The Shack
"Why does God allow bad things to happen?" It's a question that will never stop being asked and one that never has an easy answer. The things that take place in our world that cause such a question to surface have also been the cause for many people to turn from God completely.
William P. Young's The Shack addresses this question as he writes about the inner struggle of a man named Mack who has had to deal with death and abuse. I'm not qualified to critique the writing style of Young, but I will say the book does a great job of addressing the question through a fable. I'll admit that it was a bit strange, but all in all he does a great job of helping readers think about how God also has to deal with evil as well. If you have dealt with some type of heart ache in life which in turn may have put a strain on your relationship with God, then I think you will enjoy this book. It doesn't have to be an experience with death or abuse. The story simply helps you handle thoughts that cause your frustration with God. Besides, the book is becoming very popular and it wouldn't hurt to know what everyone is talking about, right?
I did notice in the back of the book an ad by the publisher Wind Blown Media. It was an ad for another book they put out that I highly recommend. It's So, You Don't Want to Go to Church Anymore? by Jake Colsen.
3 comments:
I plan on reading "The Shack" sometime soon. My reading list for this year continues to grow. I don't know what I think about that yet.
My young adults group at church recently studied the book of Habakkuk together, with our teaching pastors bringing some clarity to the question "Why does God allow bad things to happen?" in light of this book in the Bible. It was very interesting and an ongoing conversation and question that will never fully be answered in this world as we know it today.
If anyone is interested, you can download all the podcasts of this message series on iTunes under "Inversion Fellowship."
I'm going to have to read this book. That's twice in one week a "trusted friend" has suggested reading this book. The topic is awesome.
I read some reviews on Amazon, after writing this one. Let me just add this statement for those who may find this post and want to argue with the book from a theological perspective.
Odds are - I may agree with you, but remember that this is just a story and readers are left at the end to decide just how "true" it is. One thing is clear to me, it makes for a good discussion.
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