The Shack is clearly a piece of fiction. I knew going in not to look at it as a theological picture of God, rather one person's artistic interpretation of the Trinity's effect of love and relationship. In that way, it is extremely intriguing and beautiful. It is like a painting that speaks to the soul in ways that logic and words often cannot. It is not an educational experience. It is a journey of the heart. It is a place where reconciliation is introduced in new poetic ways.
In reading The Shack, the reconciliation you explore will depend on your most painful experiences in life. I don't have as much need to reconcile 9/11 or the earthquake in Haiti, for example, as I do the death of my sister 8 years ago, or the absence of a loving father for much of my childhood (due to a premature divorce), or the pain inflicted upon me by the leadership of my church.
The imperfections and pain of relationship cause us to need reconciliation not only with each other, but even more importantly with God. Our own hurt and tragedy is confusing and often seemingly impossible to navigate. We were made in God's image, ready to experience perfect, loving relationships, but the brokenness in this world robs us of it far to frequently.
The Shack opens doors that we may not have known how to open or that they even existed. These doors lead to the first steps of accepting that God is a God of love and acceptance, even when worldly circumstances try to mask this.
Give the book a chance to break down your barriers and let you imagine God for who he really is, and what he really wants to experience with you. Explore the freeing power of forgiveness and love. Visit The (Love) Shack.
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