Monday, May 25, 2009

The Shack Inspection (Introduction)


I plan on writing a series of articles on the controversial book, The Shack. I will be responding to the interview that I had with the author, Paul Young. You can listen to the interview locally (Burlington, Iowa) on KAYP at 89.9 FM airing 3-6-09 (6:00 am, 1:00 pm and 5:00 pm) and it will be archived here http://rock-life.com/KAYP.html .

Before I write a series of articles dealing with The Shack, I thought it would be helpful for you to see that not everyone is fond of the book. My responses will be largely a response to the interview that I had with the author, Paul Young.

My approach is that the book is a top-seller so we might as well be prepared to engage others with the truth of Scripture.
---REVIEWS---
One very insightful review of The Shack comes from a man that personally knows William P. Young. James B. DeYoung, is Professor of New Testament Language and Literature at Western Seminary. Go to http://theshackreview.com/ click on the right hand side “Back of the Shack” or “Spurgeon Fellowship Journal Review”

Tim Challies is the editor of Discerning Reader (http://www.discerningreader.com/), a site dedicated to discerning reviews of books that are of interest to Christians.
http://www.challies.com/archives/book-reviews/the-shack-by-william-p-young.php
Download the review: http://www.challies.com/media/The_Shack.pdf

Challies also did a follow up piece called, Open Mind, Closed Bible
http://www.challies.com/archives/general-news/email-from-a-concerned-reader.php

Chuck Colson in his Breakpoint Commentary weighed in by calling his article, Diminishing Glory, with a subtitle: “Stay Out of The Shack”
http://www.breakpoint.org/listingarticle.asp?ID=7830

Breakpoint also posted an article by Travis K. McSherley that critiques The Shack, called, “ Bringing Heaven Down To Earth” (The Small God of ‘The Shack’)
http://www.breakpoint.org/listingarticle.asp?ID=7831

Norman L. Geisler and Bill Roach ask the question--The Shack: Helpful or Heretical? A Critical Review
http://www.normangeisler.net/theshack.html

Alan Dunn wrote a three part series on The Shack that can be found at Reformed Baptist Fellowship’s website.

The Faulty Foundations of The Shack (Part 1)
http://reformedbaptistfellowship.wordpress.com/2008/08/11/the-faulty-foundations-of-the-shack-part-1/

The Faulty Foundations of The Shack (Part 2)
http://reformedbaptistfellowship.wordpress.com/2008/08/18/the-faulty-foundations-of-the-shack-part-2/

The Faulty Foundations of The Shack (Part 3)
http://reformedbaptistfellowship.wordpress.com/2008/09/09/the-faulty-foundations-of-the-shack-part-3/

Doug Wilson’s review can be found at his Blog and Mablog
http://dougwils.com/index.asp?Action=Anchor&CategoryID=1&BlogID=5989

The Green Baggins blog: Job and John Bunyan Versus The Shack
http://greenbaggins.wordpress.com/2009/01/07/job-and-bunyan-versus-the-shack/


Larry DeBruyn has written three articles on The Shack and Universal Reconciliation

The Shack and Universal Reconciliation (part 1)
http://sheepfodder.wordpress.com/2008/11/01/the-shack-and-universal-reconciliation/

The Shack and Universal Reconciliation (part 2)
http://sheepfodder.wordpress.com/2008/11/02/the-shack-universal-reconciliation-pt-2/

The Shack and Universal Reconciliation (part 3)
http://sheepfodder.wordpress.com/2008/11/03/the-shack-universal-reconciliation-pt-3/

Matt Slick from CARM Ministry interviewed Paul Young
http://carmpodcasting.blogspot.com/2008/07/matt-interviews-author-of-shack.html


Insight For Living (Chuck Swindoll) has posted a review written by Dr. Glenn R. Kreider. Dr. Glenn R. Kreider serves as a professor of theological studies at Dallas Theological Seminary where he received his Ph.D. in 2001.
“But I cannot recommend this book. The reason is simple: the author’s portrayal of God is confusing at best and untrue at worst.” Kreider has two sections about, Confusion about Trinity and Confusion about Christ. He closes his article with, “This is a dangerous book. Its view of the Trinity is inadequate and its view of Christ is unorthodox. That is not good.”
http://www.insight.org/site/PageServer?pagename=shack
for more details http://www.insight.org/site/PageServer?pagename=shack_details#home


Dr. Albert Mohler, President of the Southern Baptist Seminary has his own radion show (Albert Mohler Show). On 4-11-08 he addressed The Shack starting around 11.20 into the program. He states that, “This book includes undiluted heresy.” He also says, "It is intended, undoubtedly, as a way of trying to bring about some kind of redefinition or new understanding of the Christian faith…The main character says at one point that he now understands that everything he learned at seminary was basically all wrong."
http://www.albertmohler.com/radio_show.php?cdate=2008-04-11

Mark Driscoll's take on The Shack