The Shack and John 14:6--excellent blog
Barry Dean 4 Christ writes: Step back, take a deep breath, and weigh it against the Scriptures....
Dr. Albert Mohler dedicated his entire radio program to reviewing the book.... The book is being compared to “Pilgrim’s Progress” for it’s allegorical use. [but] the character Papa who is God (seen by Mac, the main character, as an African American woman) says
When we three spoke ourselves into existence as the son of God we became fully human.
This is a complete destruction of the biblical understanding of the Trinity.
The Godhead did not become human. On page 110 the character of Jesus does not say that I am the only way to Papa (God) but he does in fact say that I am the “best way” that any human can relate to Papa (God). ... [this] flies in the face of John 14:6.
I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me It is impossible to get past this verse in scripture. No one has access to the Father except those who follow Jesus Christ. Tim Challies states it in his review of “The Shack”, “the book has a quietly subversive quality to it”.
Throughout the book there is this kind of subversive strain teaching that new and fresh revelation is much more relevant and important than the kind of knowledge we gain in sermons or seminaries or Scripture.
Click here for the full article.
4 comments:
Margo --
I appreciate your strong commitment to "contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints"(Jude 1:3)
The Shack is a disturbing book, more so because many Christians don't seem to see the small bits of "new" doctrine intermixed with some orthodox views. Yes, God loves us, and He doesn't want bad things to happen but can still make good things result from them (Romans 8:28), but this doesn't excuse the disrespectful portrayal of the great I AM or searching for new revelations that don't jibe with Scripture.
As for me, I love discussing ideas and finding possibilities between the text, but I also hold to the text. Call me old-fashioned, but I once saw on display a Bible splattered with the blood of its owner who died defending what was within its pages. We are free to not believe what is written here, but we don't have the right to change the words therein to "interpret" in light of a new generation.
Just my thought.
Amy
Hi, Amy, you state it so well--the great I AM. Yes, Jude 1:3 is my motivator. May the new generations see it, too. And that Bible you mention--like you, I'd never get over that!
Thank you for stopping by.
Margo,
Thanks for the Hat Tip to my posting on "The Shack". I am in agreement with you that this book seems to be developed with a new age slant. When I first heard that Michael W. Smith had endorsed it I automatically presumed it to be of the new age flavor. He also raved about "A Ragamuffin Gospel" by Brennan Manning. That particular book delves into looking inward for God. I have friends who cannot discern these kinds of "Christian" products for themselves and it makes me sad.
Me, too Barry. Thanks so much for stopping by. God bless~
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