Book Notes

My blog goes from the ridiculous to the sublime.

After being on the waiting list for six weeks and after starting out at number twenty three, I got my copy of The Shack. First let me say that my mild case of Aspergers Disease usually precludes me from enjoying novels. Unless the novel is very believable or historical, I much prefer non-fiction.

The Shack is a spiritual odyssey that loosely follows the format of a Christian caught up into heaven story. There the similarity ends. I think this book is another treatise on how Christianity is changing in the post -church era: the idea that relationship trumps rules, people trump programs and God can be packaged and and placed in one's pocket like a PDA.

The book did lag a bit in the middle. The symbolism, metaphors, and allegories began to overwhelm my Vulcan brain. Something told me to press on, though, and the book had a great conclusion. I can see why this book got mixed reviews. Ninety percent of the people loved it and ten percent of the people thought it was an abomination. I can imagine it won't be a hit with the KJV only crowd, or the Christians who preach grace and live works.

I give it 4 stars.