I keep miscounting books; the last one, The Last Week, was really #14, and this one is #15. I can't keep blaming Lent for my confusion!
I read The Shack for our monthly church Book Club meeting, which will take place later this week. I look forward to the conversation we'll have, as the story and the concepts about God are intriguing. Radical trust and forgiveness; unconventional images of God; a terribly horrific experience that needs to be healed.
That being said, for some reason I didn't find The Shack as compelling as I thought I would. The central metaphor of The Shack -- the place where God meets us as the place of our deepest pain -- is exactly right, I think. But something seemed a little too facile about it, for me. And, in the midst of deep pain, as many people experience God's absence as God's presence, I believe.
As we discuss this book, there will be more conversation, discoveries and deeper insights. I look forward to sharing them.
10 comments:
I think you described how I feel about "The Shack." There are distinct truths mentioned, which I only noticed in the context of a group discussion. I hope you find that to be true in your meeting, too.
My friends are urging me to read this so we can discuss it. they say it needs to be talked about. I'm not much of a story reader these days, so I'm resisting. But I suppose I should read it before you write about it.
I finally got around to purchasing this book and I began somewhat skeptical. I am only about 1/3 of the way into it...my pleasant surprise was God as a black woman...especially after all the masculine language up to that point. I'll be interested to hear the groups impressions.
Well...I've talked elsewhere how I felt about The Shack....much like yours....
I liked the emphasis on relationships: between you and God and you and others as a definition for "Holy Spirit." I will be interested how your book club goes.
CJ, I liked the relational aspect of the book, too, and the relationships between the members of the Trinity.
You can come to the book group if you want, you know. In fact, I'd be delighted if you could come.
I had very similar feelings about The Shack. I didn't connect with it the way I wanted to but I didn't dislike it.
I am about three-quarters done with this book. I am not really enjoying it all that much. I liked the writing at the beginning--but all the writing about being in the actual shack isn't someething I am enjoying. I guess I'm too literal for the metaphors.
Okay...so I used the wrong log-in for that last comment. There are too darn many to remember, I guess!
I liked the first half okay - the rest I found very presumptive - as if the author had all the answers to God's mysteries - not likely.
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