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The Shack | 
| Author: William P. Young
Publisher: Windblown Media
List Price: $14.99
Buy New: $8.24
You Save: $6.75 (45%)
Rating:  1982 reviews
Sales Rank: 6
Format: Kindle Book
Media: Kindle Edition
Edition: 1st
Pages: 256
Number Of Items: 1
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.6
ASIN: B001B8Z2S0
Publication Date: June 20, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
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Product Description
Mackenzie Allen Philips' youngest daughter, Missy, has been abducted during a family vacation and evidence that she may have been brutally murdered is found in an abandoned shack deep in the Oregon wilderness. Four years later in the midst of his Great Sadness, Mack receives a suspicious note, apparently from God, inviting him back to that shack for a weekend. Against his better judgment he arrives at the shack on a wintry afternoon and walks back into his darkest nightmare. What he finds there will change Mack's world forever. In a world where religion seems to grow increasingly irrelevant "The Shack" wrestles with the timeless question, "Where is God in a world so filled with unspeakable pain?" The answers Mack gets will astound you and perhaps transform you as much as it did him. You'll want everyone you know to read this book!
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| Customer Reviews: Read 1977 more reviews...
 Time to Rain on this Parade January 18, 2008
Tim Challies (Oakville, Ontario)
2059 out of 2837 found this review helpful
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 provide a review. Because I am always interested in books that are popular among Christians, I was glad to comply.
First, a word about the book as it is written. William Young shows himself to be a capable writer, though I would not have believed it through the first couple of chapters. The book began with far too many awkward sentences and awkward sentence constructs (e.g. "One can almost hear a unified sigh rise from the nearby city and surrounding countryside where Nature has intervened to give respite to the weary humans slogging it out within her purview"). But as it went on and as the story took over the book became easier to read. The story itself is interesting enough, though certainly it lacks originality. The last chapter should have been left on the editing room floor and the final paragraph (before the "After Words") was a ridiculously terse attempt to provide closure to remaining plot lines. But on the whole the book is readable and enjoyable. Never does it become boring, even after long pages of nothing but dialog.
But Young did not write this book for the story. This book is all about the content and about the teaching it contains. The book's reviews focus not on the quality of the story but on its spiritual or emotional impact. Eugene Peterson grasps this, saying in his glowing endorsement, "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!" Could it really be that good? Is it good enough to warrant positive comparison to the English-language book that has been read more widely than any other save the Bible? Let's turn to the book's content and find out.
The Shack revolves around Mack (Mackenzie) Philips. Four years before this story begins, Mack's young daughter, Missy, was abducted during a family vacation. Though her body was never found, the police did find evidence in an abandoned shack to prove that she had been brutally murdered by a notorious serial killer who preyed on young girls. As the story begins, Mack, who has been living in the shadow of his Great Sadness, receives a strange note that is apparently from God. God invites Mack to return to this shack for a get together. Though uncertain, Mack visits the scene of the crime and there has a weekend-long encounter with God, or, more properly, with the godhead.
Young covers a wide variety of theological topics in this book, each of which is relevant to the theme of Mack's suffering and his inability to trust in a God who could let his daughter be treated in such a horrifying way. The author is unafraid to tackle subjects of deep theological import--a courageous thing to do in so difficult a genre as fiction. The reader will find himself diving into deep waters as he reads this book. Unfortunately much of this theology is simply inconsistent with the Bible. Young shares strange ideas on the Trinity, the way God reveals Himself to us, forgiveness and a variety of other topics.
Despite the great amount of poor theology, my greatest concern is probably this one: the book has a quietly subversive quality to it. Young seems set on undermining orthodoxy Christianity. For example, at one point Mack states that, despite years of seminary and years of being a Christian, most of the things taught to him at the shack have never occurred to him before. Later he says, "I understand what you're saying. I did that for years after seminary. I had the right answers, sometimes, but I didn't know you. This weekend, sharing life with you has been far more illuminating than any of those answers."
Throughout the book there is this kind of subversive strain teaching that new and fresh revelation is much more relevant and important than the kind of knowledge we gain in sermons or seminaries or Scripture. Young's readers seem to be picking up on this. Read this brief Amazon review as an example: "Wish I could take back all the years in seminary! The years the locusts ate???? Systematic theology was never this good. Shack will be read again and again. With relish. Shared with friends, family, and strangers. I can fly! It's a gift. `Discipleship' will never be lessons again." Another reviewer warns that many Christians will find the book difficult to read because of their "modern" mindsets. "If one is coming from a strong, propositional and, perhaps, fundamentalist perspective to the Bible, this book certainly will be threatening." Still another says "This book was so shocking to my "staid" Christianity but it was eye opening to my own thoughts about who I think God is." At several points I felt as if the author was encouraging the reader to doubt what they know of Christianity--to deconstruct what they know of Christian theology--and to embrace something new. But the faith Young reconstructs is simply not the faith of the Bible.
Because of the sheer volume of error and because of the importance of the doctrines reinvented by the author, I would encourage Christians, and especially young Christians, to decline this invitation to meet with God in The Shack. It is not worth reading for the story and certainly not worth reading for the theology.
You may wish to read a more thorough review on my Amazon author blog...
This is THE book for you, IF... October 24, 2007
Michael Burton
1615 out of 2319 found this review helpful
To the many 5 star reviewers, may I respectfully ask you to step back, take a deep breath, and then give this book a second look, viewing it only through the prism of Scripture? Upon sober reflection, perhaps you will discern that this IS an amazing book and THE book for you if, and only if...
You want to recreate God in your own image;
You find Isaiah's portrayal of a holy God seated upon His throne to be a disturbing image;
You would prefer to metaphorically cast God the Father as a loving and large black woman named "Papa," Jesus as a laid back and friendly Middle Eastern man, and the Holy Spirit as a calm and cool Asian woman;
You want a God so small that you and she/he/she can just hang out together as best buddies;
You regard the Bible as an extremely biased, narrow-minded, and insufficient revelation of God in leather binding with "guilt edges" (page 65);
You therefore believe that God talks to people today, and that whatever she or he says to people trumps biblical truth (page 66);
You believe that God is never to be feared (page 90);
You believe that Jesus' miracles do not affirm Him as God, but prove only "that Jesus is truly human" (page 99);
You want a God who does not hold people accountable for, nor punishes sin (page 119);
You want a God who does not demand that you submit to him or her, but one who submits to YOU (page 145);
You want a God who accepts everyone -- "Buddhists...Muslims, bankers and bookies" -- as his or her children no matter what their beliefs or behavior, and that Jesus has "no desire to make them Christian" (page 223);
You believe that Jesus lied when He warned, "Broad is the road that leads to destruction" (Matthew 7:13), because in The Shack Jesus says, "Most roads don't lead anywhere" (page 182).
Make no mistake... 90% of this book is spot on. But isn't that exactly what makes its 10% error so insidiously deadly? Look, we can allegorize many things, but we don't mess with the Trinity. This book is a Trojan horse subtly infiltrating the Christian community -- one that makes our God extremely small and completely manageable, a God who, in the final analysis, is no God at all.
 No Flannel-Graph Jesus January 27, 2008
Eric Wilson (Nashville, TN United States)
1074 out of 1269 found this review helpful
In the book world, it's hard to explain "the buzz." What causes word of mouth to start spreading? What turns an unknown author and novel into a surprise bestseller? Even more inexplicable for the book snobs is when a story fails to meet their literary standards and yet touches the masses in an undeniable way.
"The Shack" is the buzz book of the past few months. I hadn't even heard of it in November, but by the end of December I'd had relatives, friends, and online pals from across the country telling me I "had" to read this one. I've been burned by such recommendations in the past, particularly in relation to spiritually oriented titles. (Can anyone say "The Prayer of Jabez" and "Left Behind"?), but I was willing to give it a shot.
William P. Young's book has an intriguing premise. Years ago, a father name MacKenzie Phillips took his children camping and lost one of them to a man who has kidnapped and killed others. Mack has grieved since then. His marriage has struggled. Understandably, his relationship with God has suffered. Then, one wintry day, he receives a note in his mailbox inviting him back to the woods, to the shack in which his daughter's dress and bloodstains were found. The note, it would seem, is from God.
From this simple yet effective premise, Young leads Mack Phillips back to his point of despair and anger. The encounters he then has with God there in "The Shack" serve as thought-provoking moments for both Mack and the reader. This is not the God of stodgy Sunday school classes. This is not a flannel-graph Jesus. This is not limited to a fluttering dove of the Holy Spirit. The descriptions here are startling, while remaining true to the nature of God's love and grace as portrayed through Scripture. Not only are they startling, they're wise and moving and beautiful.
Some might argue that "The Shack" has little theology or accuracy to it, but the very argument is what Young is trying to melt away. I earned a Bachelor's from a Bible college, and the majority of Mack's godly encounters could be wrapped up in biblical theology: redemption, grace, forgiveness, propitiation, etc. Do I agree with every line of the book? Not necessarily. Yet, while never sounding like trite religion (because they're not and never should be!), the words spoken by God in this book are full of vibrancy and life.
Is it the best crafted novel ever? No. In many ways, it could be encapsulated in a non-fiction treatise. However, in sharing this remarkable tale in a fictional form, Young has breathed wonder and wisdom into a story that will continue to buzz around for years to come.
Breaking Report from a former Shack Promoter November 26, 2007
Better to be Righteous than Right
477 out of 595 found this review helpful
This is going to be a unique review in that I could give this book five stars or one...I've chosen the one star category, admittedly for visibility (and also because it's stuck on 1 and I can't change it), only because I feel it so important to caution people about who they give this book to, and to point out what's missing (and encourage discussion group facilitators to point it out).
I was giving copies of this book out left and right, and most everyone responded to it the same way I did--with much enthusiasm. This book answers masterfully the question of suffering. It is also a fresh breeze for Christians who've been burned by religion, or simply want to be drawn into a deeper walk with God. For those reasons I will continue to give out copies of The Shack to those I think will respond as most people seem to.
However, I've discovered first hand that while the The Shack can be an instrument of salvation to one person, it can be an instrument of destruction for another. I gave it to a friend of mine who is a deeply spiritual New Ager, as well as extremely intellectual. I knew this was probably the only Christian book he could stomach, and I felt he'd actually like it. I was more than right. He LOVED it. He re-read it, taking notes. I had to wait several days before meeting with him to discuss the book, and during that time a haunting question plagued me: Did my friend love this book because it brought him closer to the Truth? Or because it only reinforced his belief that all paths lead to "The Divine?"
In the course of our conversation, my worst fears were realized. I point blank asked my friend, "So do you think the author's intent was to adhere to the fundamental Christian belief that Jesus is the only way to the one true God?" Without hesitation, he said, "Oh no, I didn't see that at all."
People will continue to defend The Shack as THE BOOK to give to unsaved loved ones, but if my friend remains eternally lost, all the 5 stars combined will not matter. To put this book into the hands of someone wanting to read in to it what they want to (and Young makes that very easy, as is evidenced by some of the replies to this post) is a little bit too much like giving a three year old a piece of hard candy. I can't just cross my fingers and hope it goes down safely.
The other tragedy of The Shack is that two important elements are either downplayed or left out intirely: The Word of God and The Body of Christ. Jesus left us both in which to find Him. Sadly, Mack was left with neither.
Bad Theology Meets Bad Writing December 25, 2007
Bibliophile (Chicago, IL United States)
200 out of 248 found this review helpful
I read this book to see what all the fuss was about. What I found was a book that has the potential to do a lot of harm and very little good.
I'll leave the plot summaries to other reviewers. Instead, I want to address three serious flaws in the book: (1) it does not deal in a helpful way with the problem that is supposedly at its heart, (2) it portrays God without reverence as a being who is not holy, just, fair, or better than humans, and (3) the book is consistently anti-intellectual and basically ignores the human aspects of the relationship between God and mankind, while pretending to explain it in a few little catchphrases.
First, the book is about healing - it is supposed to explain how the main character, Mack, found healing after suffering "The Great Sadness," the horrible murder of his daughter. The first fundamental flaw is that it never does this in a useful or helpful way. While much of what William Young says about God and God's attitude towards people is true, the neat and tidy solutions the book presents are irrelevant to almost any real-world pain.
Rarely is justice served in the here-and-now, complete with restored relationships, an absence of pain, and direct reassurance from God that our loved ones are safe and happy in heaven. God rarely, if ever, works that way. Pain and suffering require better solutions than a fictional story about how God fixed almost every hurt in one family's life through a miraculous intervention. Miracles are the exception; pain without God directly speaking to us is the norm. A book about God's relationship to us in our pain and suffering which fails to recognize this is worse than useless; it is misleading and actually capable of creating more problems than it solves.
Second, the book has an even greater flaw: it simultaneously portrays God as too much like us, while presenting a God who doesn't care much what we believe or what we do with our time on Earth. The Jesus of the Bible says, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6). He also says, "Broad is the road that leads to destruction" (Matthew 7:13). The Jesus of "The Shack" says things like, "I am the best [as opposed to only] way any human can relate to [the Father] or [the Holy Spirit]" (page 110), "I'm not asking you to believe anything" (page 119), or, when asked whether all roads lead to God, "Most roads don't lead anywhere" (page 182).
Further, the god of "The Shack" is not holy or just - while the God of the Bible feels anger over the sins of the world, even while forgiving sinners, the god of "The Shack" never gets angry. The real God tells us to have faith, work hard, love each other, and be content with what He gives us; Young's god tells us she doesn't care about faith, or what we do on our own, or our love for each other unless it's really about her, or contentment with social order. No, Young's god will submit to *us* in the same way we submit to her. Young wants radicals who devalue work, authority, and respect, and refuse to acknowledge that God does not usually take care of everything, without our participation.
Third, the book is consistently anti-intellectual. In "The Shack": seminaries are portrayed as godless, dead places, which teach nothing about love or relationship; reading the Bible is unimportant; regular prayer is unimportant; theology is unimportant. The Jesus of the Bible asks us to come to Him and trust Him; our justification before God depends on it. The Jesus of "The Shack," however, will chase us down and is unconcerned with faith. It's far easier to do what Young has done and paint seminaries, theology, authority, and the wisdom of the Bible as useless and old, than it is to try to understand the real, holy, and timeless God, who does not always explain His actions to us.
Perhaps the best indicator of how flawed Young's theology is can be found in the fact that he embraces the theology of Jacques Ellul, a self-described "Christian anarchist." Ellul rejects the existence of hell; all people, regardless of faith, he says, will be saved. This is not the biblical God. Ellul's god is firstly human, secondly divine. The God of the Bible, in contrast, is the only being who exists independently, the "I AM." God is not human; far from it.
All in all, "The Shack" is a dangerously flawed book. People who need answers would do far better to turn to the Bible - the book of Job is a great starting place - a pastor, or even a good friend and a cup of coffee.
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