Finding God in the Shack: Seeking Truth in a Story of Evil and Redemption

by Roger E. Olson

The Shack has touched millions of readers with its portrayal of a compassionate God in the face of great evil. Many have identified with the main character's Great Sadness, the terrible burden of grief that often accompanies and follows a deep loss, for the Great Sadness is part of the human condition. And it compels us to ask, Where is God? Who is God?Roger Olson, who has faced his own Great Sadness, finds a good deal of comfort in this much beloved, story as have so many others. Some may ask, however, Is God really like that? Is that really how God responds to evil? Can God be trusted?Olson also views The Shack with a theologian's eye and finds much sound truth. He delves into many of the significant issues raised by the book such as forgiving those who have done us great evil, how God acts in the world, how God is three persons in one and what difference this makes to us. While he offers his own criticisms of the book, he largely finds the truth about God in The Shack.

Genres: Theology, Nonfiction, Christian, Christianity, Religion

160 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2009

About the author

Roger E. Olson (PhD, Rice University) is professor of theology at George W. Truett Theological Seminary, Baylor University. He is a prolific author whose volumes include The Story of Christian Theology and The Mosaic of Christian Belief. He is also coauthor of 20th-Century Theology. Olsen identifies as an Arminian and a Baptist.

Reviews

[Jeanette]

A great study about 'The Shack'. While reading it, I decided to start keeping a journal. I found so many of his ideas and the biblical passages he quoted to be very helpful and spot on with what I took the novel as. I did not think it was boring, I did not find it hard to understand. If anything, I felt the urge to pray on a lot of what he was speaking about and trying to truly grasp the ideas. But not challenging or hard.
I think if you are going to pick up a book such as this one, you have to be ready to learn. You have to be ready to be revealed something you might not have known before. You need to be open to a different and new idea.
I think that's why I liked the book so much. There were many things that I was unaware of that the author brought. I found it a great learning experience and would love to go through and read it again, and then maybe read 'The Shack' again as well.

[Read-n-Bloom · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you liked reading The Shack, but found some things controversial or questioned what the author may have meant by some things, & also are wondering if it's biblical or not, this book & author does a pretty good job telling you what's what.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the Shack and didn't really need to read an opinion book about it, but a friend handed this to me so I read it. I must admit it was good to read something that gave a view about The Shack based on a biblical review backing up with scripture the parts that worked and the parts that didn't. Overall Olson found the Shack to be a worthwhile read with just a few caveats, and I must admit I agree.

[Matthew Molloy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good, clear, and fair inspection of the theology of "The Shack" by William P. Young. Read this as part of a critical review of The Shacks trinitarian theology and found this book to be a helpful resource.

[Donna Graves · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the unique explanations and the connections made by the author

[Dianna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had a hard time with this. I think I need to go back and read The Shack again to try to pin point some of what he is saying and remember.

[Bart Breen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Theological and Cerebral and Fair for the Most Part

Roger E. Olson is a strong voice and well qualified to address the theological issues of The Shack. I read his book using the Kindle and it's possible that my next comments are not as true for the paperback edition of the book, but up front I think it would have helped the book for Dr. Olson's theological position and background to have been better highlighted to put his comments and observations in better perspective. In order to address that, I did a little digging on the net and I found that he is well qualified and has impressive credentials. As a point of interest, although I don't believe we ever crossed paths, he was actually an instructor at Oral Roberts University at the same time I attended there as an undergraduate.

Roger E. Olson is currently a Professor of Theology at Baylor University. He has a very strong educational background and appears to come primarily from a Baptist bent in his education and experience but is also not a dogmatic reformed theologian. He has a very strong body of written work in both Theological Journals as well as popular theology. His accolades include awards from Christianity Today and also an honor from a graduating class designating him as a favorite professor.

While the personal information was helpful to me to put his book in perspective, I think it's very important for a critic (pro or con) of a book like The Shack to self-reveal these positions as otherwise what is patterned as a critique can come across as an "ex cathedra" pronouncement from on high. I think this element could have been a little stronger on the part of Olson and the publisher, and again to be fair, it may be that some of the elements were not as evident in the Kindle edition as in the paperbook. I personally felt it could have been a little more self-evident within the text itself.

In the same vein, several of the comments in the book by Olson lead me to believe that he didn't do a lot of research into knowing more about the author, William P. Young. Most of that information is reasonably accessible on the web and could have been obtained quite easily.

That said, I also have to disclose a personal bias toward any who would approach The Shack from a primarily theological perspective. The Shack clearly is theological in many regards. However, it is clearly, intentionally not a systematic theology nor is it intended to serve as a primer for those seeking that approach. The Shack is in fact to my observation something of a reaction against that sort of approach and in large part has an agenda to restore a strong relational element to a walk with Christ.

That also said, what Olson does in this book is valuable as a response to those vocal, often almost hysterical critics of The Shack who either lack the imagination to understand metaphor and parable or who understand all too well the theological positions promoted within The Shack and simply find it unpalatable and respond with inflated charges of heresy.

Olson to be sure does far more in this book than deal with things dryly and theologically. I was personally impressed with the openness he displayed in relating some of his personal story, especially as it related to his father. Olson clearly understands and sees the personal elements here and opens himself even as he engages with the concepts and thoughts presented.

In terms of approach, Olson identifies the major themes of the book and approaches. By doing so he provides some reassurance, for those who either on their own, or because of their exposure to the diatribes of others, that the conclusions of "heresy" are grossly overstated. By the same token, however, Olson does have a tendency to camp on specific passages of the book and not take the book on a higher level where the comments directed to a particular theme are weighed against each other and taken as a whole. That's an understandable thing coming from a theologian who is afterall examining the theology of the book, but it fails to see the book in its proper context, in my opinion.

An example of this would be Olson's comments with regard to the ecclessiology of The Shack. Olson almost seems to assume that systematic approach to the book that he does toward Scripture and draws several conclusions based upon, in my opinion, the evidence of absence and then proceeds to chastise the book for it's lack of focus on the organized church. The fact is, the purpose and the context of The Shack is based upon the personal walk and restoration of the author, William Paul Young, and ties to counselling and personal restoration.

All these elements considered, I do recommend the book and give Olson credit for a calm and helpful approach. His certainly has a far more reasoned and fair approach than some others.

3 Stars.

Bart Breen

[Michael Tinsley · Rating 3 out of 5]

While most of the book is written positively Roger E. Olson found things to disagree with. I believe every reviewer feels like its their 'job' to try to find fault.

I've found that the more people there are who review any book, the book is way better than they make it sound.

So far I've seen at least four reviews.I haven't read them all nor do I plan to. I consider 'The Shack' a breakthrough into people's opinions and beliefs which shakes the reader up trying to assimilate the many surprises found there.

The legalists won't make it to the end because they are stuck in the cement of the Law but the grace filled authentic Christian can't put the book down and then want more when they get to the end.

William Paul Young has written the best Christian book I've ever read (!!!) and I'm planning on re-reading it until I no longer see something I missed.

His second book, 'Cross Roads' is not quite as good (to me) but its still well worth reading.

I hope and pray that he continues to write exciting and wonderful Christian fiction for a long time to come.

In Christ Jesus,
Michael

[Janice · Rating 4 out of 5]

While leading a book discussion of The Shack over the last few weeks I read this book, as well as the other book by the same title. Mr. Olson explains that he is writing this answer to the many criticisms of The Shack, both as a theologian and as someone who has suffered his own "great sadness", due to an abusive father. Mr. Olson quibbles with some of The Shack, but mostly feels that it is biblical and theologically sound. Mr. Olson does a good job of analyzing how The Shack challenges a deeper reading of scripture and a better understanding of true meanings behind accepted doctrines. I times I found his own personal history to almost interfere with his ability to objectively analyze what was being said in The Shack, but over all this book was very helpful.

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

I skimmed through a lot of this book because I already knew and understood most of what was said. This book is takes the ideas written in The Shack and debates what could be theologically true. Such as does God forgive everyone for all of their sins? Will bad people like Hitler or child abusers be in Heaven? Why does God sit back and allow horrible evils to take place? Most of these questions have been answered for me through my church and I have very strong feelings about them. It was interesting to see what a Non-member theologian had to say about these and other questions. But like I said, I skimmed through a lot of the points that felt wrong in this book. I still LOVE The Shack by William P. Young. A very good and deep book.

[ReadHowYouWant · Rating 5 out of 5]

Theologian Roger E. Olson explores the issues raised by the novel, The Shack. How does God act in the world? How is God three people in one, and what difference does this make to us? And more. Book Bargains and Previews states that Finding God in the Shack “takes the reader on a play by play of William Young’s The Shack as he explores the book’s many complex and controversial issues. The discussion is illuminating as well as intriguing.”

[Roosevelt Wright · Rating 1 out of 5]

The presentation of God, redemption, heaven and hell in the "The Shack" was a challenging read. It attempts to answer why God allows tragedy and trouble, but does not answer it sufficiently. At times, most of the times, it was a religious treatise on the articles of the Christian faith disquised as a story. If I had not been asked to read it by a friend, I wouldn't have.

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Evil as the privation of good does not sit well with some people... How can God or anyone say [evil:] is only the absence of the good? But we shouldn't use the word 'only.' ...An absence can be, and often is, oppressive, filled with terror and even terminal." Finding God in The Shack, pp. 82

[Hilda · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book had some interesting and relevant points about scripture and the book "The Shack". I do feel that some parts of this book were very boring and required a degree in Theology to decipher. Not for the average reader.

[Pat · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting book that puts alot of the "God" conversations into perspective. This book gave me more to think about especially since I read it along with rereading "The Shack."

[Ed Laundy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book. I thought the first book I read with this title was good, but is even better.

[Cappy · Rating 1 out of 5]

I read this book hoping it would help me explore Young's _The Shack_ with my students. It didn't.

[Pam · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book because while he didn't try and turn me against THE SHACK, he did present some different ideas/thoughts about the book.

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Helped to understand some of the theology behind The Shack. I'm glad I read both The Shack and Finding God in the Shack.

[Wil Roese · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some interesting points but based on the false teaching of faith alone.

[James Johnson · Rating 1 out of 5]

Utter nonsense! The author has no inkling that there even is a god let alone what this "god" requires of us. This was a bigger time-waster than The Shack was.

[Trevor Lloyd · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good but not brilliant. Didn't enjoy this as much as some of his other writing. But a useful insight into the theology of The Shack.

[Jennifer Radtke · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great companion book to The Shack. It really helps ground you to the Bible and gives good reminders of what is someone's interpretation and what is a novel.

[ChrisGA · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting theological analysis of THE SHACK

[Kim Henry · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book. This authors interpretation of "The Shack". My thoughts are he gives too much credibility to "The Shack", which is that author's interpretation....it ("The Shack") is a novel.