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If you are exploring more insight for the next step of your life maybe this book will help you. I think of God as a loving God, but in this story it is almost like God is convincing Mack to love GOD without question.
I do like the way the author brings you into the story and makes you feel the love of God. However, I feel that Mack never really got his question answered.
The book focus is on a loving God that wants to know you personally. It is definitly a work of fiction because I don't think any human can forgive like that.
WHY MISSY. It was well written to show the readers that God is loving.
I would recommend this book to people that need that extra lift and reminder that God is everywhere. If you are beyond the loving God aspect then read another book.
i really enjoyed this book. at first the depiction of God threw me ,but i eventually became comfortable with the portrayal. the characters were very intriguing and the story was well-written. a moving tale of the love of God for us.
Surely, God can be defined as all that we do not know, yet render this complexity to the author's (or Mackenzie's) "visionary" incarnation, albeit respectfully, and yet attempt to illustrate the awe and majesty of our universe seems an impossible task, even in such a natural setting, one the book barely attempts. Young's (or Mackenzie's) lessons to be learned are insightful. Many of their interpretations of what is meant by the book and their disagreements with Mr. The clarity to which we all but, especially, Mackenzie, are searching, but to which we may never acquire. The father's angst and anger are truly believable. If so, this is a formidable endeavor.
Perhaps, Young/Mackenzie never intended to be consistent with scripture, but sought instead, to describe a middle ground that gives credence to the symbolism of Church doctrine without a strict adherence to creed and dogma. Aside from its intentions, it doesn't begin to be convincing about the Holy Trinity, the miracles of Jesus, God's majesty, His omnipresence, His loving forgiveness, His righteousness, His treatment of suffering, etc. If so, let him write as many modern theologians have done. He doesn't need to resort to clichés. Strangely enough, I find that I agree with those reviewers who seem to be most orthodox in their religious beliefs. I would expect, however, that there is another avenue of creativity that might say it better. The story of the lost and murdered daughter is heartrending.
What I would hope would emerge from this is something that transcends ordinary understanding. The use of "pop" personification is not the way to grasp even a portion of the mystery. Young's attempt to describe the different aspects of God and to render such concepts remotely meaningful to the suffering of individuals or of humanity, fall far short of my expectations. Yes, if one considers the Bible as the inerrant word of God, one has the right to label The Shack as subversive. If the task of the book is merely to describe what the protagonist has remembered before and after a terrible car wreck, one has to give the author credit.
Within the book I find the wonders of living in this world grossly oversimplified. I keep asking myself, "Why." Much of what I think is intended as the foundation of his (or his protagonist's) beliefs as illustrated in the book, I also believe. However, I suspect another objective: one that places these "visions" artificially within the context of modern Christian thought, especially as human experiences relate to suffering. Hugh Ector
It did not live up to the hype. The Shack was somewhat interesting. I was a little disappointed because I had heard so much about it. The most I can give this book is three stars. The time spent at the shack became boring after awhile.
The Shack has two great themes, forgiveness and what it means to have a relationship with Christ. I love the fact this book expresses that having a relationship with Christ doesn't mean you have to be "religious"; Christ doesn't care about religion. What most people don't understand is that "forgiveness" doesn't mean when you forgive someone that it makes everything okay and now you have to be that person's friend. It means you forgive that someone, personally move past that "mental block" in your life that has hendered you in some way, and move on with your life; a lot of times the "block" keeps you rooted in place instead of moving forward and growing in life. This book also expresses an interesting concept that I've never heard of or thought about before; there is a difference between independence and freedom. I bought this book in great hopes that it will help get the message across to my dad what it means to accept Christ and have Him in his life, as well as help my mom and sister see what true forgiveness means and how it would greatly benefit both of them.
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