#the shack

What Does The Shack Really Teach? “Lies We Believe About God” Tells Us

The Shack has sold twenty million copies and along the way generated at least twenty million conversations. Many of these have been attempts to discern the fact behind the fiction, to interpret what Paul Young means to teach through his story. Some have read the novel as a fresh expression of Christian orthodoxy while others have read it as rank heresy. In the end, only Young knows what he really believes. At least, that was the case until the release …

Letters to the Editor (The Shack, Catechisms, Worship, Tolkien)

Letters to the editor continue to come in at a steady clip. I received some really interesting ones this week, and am glad to share a selection representing a variety of topics. Letters on Why I Won’t Be Seeing (or Reviewing) The Shack Movie and Why Papa of The Shack Is Not Aslan of Narnia At first I wanted to chalk your views up as legalistic. But the further I read, I realized your argument is valid. As a child my image …

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Ask Me Anything (Catechisms, Images of God, that Book/Movie)

Ask Me Anything is an opportunity for you to submit questions that are related or unrelated to things I’ve written, and for me to take a shot at answer them. This week’s questions deal with catechisms, images of God, and, indirectly, The Shack. I am looking for clarification on “Use Your Catechism, Silly” regarding the use of human actors portraying God the Son. D.A. Carson was recently on a podcast discussing theology and he mentioned The Passion of the Christ. Specifically …

Why Papa of The Shack Is not Aslan of Narnia

It’s hardly theological novelty or historical oddity to suggest we should be wary of presenting the immaterial God in physical form. This was the point of my recent article on The Shack movie in which I expressed my concern that its portrayal of God the Father and God the Holy Spirit is a violation of the second commandment. I was surprised by the scope and tone of the response. Yet amid many retorts and accusations, I received one thoughtful question …

Letters to the Editor (The Shack, Christian Coloring Books)

Not surprisingly, I suppose, my comments on The Shack led to an outpouring of letters—literally hundreds of them. I will share a selection from readers who agreed and who disagreed with my position. The most common question I received is “What about Narnia?” and I hope to address that next week. Also, my comments that “It’s wrong to portray Father and Spirit as human beings” were interpreted by some to say, “It’s fine to portray Father and Spirit as a …

Why I Won’t Be Seeing (or Reviewing) The Shack Movie

The day The Shack sold its hundred thousandth copy, it became likely there would be a movie adaption. The day it sold its millionth, it became practically guaranteed. And, sure enough, it comes to theaters March 3, starring Sam Worthington, Octavia Spencer, and Tim McGraw. For some time, I have been considering whether I should see and review it. I am quite sure that watching and reviewing The Shack would prove to be a wise business decision. I could get …

The Bestsellers: The Shack

A short time ago I launched a new series called “The Bestsellers.” The Evangelical Christian Publishers Association tracks sales of Christian books, and awards the Platinum Book Award for books whose sales exceed one million, and the Diamond Book Award for sales exceeding ten million. In this series I am looking at the history and impact of some of the Christian books that have sold more than a million copies—no small feat when the average Christian books sells only a …

“The Shack” by William P. Young

I am certain that there is no other book I’ve been asked to review more times than William P. Young’s The Shack, a book that is currently well within the top-100 best-selling titles at Amazon. The book, it seems, is becoming a hit and especially so among students and among those who are part of the Emergent Church. In the past few weeks many concerned readers have written to ask if I would be willing to read it and to …