'the SHACK' ~ clarity or heresy?

'The Shack' written by Paul Young 2007

A couple of weeks ago a friend of mine and my husband asked if we would read this book and give our honest opinions. I had heard bits and pieces here and there of the content of the book but really had no idea what it was about. I knew there was a shack involved however! (=
We live in a society that is largely influenced by experiences. Common questions are asked like, "How did it make you feel?", "What did you get out of it?", "What was your interpretation of what was being said?". We all want to know what the other is thinking, I mean lets be honest, FACEBOOK, we write little blurps about where we are, what we're eating etc etc. Even now, I'm writing on a blog and will soon be submitting it out on to the World Wide Web for any and all to read. We want to know anything and everything that we can about one another!

Starting this book I had no preconceived notions about anything. I was reading to provide my friend with a well thought out clear opinion. the first few chapters were definitely gut wrenching, being a parent I was able to look at it through my parental eyes. However, when the book entered into the "shack experience" things began to get somewhat "hairy" for me...

By the time you reach chapter 8 a multitude of things have occurred. First, we've been introduced to the three main "god-like" characters: Papa (a large Africa-American woman; God), Jesus (a simple 'workman'; Indian like in appearance) and then Sarayu (a small Asian looking woman that has a glow-like appearance; Holy Spirit). My first shock was the comparison between God shown as a woman. I understand that the writer might have been trying to show that we are the ones that put limits on God by "genderizing" him, still, I found it somewhat disrespectful to make this comparison. Not only that, the Bible continually refers to God in the 'He' tense. The male reference is the ONLY one used when referring to Him throughout the scriptures. I feel that there could have been a more tactful way to do this. So on page 125 we are in the middle of a meal being had by all three God characters along with Mack (the one having the experience). There's some small talk going on and then discussions about who/what these three are and their relationship to one another and their functions. Mack proceeds to ask the question,
"Who is the one in charge or the boss?"
All three are somewhat shocked by the question but he is responded to by Sarayu (Holy Spirit) with the following,
"Mackenzie, we have no concept of final authority among us, only unity. We are in a circle of relationship, not a chain of command or 'great chain of being', as your ancestors termed it. What you're seeing here is a relationship without any overlay of power. We don't need power over the other because we are always looking out for the best. Heirarchy would make no sense among us. Actually, this is your problem, not ours." 1 Corinthians 15:28 says, "When all things are subjected to Him, then the Son Himself will also be subjected to the One who subjected all things to Him, so that God may be all in all." There are several areas throughout the Bible where references are made to he submission of the Son to the Father. John 6:38-39 says, "For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day." Young gets this entirely wrong. The relationship of the Trinity is to be an example to us of how we are to submit not only to God but also to any authority(ies) that He so chooses to put over us.
The Bible states in Matthew 24:36
"But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone."
That makes clear that there is a sort of distinction or "chain of command" amongst the Godhead. Not to make any one less powerful than the other. Just that there are things that God the Father knows that God the Son does not.

Page 125 makes another statement:
Sarayu says, "We carefully respect your choices, so we work within your systems even while we seek to free you from them...Creation has been taken down a very different path than we desired..."
Its as though the writer is stripping God(Godhead) of any and all power. As if God needs to make Himself fit into our way(s) of doing things. He went to, I would say, unthinkable links to reference God as a woman so as not to "put Him in our box" but yet makes statements like, "we work within your systems" and "creation has gone down a different path than they desired". I firmly believe that God is all powerful and all knowing, there is nothing that happens, happened or will happen that He is not 100% aware of. He is God and in total control.

Page 120 there are references to sin.
Isaiah 59:2 says, "But your iniquities (sin) have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you so that He does not hear."
The character "Papa" says, "I don't need to punish people for sin. Sin is its own punishment, devouring from the inside. It's not my purpose to punish; it's my joy to cure it!" God cannot have anything to do with sin. Sin and God are like water and oil, they cannot mix within one another. Just like you shape and mold a child by punishing them when they do wrong, God does the same with His children. He doesn't stand idly by and say nothing. Sometimes His discipline hurts more than the sin, but He does it because He loves us.

Page 182: Jesus says,
"Those who love me come from every stream that exists. They are Buddhists or Mormons, Baptists or Muslims, Democrats, Republicans and many who don't vote or are not part of any Sunday morning or religious institutions." Mack then asks for clarification, "Does that mean...that all roads will lead to you?" "Not at all", smiles Jesus, "Most roads don't lead anywhere. What it does mean is that I will travel any road to find you."
This is completely against what scripture teaches! Matthew 7:13-14 says,
"Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it."
These verses say nothing about God seeking us out along these pathways. We have the Bible to be our direction and guidebook. In no way does God throw us out against the wind and say, "Okay, have at it!" On the contrary, He shows us the paths that will lead us to Him. The Bible says, "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. (Psalm 119:105)" We have everything we need to know about how to live, think and be all recorded for us in the Bible. It's not a game of cat and mouse between us and God as we walk/travel/journey through this life.
Young also states through the characters that Jesus is simply the "BEST" way to get to know Papa (GOD) not like what the Bible says in John 14:6, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through me."
He didn't say Jesus was the ONLY way, just the BEST. There is just not a clear understanding of what the gospel is, according to the Bible. Young depicts sin as something that God doesn't punish, and also, that there might be another way to God other than Jesus. Two things that the Bible is VERY clear on!

The Trinity or Godhead. A very complex idea of the whos and what of God. We can understand the Trinity as far as the Bible gives us information on it. We know that all three are God, but yet all three are One. The most understandable example I've heard is this.
An egg has 3 equal parts. The shell, the white, the yoke. All three different, but all three make up the 1 egg. The trinity functions in the same manner. There is God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. All three distinctly different yet all three are the 1 true God. The Bible makes it clear that we are not to put God into any type of image form, the Creator cannot become the creation. Putting God in an image form would be committing the sin of idolatry. Romans 1:22-23 states, "Professing to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures." The Apostle Paul says that the wrath of God is poured out on any who would do such a thing. So how can we condone what Young has done to God through his book?

Lastly, throughout the Bible when we encounter those that were given the gift of being able to see God there are very different reactions than that of Mack. Isaiah the prophet reacted by saying, "Woe is me! A man of unclean lips." He declared a curse on himself for being a man whose lips had uttered unclean words. Moses fell on his face when God appeared to him in the burning bush. However, when we look to the reaction that Young depicts Mack to have had, is vastly different. Mack uses foul language such as damn and SOB. He also reacts to God out of anger where Papa shows sadness and it in turn makes Him (Her) cry. Obviously this man was not in the presence of the One true God, but rather, a peer. The God portrayed in the Shack is NOT the God described in the Bible.

In conclusion, this is a book that is not meant to teach one the truths of the Bible or even God. There are too many errors that can only confuse one about the truth(s) of God. At the end of the book there was the point of forgiveness that was made which I do believe more need to understand. Forgiveness is something that we as Christians must exercise no matter the circumstance (death, tragedy etc) however, I would not recommend this publication to one needing to grasp that understanding. I would turn them to the book of Job in the Bible. A book full of tragedy, despair, hurt and anger yet the correct responses, teaching and reactions are given throughout. My righteous anger towards 'the Shack' spawns from the fact that there are millions of these books out and probably millions more set to be printed. The God in this book is not the God of the Bible and definitely not the God I call Lord. It can mislead a non-christian as much as it can mislead a Christian. I felt it necessary to defend the true God against Young's depiction of God.

1 John 4:1
"Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world."

Use wisdom and discernment in all things concerning Him...