"The Shack": The "Pilgrim's Progress" of Today?

I've had a number of friends in recent months rave about William P. Young's novel "The Shack", so this week I decided to pick it up and give it a read. Eugene Peterson wrote a pretty glowing review for the book: "When the imagination of a writer and the passion of a theologian cross-fertilize the result is a novel on the order of The Shack. This book has the potential to do for our generation what John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress did for his. It's that good!"

I'm embarrassed to say I haven't read Pilgrim's Progress yet, so I guess that's going to be added to my reading list. But so far I've been really impressed with this read. It's a short, easy, and engrossing book - I should be finished today or tomorrow. If you've already read it, I'd love to hear what you thought... however, as a courtesy to those of us who have not read it or finished it yet, please be careful not to give anything away!

[I'm participating in Watercooler Wednesday - check it out!]

Comments

[Curan]

the story is great alright but didn't God specifically told us not to create an image of Him whether from heaven above or sea below?

And didn't God the father is always referred to as father? And didn't Jesus address God as Our Father?

This man is portraying God as a girl,that would have made Jesus a liar.

True that God is spirit and has no gender but the fact that Jesus addresses Him as our Father, then we should have just call Him that way.

Again this is just my opinion.

[Ronald Wingenbach]

The Shack can be summed up in two words......."Living Loved"

And for all the critics out there why don't you try it!!!! It will change your life!

[Los]

Read it.
Love it.
Trying to Live it

[ally simpson]

This is only just reaching the UK in a month or so, looking forward to reading it after all the hype iv heard

[Amy]

I bought this book based on the buzz, but haven't had a chance to read it yet. I'll check back for your discussion of it.

[Carla]

Bryan's grandfather, a minister for several decades, taught the Pilgrim's Progress as a Wednesday night study on a regular basis, but I haven't read it myself either. Bryan has it, maybe I should read it first, then this one.

[Chris from Canada]

Hey Jeremy - All of our staff, elders and spouses have been reading this book over the past several months. Lots of great discussions happening. We're actually bringing Paul (William) up in a couple of weeks to do a dinner with us so we can just spend some time talking through some of the questions he raises in the book.

I think the book is good - not great - and Peterson's assessment is a little overstated. The general feeling around here is that the story is the story of theology. My senior pastor put it this way - "If I was teaching a Christian worldview class I'd give students two books - this one and one on systematic theology." Young takes the systems of theology and gives them characters, questions and answers to be lived out in "real" life.

[Angela Hart]

I'm in the middle of it too. I think it's pretty good. What's all the negative hype about though, do you know? I keep hearing that in some circles this book is being touted at heresy. I don't get it. Admittedly, I haven't read any negative reviews but it seems pretty straight up Christian to me. Is it because Papa is a woman?