Finding God in the Shack

by Randal Rauser

Book Overview

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... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1606570323
• ISBN13: 9781606570326
• Release Date: January 2009
• Publisher: Authentic
• Length: 161 Pages
• Weight: 0.60 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 5.5" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

great book

This book is a relevant and enlightening companion to "The Shack". Far from being "preachy", this book incorporates scripture to bring the reader to a deeper understanding of the theoloigical implications of "The Shack".

Finding God In The Shack

Having read The Shack twice and planning to do a group study on The Shack I found this book to be extremely helpful. It breaks down many areas such as the Trinity and it's meaning into understandable terms and gives biblical background to back up points of view. I found this book to be very helpful to me and I am looking forward to using it to help others to have a more in-depth understanding of the many messages in the book The Shack. Great Resource

A companion manual to the novel urging congregations to embrace the novel as a collection of stories

"The Shack" is a novel that has caused much debate in the world of Christianity. "Finding God in The Shack" is a companion manual to the novel, urging congregations to embrace the novel as a collection of stories about how God is everywhere, and how faith takes form in all shapes and sizes. Talking on the controversial nature of the book, Rauser speaks eloquently on how 'controversial' does not mean 'ungodly'. "Finding God in The Shack" is a must for pastors who are fans of the book.

A powerful book at The Shack

Reviewed by Cherie Fisher for Reader Views (4/09) Before I begin the review on "Finding God in The Shack," I admit that I am a huge fan of "The Shack." I bought eighteen copies of it and gave them away at Christmastime. I have been very surprised by the mixed reviews and strong reactions that people have had to the book. I was very happy to see the author's response and explanations in this book. Theologian Randal Rauser takes readers through "The Shack" and outlines the areas that are the most complex and controversial. I found the book to be very enlightening and easy to understand. As I sit down to review this book, I realize that I must have at least thirty post-it note tabs on pages where I highlight excellent points. I will highlight only a few here and encourage you to pick up a copy of this book for your unanswered questions. The author first addresses the reason God is being presented as an African American woman named Papa. In his view, the conceptual idea of who God really is, is so big that it is probably something that humans cannot even begin to understand. The most important aspect of God being presented like this was to show that God does not want to just communicate with us, but desires to have a relationship with us. That point is emphasized over and over again throughout the book. I also thought that Rauser did an excellent job explaining the Trinity. It always seems to be such a hard concept, but I found it much easier to understand after reading this. One thing that really helped me was keeping a Bible close by to refer to the biblical references that Rauser makes. You don't need to because he explains them well, but I found it helpful to look at the full context of what he was quoting. The author best summed up "The Shack" in his chapter on "Why this Theologian is especially fond of the Shack" (page 17). He states "The Shack will not answer all our questions, nor does it aspire to. But we can be thankful this has started a great conversation." And that is really all we can ask for. Hopefully it will get people thinking about our Creator and asking some important questions. If you enjoyed "The Shack" or had a lot of questions after reading it, "Finding God in The Shack" is an excellent resource.

An Excellent Companion Book to The Shack

My name is Mike Morrell - I'm a back-cover endorser on the runaway-bestseller The Shack. I said "Finally! A guy-meets-God Novel that has literary integrity and spiritual daring. The Shack cuts through the clichés of both religion and bad writing to reveal something compelling and beautiful about life's integral dance with the Divine. This story reads like a prayer-like the best kind of prayer, filled with sweat and wonder and transparency and surprise. When I read it, I felt like I was fellowshipping with God. If you read one work of fiction this year, let this be it." I stand whole-heartedly behind my endorsement. And yet even I have been surprised by the wide range of impassioned responses the book has received, ranging from people receiving it as a literally-true story straight from the mouth of God on the one hand, or a witch's brew of New Age heresy on the other. The Internet is filled with armchair speculation on the literary and spiritual merits of The Shack - much of it rather un-inspiring. So imagine my delight when I found out that Authentic Media was publishing Finding God in The Shack, an interrogative-yet-playful tome by theologian and author Randal Rauser. Rauser takes readers on a fascinating journey through the pages of the story that has ignited the church's interest in theodicy ("the problem of evil") and the Trinity, a doctrine that has long been locked away in seminary classrooms. As Rauser explores the intricacies of the plot, he addresses many of the book's complex and controversial issues. In the process, he takes a stab at why God the Father is revealed as an African-American woman, defends the book's theology of the Trinity against charges of heresy, and considers its provocative denial of a Trinitarian hierarchy (with a nod toward the eastern Cappadocian Mothers & Fathers). At its heart The Shack is a response to evil, and Rauser offers an honest and illuminating discussion of the book's explanation for why God allows evil, how the atoning work of Christ offers new hope to a suffering world, and ultimately how this hope extends to all of creation. So: If you've been inspired, challenged, or even threatened by Young's novel, Finding God in The Shack is like inviting an intelligent, even-handed conversation partner in your home.