I have been asked by numerous people what I think about the highly popular book "The Shack" by William Young. Well, in short the book is a bunch of New Age heresy. It is a cleverly written story that is pitched as fiction but is having a field day in the minds of the undiscerning (Folks who read the book without biblical discernment).
For instance, a few weeks ago, my wife and I were in a cafe and sitting behind us were four adults. They were engaging in some spiritual conversation. I heard them talking about their church and Sunday School classes. Then one of gentlemen asked, "Have you finished reading The Shack?" One of the ladies stated that she had completed it and then said, "That is how I see God now!" What an interesting statement since the God of the Bible and the god of The Shack are certainlly not the same. In fact the god of The Shack is a false god created in the mind of Mr. Young. Mr. Young's god is a god that he is more comfortable with, one void of many of the biblical characteristics of God. This of course is idolatry! The Second Commandment says, "You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything..." While we often think of statues as idols, clearly an idol can be a god that is created in the mind of an individual, a god that is more suitable to the indivdual. Therefore, in saying, "That is how I see God now!" the lady has joined Mr. Young in his idolatry.
Following that statement was a conversation about how the book had so touched them. I wanted to engage in the conversation but was there to have an enjoyable breakfast with my wife. So I decided to not debate. As we left the cafe, we went next door to a Christian bookstore. Once inside the clerk, who identified herself as a Sunday School teacher, recommended that we purchase a certain book. Anyone want to guess which book? She told me that it was an amazing book. I told her that I had some major theological/doctrinal issues with the book to which she retorted, "It's just fiction." It seems that the only time many of the readers of The Shack remember that the book is fiction is when someone raises some real concerns about the book. It may be a fiction book (like the Da Vinci Code), but the intent of the book is to plant heretical ideas about God in the minds of people. False teaching comes in many different forms and one of the most effective seems to be through interesting story-telling via books, movies, and other media.
Anyway, I wanted to post this blog to make clear my problems with The Shack. It is a dangerous book that preys on the minds of the undiscerning. No doubt Satan loves this book. Since I do not have the time and space here to give a detailed list of the problems I have with the book, I have included two links below that will be helpful to you in coming to a sound biblical conclusion about The Shack. One of the links is to a book review written by Tim Challies and the other link is to Dr. Michael Youssef's, “The 13 Heresies in The Shack”.
http://www.leadingtheway.org/site/DocServer/SpecOffer_The13HeresiesExplained.pdf?docID=1821
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