[Quix]

FROM the first link:

But Stackhouse also criticized The Shack. Most of his complaints had to do with the novel's denunciations of "institutional" Christianity, as well as seminaries, ritual and hierarchy.

Ahhhhhhhhhh . . .

ritual and hierarchy . . . and here I thought you represented folks vigorously hostile to RC ritual and hierarchy. Guess I really have misunderstood you a LOT!

[Quix]

DEAR ONES,

This is anonymously from a fellow FREEPER:

I am in Michigan right now and it has been powerful , lots of divine appointments instructing others in warfare and discernment . I met a group of hispanic prayer warriors and the Lord brought me to them the very night I got off the plane to give them word of knowledge for what they had just been praying about !Praise the Lord when he uses us for others to be encouraged and instill hope to carry on in this battle to walk as Overcomers and become a tree of life for others !

[HarleyD]

I have not read "The Shack" nor do I intend to. Unfortunately my time is limited and I tend to be selective in what I read or study. But given the excerpt you posted above, I would say that it is filled with a bunch of cliches. First, I doubt that any serious Christian would make the claim that they know all about God from studying His word. Fact is, the more you study, the more you find Him to be a mystery.

Second, there is something VERY SERIOUSLY WRONG with someone who makes the claim that all they can find in the Bible is "about Jesus" and still want to know more. The Bible IS our relationship to God through which He speaks to our hearts. It convict us of sin, righteousness and judgment. I don't know any legitimate Christian that will not tell you they can study the word of God year after year and still find new and exciting things in it. There is no other book like that. A person cannot do any better than the word of God. It is the ONLY thing on this earth that ISN'T of this earth. What the author is saying is that the Bible is simply not enough-a very dangerous position. Think of it as telling God that He didn't provide enough information.

Third, who doesn't know the churches are filled with people who don't know God-especially the liberal Episcopals? These are the tares of the church. True Christians do NOT reflect society but reflect the divine nature of God. We all have our faults but true Christians keep on striving because of God's Spirit. So you can either blame the tares for not knowing God, or you can blame the Christians for not being as perfected as they should be. But what's the point?

Personally, I find the part of him telling about the pastor wanting him to come back again and again because he packed them in was a bit full of pride. People who say they "feel" they really are getting close to God reminds me of the many people in the Old Testament who thought they were just as good as Moses before God; everyone of which got quite a surprise-from Koran to Aaron and Marian. It is God who picks out the person who He chooses to talk to face to face-not the other way around. And Moses was certainly humbled by the experience since we read that he was the most humblest man in the world. It is rather arrogant to suggest we can get close to God unless He draws us to Him. And it is only when He draws us that we see our own wretchness.

I could go on, but there seems to be plenty to say this book appears to be filled with errors and misconceptions.

[Marysecretary]

I think God is trying to get rid of ritual and hierarchy and drawing us into a close relationship with Him and Him ONLY.