If you haven’t heard about William P. Young’s novel, The Shack (Windblown Media, 2007, ISBN# 978-0-9647292-3-0), chances are you will soon. The book is in its fourth printing, has been widely discussed, and rumor has it that it may be made into a movie. Eugene Peterson declares, “This book has the potential to do for our generation what John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress did for his. It’s that good!” As a novel, it certainly is a compelling page-turner that is hard to put down. But the comparison to Pilgrim’s Progress? Well, we’ll see!

The central character of the book is Mack, a family man with a troubled background whose daughter, Missy, is abducted and killed while on a camping trip. Although her body is not found, police discover her bloody dress in a shack deep in the Oregon wilderness. Four years later, Mack receives a letter in the mail inviting him to a weekend at the shack signed by “Papa.” Mack travels to the shack alone, not knowing what to expect. It turns out that “Papa” is God and Mack spends an intense three days learning about the Trinity, God’s character, forgiveness and reconciliation through dialogue with God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit.

The book is powerful and moving, but much has been made of the theology behind it. Many will struggle with God being portrayed as an African-American woman (although it’s not through the entire book and the author seems to have valid reasons for doing so), some may push back against “God’s” frustration with “institutions of religion” (i.e. the church), and others may wrestle through some of the dialogue concerning “free will” and God’s sovereignty. But keep this in mind: It is a story attempting to communicate the extravagant love, grace and forgiveness of the triune God. Even though there may be a few parts you disagree with along the way, as a whole, it does a fine job of forcing readers to think more deeply about God.

—Derek Melleby

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