The Shack

WM. Paul Young’s The Shack, a work of fiction, is a controversial novel, due in part to the religious ideas that are presented, many of which deviate wildly from normal theological assumptions. Mackenzie Allen Philips, known familiarly as Mack, has had childhood troubles in the past, mainly dealing with the abusiveness of his father, and since that time has found that communicating with God is difficult. Mack’s wife familiarly refers to God as Papa, but Mack’s insecurity in religion does not allow him to be so close to a God he has come to, in a sense, fear. The story begins with another tragic occurrence in Mack’s life. Mack’s young daughter, Missy, is abducted on a family camping trip. The abductor is known as the Little Ladykiller, a name derived from his sick methods of leaving a ladybug pin at the site of each child he has stolen. None of the children are ever recovered after this sicko takes his victims far away and brutally murders them. Mack finds a prodigious chasm open in front of him in this part of his life, The Great Sadness, which is filled with pain, hurt, grief, and a total personal abandonment from the presence of God.

Several years later, Mack receives a mysterious letter addressed to him from God. Mack decides to drive back to the site of Missy’s brutal death to try to seek some comfort from the anguish still tormenting his core. When there, he slips away into an almost dream-like illusion where he meets God, an African American woman, Jesus, a Middle Eastern carpenter, and the Holy Spirit, an Asian woman with a shimmering appearance. This trinity begins to rebuild the bridge in Mack’s faith and imparts onto Mack the many great values and misconceptions of the Christian religion. It is not until after this weekend meeting with God that Mack begins regaining a grip on his emotions after Missy’s death.

Though this novel was difficult to read in some sections due to the rich concepts presented, I thoroughly enjoyed such a read. I cannot truthfully promise that I agreed with many of Young’s ideas on religion, but just the experience of expanding my knowledge on the creations and miracles of God was well worth the time I took reading such a work of delightful literature. As one such example of Young’s difficult points, the idea of God being a black woman was a little difficult to swallow. At an early age I was taught differently, but challenging my pre-held assumptions in this book was an enjoyable and thoroughly educational experience. Young has allowed me to connect more fully to my own God by thinking such powerful thoughts through and considering their implications on my own faith.

I would recommend such a read to anyone wishing to supplement and expand their knowledge of religion, continue to grow in faith even more, or to simply learn new points to be used to challenge the faiths of others. Either way, Young’s The Shack is a remarkable ship that spirited me away to embark on a journey of faith and personal analytical questions.