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Paul Hughes | PentecostalTheology.com
Albert Mohler is as usual thoughtful and largely correct.
There is one thing he mentions from “The Shack” with which I might actually agree, however. As a Pentecostal, I do regard that the incarnate Jesus was dependent on God (specifically the Holy Spirit) for spiritual enablement (charismata) to flow through him — and in such case demonstrated, as he did by being baptized in water and fulfilling his religious obligations, “to fulfill all righteousness,” how regenerated humans are supposed to live in this world.
Of course, that idea was anathema to many of the Church Fathers, and continues to be so to many dogmatists today. (Many think that Jesus actually ran the universe even while incarnate on Earth — an exaggeration of the Logos Christology.) But then, so is/was speaking in tongues, and the Fathers were often quite wrong-headed about many other things.
Cultural commentary from a Biblical perspective The publishing world sees very few books reach blockbuster status, but William Paul Young’s The Shack has now exceeded even that. The book, originally self
Walter Polasik
Well said. Yes, sadly Mohler is a Cessationist and agrees with McArthur’s “Strange Fire” assessment.
Varnel Watson
Mohler was good friend of Wesley. Exchanged many letters
Street Preacherz
I read “the shack” I was a little shocked but thought at the time it was harmless. I gave it a pass because it is an effort to reach unchurched and maybe traumatized people.
Walter Polasik
Troy Day: Who exchanged many letters? Al Mohler and John Wesley? Or you and Al?
Varnel Watson
Mohler and John Wesley. It’s in Wesley’s diary. Who is Al[f]?
Walter Polasik
Troy Day: Oh, sorry, wrong Mohler then. R. Albert Mohler, the current president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and frequent speaker at Evangelical/Reformed conferences. He is an overall brilliant man (he reads voraciously like I do, but, of course, I’d be arrogant to say I’m anywhere near in his category. I just like that he’s knowledgeable). While he accepts Pentecostals as brethren, unfortunately, he stands on MacArthur’s side of the fence on the issue.
Varnel Watson
Sorry – had no intention to discuss this Mohler and his irrelevant Shack
Walter Polasik
Troy Day: Al Mohler did NOT write “The Shack”. Really, you should do some homework. 😉
Varnel Watson
I should have said or his irrelevant article on The Shack. Or the Shack itself, or Southern Baptist Theology or the Reformed system
Walter Polasik
Trioy Day: I hear you brother. But outside of this page, when I’m “out there” sometimes I like to see the reaction when bland theology is shaken up by a little biblical Pentecostalism. 😉
Varnel Watson
Didnt they make the Shak into a movie? I could get through neither one
Walter Polasik
I bought a copy once at a hand-me-down store. I have it somewhere, haven’t read it yet. Figures
Walter Polasik
I’m too busy reading my Bible. At 1 Samuel now. I’ll get to The Shack at some point. 😉
Varnel Watson
The characters of the SHACK dream parable are insignificant. The book is written from a Universalist perspective. That is the purpose and intent of the book “The Shack”. To clarify that, one can look at “The Shack Revisited” and “The Lies We Say About God”. All written by the same author who recently spoke at “The Forgotten Gospel” Conference, promoting religious and non-religious inclusivism. Like my once favorite teacher, Carlton Pearson said: “all men are saved they just don’t know it”! So to the universalists, evangelism is telling men that they are already saved. Yet, the Scripture does not portray or say that. Jesus said “He that believes in me has eternal life”….those who don’t “are already condemned”.
William Cato
I am glad that you could glean something positive from that heretical book and movie.
Varnel Watson
Michel Gutman I still have to agree with Brian Crisp “It should bother the true church that so many are being led astray from another gospel like Paul warned about. So many flock to see movies like the Shack when it is full of heresy and flock over the newest trend out there for their ears to be tickled. I pray the true church wakes up and speak out on these tricks of the devil like Paul spoke about to the Ephesians. Besides we don’t need an old shack when our God has a mansion.” A dream or not I still feel the Shack is a smack in the face of true Christianity Timothy Carter Is the Shack fake gospel?
Robert Borders
I assume that you read the book and watched the movie. By the way, what is the true Church and which of the 50,000 denominations are true?
Michel Gutman
Troy Day,you accuse the movie of heresy. I’d love an example. I don’t understand how a dream can be heresy….
Varnel Watson
Michel Gutman Where did I accuse anyone? Simply quoted what Brian Crisp wrote and rightfully so …
Michel Gutman
I stand corrected. But now you say, “rightly so.” Does that mean that you agree that “The Shack” is full of heresy? If so, give me some examples.
Timothy Carter
Brother Troy Day, I have not read it yet. I have not had time to watch the movie. When I read it I will post here.
Michel Gutman
Troy, you accuse the movie of heresy. I’d love an example. I don’t understand how a dream can be heresy….
Varnel Watson
Millions have bought into the theology of Paul Young, whose book, “The Shack,” portrays God as a loving black woman. Similar changes in appearance were given to Jesus and the Holy Spirit. But is Young’s worldview important? Is his theology that big a deal?
1. The Shack that doesn’t square with the Word of God is the idea that God forgives all of humanity, regardless of whether or not they repent and believe in the redeeming work of Jesus
2. In The Shack, the god character tells Mack the Trinity is even submitted to Mack. Young is suggesting that God submits to human wishes and choices.
3. Young alleges that the Bible limits God, implying that it was man who reduced God’s voice to paper: “Nobody wanted God in a box, just in a book” Thus the Bible is portrayed as inadequate to know God.
4. The God portrayed in The Shack seems casual and unconcerned with holiness…
Michel Gutman
That’s all very interesting. Are you aware that it was a dream?
I find it fascinating when people have to point out that God appeared in this dream as a “black woman.” No one just says “woman.” Which part offends you more, “black” or “woman”?
One more time, in case you didn’t understand the first twenty times: IT WAS A DREAM. A DREAM. DREAM. Until you acknowledge that, you don’t have a leg to stand on. It was a dream. Dreams cannot be judged. If they could, we’re all in trouble…..
Varnel Watson
Cheap shot. If you have read anything I’ve written you’d know by know I am a huge fan of black Jesus theology and its social liberation implications. Jesus was not white anglo-Saxon male figure
Michel Gutman
Not a cheap shot. I just find it fascinating that no one refers to the character in the DREAM as just a “woman.”
I don’t know what black Jesus theology is. But I’m pretty sure He had much darker skin than most Americans visualize…
Did you know that He was portrayed in the movie by an Israeli actor? I can’t say that about any other movie…
Varnel Watson
Cheap shot #majorfail Jesus was not white European #hello If you dont know what black Jesus theology is then…
Michel Gutman
I know. What’s your point? There are other shades of skin besides “black” and “white.” I would contend that based on His nation of birth, He was “olive” skinned…
You do realize that you’re arguing with an Israeli Jew, right?
Michel Gutman
#majorfail His name was Yeshua….
Michel Gutman
As far as the God portrayed in the DREAM in The Shack not being concerned with holiness, I suppose we could say the same about someone who insists on judging a movie AND it’s viewers. Especially someone who hasn’t seen it, and relies on snippets he finds on a google search….
Varnel Watson
No – actually it was not even a real dream. Dreams from God can and should be judged and interpreted. But this in the movie was just a fictional story about a imaginary book character having an fictional dream. All based on the authors perception, theology and ideas. Unfortunately in the real world, ideas have consequences. This authors idea have its consequences. The danger of such are hereby discussed and warned against.
A dream is only a dream until people start believing its the Word of God. This is exactly how cults start. Let us all remember that according to the Book of Mormon, in 1830 Joseph Smith received his visions in a dream and that’s how Mormonism started… #noughsaid
Michel Gutman
Ok Troy Day you win. Judge away… I liked the movie.
Timothy Carter
Because I have not read /watched I don’t know, what is the purpose of this story? Does the story intend to communicate theological truth, or is the purpose to entertain?
If the purpose is to provide entertainment then it has fulfilled its purpose.
If it is intended to be a theological then we must look at it as such.
Remember, people have tried to say that the movie, “The Matrix”, was an allegory to the Christian Life. But comma the creators of this film never intended for Christians to clean the so-called analogy. We must be careful to not make the same type of mistake with, “The Shack”. Again, I have not read it. So I don’t know.