. Then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw her. A lovely young girl sitting in the cart on a cushion. Normally, that would not have even caught my attention except for the fact that this child had no hair, presumably from having undergone cancer treatments. Since then, I have thought about that incident a great deal. Then, a moment ago, I read Psalm 86:1 which says, "Incline Your ear, O LORD, and answer me; For I am afflicted and needy." As I read that verse with the previous day's image still bearing down on my mind two thoughts came to my mind. First, I thought about the young lady in the grocery store and the fact that if ever there was anyone who was in need of God to meet a physical need she was it. The other thought was that I had to admit, "I am blessed!" Compared to that young lady and the countless others in the same condition, I am blessed beyond measure. I have my health, my family, an income, a place to live, friends, and a Savior who died for me! And even if any or all of the aforem
entioned blessings were absent, the assurance of a loving Savior would still be a treasure too great for the world to hold. As I read on, the psalmist writes, "For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, And abundant in lovingkindness to all who call upon You." It is a comfort to know that every child of God, no matter what circumstance, economic or otherwise, he or she may be in at the present, there will never be a time when he or she is truly poor because we are a child of the King! I am confident that at some point sooner or later our nation will find itself on the road to economic recovery, but until that time brothers and sisters, remember we have an abundance in Christ. Our only need to share it with a world that is spirtually impoverished.
I just returned home last night from spending the first part of the week in the Montgomery area for the 2008 Alabama Baptist Pastor's Conference and Convention. The statewide emphasis for 2008-2009 is LEADERconnect. This year I was accompanied by my minister of music Donny Burns. It was his first opportunity to attend the convention and we enjoyed not only a great time at both the events, but we also enjoyed great fellowship as well as some uninterrupted discussions regarding church matters. Of all the state conventions that I have attended (granted there has not been THAT many, but I have still attended enough to know what to expect.) this years was was the best by far. It was an unusually great time of worship, encouragement, exhortation, fellowship, and celebration. For a great summary, check out John Killian's blog Musings from Maytown. Just allow me to say that this years convention made me extremely proud to be an Alabama Baptist. I truly believe that there is no better state convention with which one can be affiliated. This year's convention with its atmosphere of unity, has served to remind me of the truth that we can accomplish more through cooperation than any one church can on its own. As the scripture says, 
Two are better than one, Because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, For he has no one to help him up. Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; But how can one be warm alone? Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken. -Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
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