Lets get straight in to looking at some of the issues of the book. The reader (about a third of the way in) is presented with the Trinity. Here is my first major problem, the way the Trinity is presented in the Shack. The Trinity is one of the foundations of the Christian faith and when you mess with it you mess deeply with the Christian faith.
I intend to spend a fair amount of time on this topic of the Trinity because it really is misrepresented in the Shack and I would even venture to say, the way the Trinity is portrayed in the Shack is heretical.
The correct view and understanding of the Trinity gives us an understanding of who God is. I have read many reviews from people who have read the Shack who say that the Shack has helped them understand, some for the first time, the true nature of the Trinity.
But the question to ask is : Does the Shack teach what the Bible teaches about the Trinity ?
In the Shack, God the Father is represented as "Papa", an african-american woman; Jesus is a man of middle-eastern descent and the Holy Spirit is portrayed as an asian woman named "Sarayu".
The Bible is clear that God must not and cannot be portrayed as an image, and forbids us from doing so. It is not possible to make the creator a part of his creation. Jesus says in John 4:24 "God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” The book's portrayal of Jesus is based on some fact (human form, middle eastern) however the Shack's portrayal of God and of the Holy Spirit is expressly forbidden by scripture. The Apostle Paul puts it in a nutshell.
Writing to the Romans in Romans 1:22-23 :
"Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles." Paul says that God's wrath would be poured out upon these people who did this (vs 18). I believe it is foolishness and unwise to portray God as He has been portrayed in the Shack, I find no support whatsoever from scripture and shouldn't scripture be our final authority in these matters.
In my next blog I will discuss this further, speak to you tomorrow.
God Bless
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