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Christ-Centered Fiction - Worth the read!
By frjeff | February 28, 2008
At the prompting of a Missionary Society of Saint John brother Priest, I went against my mind’s poor image of all Christian fiction and recently completed The Shack. My apprehension was a carry-over from the “Left Behind” series and my presumption that Christian fiction could never be done well.
This new Christian novel was suggested with many warnings - those of the “this is not the typical Christian fiction you are used to” type. Here is what is on the back cover of William P. Young’s novel:
Mackenzie Allen Philips’ youngest daughter, Missy, has been abducted during a family vacation and evidence that she may have been brutally murdered is found in an abandoned shack deep in the Oregon wilderness. Four years later in the midst of his Great Sadness. Mack receives a suspicious note, apparently from God, inviting him back to that shack for a weekend.
Against his better judgment he arrives at the shack on a wintry afternoon and walks back into his darkest nightmare. What he finds there will change Mack’s world forever.
In a world where religion seems to grow increasingly irrelevant The Shack wrestles with the timeless question, “Where is God in a world so filled with unspeakable pain?” The answers Mack gets will astound you and perhaps transform you as much as it did him. You’ll want everyone you know to read this book!
I too, want you to read this book. Finally, Christian fiction worthy of the title. It challenges your thoughts, it gets you “out of your box” and draws you to your ultimate center - Jesus Christ.
Eugene Peterson said this about The Shack, “When the imagination of a writer and the passion of a theologian cross-fertilize the result is a novel on the order of The Shack. This book has the potential to do for our generation what John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress did for his. It’s that good!”
Michael W. Smith said, The Shack is the most absorbing work of fiction I’ve read in many years. My wife and I laughed, cried and repented of our own lack of faith along the way. The Shack will leave you craving for the presence of God.”
Theologically this book is challenging; there are times where the author sounds almost universal in regards to religion, but I assure you something in this book will grip your soul and twist it. Something in this book will make you rethink your walk and evaluate your faith. It makes you ask questions, search scripture, and begin to trench the depths of your core beliefs - what I believe a true “Christian novel” should do. Along with facing your fears and the tragedies of this life, you may find yourself reluctantly not wanting to put this book down. This is more than a quick read, a light devotional, this book has the potential to take you to new places in your faith.
Go out and buy a copy today and then share one with a friend.
February 28th, 2008 at 12:12 pm
[…] Caleb wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptChrist-Centered Fiction - Worth the read! Thursday, February 28th, 2008 At the prompting of a Missionary Society of Saint John brother Priest, I went against my mind’s poor image of all Christian fiction and recently completed The Shack. My apprehension was a carry-over from the “Left Behind” series and my presumption that Christian fiction could never be done well. This new Christian novel was suggested with many warnings - those of the “this is not the typical Christian fiction you […]