A few weeks ago, our Pastor off-handedly mentioned The Shack in his morning sermon. If you are at all familiar with this book, you know that it has caused quite a stir in the evangelical world. Frankly, I am surprised by how many people I know who have read it have commented positively on it. The readers’ comments I have read range from, “It is pure heresy,” to “It taught me things about God I didn’t know.”
I have not read this book – yet. I probably need to so I can know what it is about first hand. I have, however, read reviews from evangelicals whose perspectives I respect, and their comments make me wonder why Christians are so taken with it.
So, with this in mind, I offer a few observations:
Remember that The Shack is a work of fiction. I recall Frank Peretti’s popular novel, This Present Darkness. Some people were holding “Bible studies” using this book claiming that it opened new venues of prayer. To his credit, Peretti himself discouraged this by reminding readers that it was just fiction. Some have done similar things with the Left Behind series. These books (rather than Scripture) have become the source for some people’s eschatology.
Remember that everything that God wants us to know about Himself has been given to us in Scripture. We are on dangerous ground if we rely upon the insight of others to provide new information about God. The penchant for “new revelation” is disturbing.
So, I return to a well-worn theme: the absolute necessity for Biblical literacy. It appears that with evangelicalism gaining popularity, Biblical precision has not necessarily been part of it.
I have not read this book – yet. I probably need to so I can know what it is about first hand. I have, however, read reviews from evangelicals whose perspectives I respect, and their comments make me wonder why Christians are so taken with it.
So, with this in mind, I offer a few observations:
Remember that The Shack is a work of fiction. I recall Frank Peretti’s popular novel, This Present Darkness. Some people were holding “Bible studies” using this book claiming that it opened new venues of prayer. To his credit, Peretti himself discouraged this by reminding readers that it was just fiction. Some have done similar things with the Left Behind series. These books (rather than Scripture) have become the source for some people’s eschatology.
Remember that everything that God wants us to know about Himself has been given to us in Scripture. We are on dangerous ground if we rely upon the insight of others to provide new information about God. The penchant for “new revelation” is disturbing.
So, I return to a well-worn theme: the absolute necessity for Biblical literacy. It appears that with evangelicalism gaining popularity, Biblical precision has not necessarily been part of it.
1 comment:
Remember that everything that God wants us to know about Himself has been given to us in Scripture. We are on dangerous ground if we rely upon the insight of others to provide new information about God. The penchant for “new revelation” is disturbing.
AMEN!
The disturbing thing is, besides having "The Shack" to deal with, but now "Finding God in The Shack"??? I'm sure there is a "god" in there, but in light of the scripture, it can't be THE GOD of creation. It sounds like too many flaws in this book, and my GOD is FLAWLESS. I just hope that people do not take these writings as a replacement for biblical truth.
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