What would it be like to lose your youngest child to a serial killer? And then to have God invite you out for a conversation at the very shack where the terrible deed took place? And then imagine that the door to that shack of horrors opened . . . and before you knew it you had been swept up in the motherly embrace of a large African American woman? This most unlikely of stories, as told in William Young's The Shack, has become a runaway bestseller and it is easy to see why. The book brings us on a redemptive journey through the shacks' of deepest pain and suffering in our lives, guided by the triune God of Christian faith. But even as lives have been transformed through this book, other readers have sternly denounced it as a hodgepodge of serious theological error, even heresy. With one pastor urging his congregation to read it and another forbidding his congregation to, many Christians have simply been left confused.
Aware both of the excitement and uncertainty generated by the Shack, theologian Randal Rauser takes the reader on a fascinating journey through the pages of the story. In successive chapters he explores many of the book's complex and controversial issues. Thus he explains why God the Father is revealed as an African American woman, he defends the book's theology of the Trinity against charges of heresy and he considers its provocative denial of a Trinitarian hierarchy. But at its heart The Shack is a response to evil and so Rauser spends the final three chapters considering the book's explanation for why God allows evil, how the atoning work of Christ offers new hope for a suffering world and ultimately how this hope extends to all of creation. Through these chapters Rauser offers an honest and illuminating discussion which opens up a new depth to the conversation while providing the reader with new opportunities for Finding God in The Shack.
If you have ever had a conversation on The Shack, whether with an enthusiast or a critic, you will want to invite this skilled and accessible theologian into the conversation. Before you have read a dozen pages you will know why we need to keep company with theologians. They help us keep our conversations on God intelligent, informed, and irenic.
Eugene H. Peterson
Professor Emeritus of Spiritual Theology
Regent College, Vancouver, B.C.
Randal Rauser is associate professor of historical theology at Taylor Seminary, Edmonton, Canada and was granted Taylor's first annual teaching award for “Outstanding Service to Students" in 2005. He authored Faith Lacking Understanding, the forthcoming Theology in Search of Foundations and coauthored Christian Philosophy A-Z. He has had articles appear in International Journal of Systematic Theology, Heythrop Journal and Christian Scholars Review. He enjoys speaking on topics of theology, apologetics and popular culture. He is married to Jasper and they have a 6-year-old daughter, Jamie and a lhasa apso named Sonny.
Average Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars(4.5 out of 5 stars)
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5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by Jane Hasey (Tewksbury, MA), July 21, 2009
This book is a great assist in digesting the issues from "The Shack". Mr. Rauser is a very understandable theologian who guides the reader to the underlying issues and shows where in the Bible these same issues are discussed. I agree with him that "The Shack" is the converation starter our generation has needed to start really digesting meatier Christian issues and to come away with respect and deep love for our truly awesome God.
4 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by Butch Rhodes (Jonesborough, TN), July 05, 2009
Very good book. Will deepen your understanding of "The Shack" and all that was presented in that book.
5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by Stewart Marshall (Ozark, AL), July 01, 2009
Excellent theological analysis of The Shack. All too often people try and read intentions into someones writing. I think this books shows us the deep meaning and relevnace of "The Shack" in today's theology.
4 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by Judee Yerion (Salem, OR), April 24, 2009
Found this presentation of the subject easy to read and to understand. Will be most helpful when leading discussion groups over the book THE SHACK.
4 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by Lisa Muth (Richland Center, WI), March 31, 2009
A neccesary companion to the shack. It helped with some questions I had when reading the shack. Valuable tool.
4.5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by James Garner (Ephrata, PA), March 23, 2009
I am using both this book and one of a similar title by Roger E. Olsen as resources in facilitating a Sunday School class discussion of the issues raised in The Shack. Rauser's book is definitely better, both in its theological presentation and the examples he cites. Both have something to offer, but if you can only afford one...this is the one to buy.
5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by H R Walker (Whitman, MA), March 22, 2009
Rev. Rauser has enriched my understanding of
The Shack and provided helpful information for a better realization of the theological
aspects found in the book. This book would be
a helping stepping stone to the setting up a discussion group to enrich reader’s enjoyment
of The Shack.
HR Walker
4 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by Janna Ryan (North Platte, NE), February 18, 2009
I have read and loved The Shack (and have given away 3 copies of it on my blog so far), reviewed it, encouraged many others to read it and defended it (not always very tactfully) from some that don't agree with it. This book is the missing link for those of us that love The Shack but can't always defend it properly or for those that might need a little clarification on why The Shack is a great book and not a theological nightmare.
Randal Rauser is a theologian that has laid out, in an easy to read format, why The Shack has been a great tool for opening people's eyes to some amazing ideas and facts about God. He addresses many sticking points people have including -
1) The Trinity
2) Why bad things happen to good people
3) Why God is portrayed like He is
4) Much, much more
This book will provide a lot of food for thought on its own. Take this for example when he is discussing God and Abraham with the whole sacrifice Isaac scenario...
"If God knows all events before they occur, including every detail of Abraham's life, then what was the point of the testing? The point was not that GOD would learn Abraham was fully committed to him, but rather that ABRAHAM would learn from and be strengthened by his own faithfulness." (page 29)
Grab a copy of this book and delve into the theological eyeopener that many of us lovingly refer to as "The Shack".
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