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The Shack Essay

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The Shack The image of God can be interpreted many ways. Most envision Him as a Father Time figure that sits on a cloud thumbing his long, silver beard. Some view God as an uncompromising demiurge, while others choose to believe He is a loving deity with bountiful grace. While some consider the Holy Trinity one being, others believe it to be three separate entities. William P. Young, in his fictional novel, The Shack, takes a very different approach on his view of God. The author personifies the Holy Trinity in terms that very few have ever considered. In the formative years of William P. Young’s life, significant events occurred that shaped his presentation of God. The images portrayed in his book conflict with the belief of many…show more content…
While there are many who denounce this book, even more endorse it and see it as a new way to visualize and relate to God. Roger E. Olson in his book, Finding God in the Shack says these words: The Shack is more than a religious novel; it is a true story. It’s not true in the sense that I believe the events described actually happened but in that the story basically fits human experience and what the Bible says. Like Jesus’ parables, such as the Prodigal Son and the Good Samaritan, The Shack is teaching us something. (13)
Young simply offers a different image of God. Anyone who understands basic Christian theology will see that Young’s depiction of the Trinity is not one to be taken literally. The Shack is by no means a book of systematic doctrine; it is a story meant to communicate a message about God. Jesus personified God in many of his parables. Luke 15:8-10 symbolizes God as an old woman looking for a lost coin. When the lady found her coin, she invited her neighbors to come and rejoice with her. “In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents” (Thompson). The same logic is used by Young to communicate his personal interpretation of God. He goes out of his way to deny that his portrayal of God as three separate human beings is an accurate presentation of
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