Weighing In

The Shack. Quite the book. Has caused quite the stir, both in the area of unpredicted and incredible sales in Christian and non-Christian or secular markets, as well as causing a stir among pastors, theologians and regular joe-blow Christians. I don't joe-blow Christians in a derogatory way either, i just mean people who don't get paid to be a Christian.

Anyway, i read this book a while ago. Like i think in the summer. I read it, put it down, and didn't think to much more about it. It didn't blow my mind, it didn't shatter my illusions, it didn't break down any barriers between me and God, but it did keep me occupied for a few hours when i needed occupation.

I had heard (much like with anything that gains secular noteriety) that some Christians hate this book and see it as evil. In all honesty, after reading it, i didn't come away with anything like that. But due to my incredible reading speed, my comprehension sometimes suffers, so i decided to read it again. But i haven't yet had that chance. Cara just finished reading it though, and every time she came across something potentially scandelous, or something she didn't understand we talked about it. It was a good excersise, though sometimes i found myself trying to explain what i assume the author meant by some of the dialogue that he wrote.

Then the other night at a board of elders and wives supper, i found myself at a table full of people discussing "The Shack". I was asked for my input and i gave it. I was more concerned with the ambiguous blurring of fact or fiction. The preface, the novel itself, as well as the afterword left me wondering if this was to be taken as fact, or not. And so i told my table-mates that i was more concerned with whether or not the book was supposed to be true. No one else seemed to care about that, and in fact, they seemed suprised that the truth of the story was what bothered me more then any of the "theological" problems people like Mark Driscoll seem to have. (though you have to take some of the stuff Marky Mark here say's with a heavy grain of salt). Anyway my point is, i am more concerned with whether or not it is true. If Willy P. Young holds to the truth of his novel, then i might begin to be concerned. But if this novel is William's best take on a situation turned into a story to help people understand faith and God, then i am not as concerned. Even if the book is not totally 100% correct in it's theology or his understanding of God it has opened the door for us to have conversations with not-believers about God. Now you may argue that why would we want to promote a book that may or may not promote untruths or "heresies" about God. Well, we probably wouldn't. But we also don't have to be totally ignorant of things in our culture that are opening doors for us to talk about faith and God. We don't need to have book burning parties. This is a way for us to engage our culture and our world, and we should be excited for that opportunity, rather then spending all of our time on blogs dissing the book.

So is it true or is it not true. Thats whjat i want to know. Cause to me, that is most important.