Finding God in the Shack - Session #6

This morning, my Thursday bible study concluded our study on the best selling novel, "The Shack." We're using the resource, "Finding God in the Shack" by Roger E. Olson which examines the approach the novel takes in explaining how a good, loving, and all powerful God can allow suffering and evil in the world and a creative approach to understanding the doctrine of the Trinity.

Here are the highlights from today's final session:

• The author of "Finding God in the Shack" questions the novel's happy ending as it relates to real life and matters of faith. Is it possible for an encounter with God to help someone become healed from clinical depression? This is an important question because sometimes Christians become frustrated when people do not receive this type of dramatic emotional healing even after a powerful encounter with God.
• Like the Book of Job in the Bible, "The Shack" does not attempt to give a full proof answer as to why tragic things happen in life. But it does suggest that even though God is all loving, God has chosen to not always exercise his power to bring healing.
• Our bible study group talked about the importance of living with the tension of Christian triumphalism ("claim the victory in Jesus" rhetoric) on one hand, and deep despair (lamentations) on the other. Both of these extremes as well as everything in the middle can be found throughout the scriptures.
• Some well known Christian writers and theologians such as St. Augustine, William Cowper, and C.S. Lewis have suffered from times of deep spiritual wilderness.
• The final chapter of "Finding God in the Shack" focused on what is heresy and what is not heresy. Some Christians are quick to find heresy in other Christians or denominations or churches. The author doesn't believe the novel falls into heresy at all. Instead it helps us to see God in a very creative way that is rooted in historic Christianity.

Next Thursday, my bible study group will begin a new study on the book, "Laughing Out Loud" by Tom Mullen. Yes, we are switching gears to the more lighter side of our faith.