The Shack -- The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

One of the most popular books in America right now is the The Shack by Paul Young. Just a couple of quick comments.
The Good -- Strict orthodox evangelicals hate this book because they think it plays with things that just should not be played with. I want to point out a couple of positives. As a professor of literature, I have to say this is a magnificent piece of writing. It is of epic proportions. That being said on a worldly level, on a spiritual level, the book does use its creativity to show a warm, delicate relationship between the persons of the triune God. Also, it does provide hope to people who have experienced the unspeakable horrors of a fallen world. The only hope is Christ Jesus, and on this fact the book is correct.
The Bad -- There is just inherent danger in speaking dialogue through fictional characters that represent God. Every word must correctly represent what we know God would say, and, quite honestly, we just don't know God that well. Mr. Young's fictional statements from God through the mouths of the characters who are the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are going to be gone through with fine tooth comb because they must. Mr. Young fails on occasion.
The Ugly -- These failures of Mr. Young are heresy or border on heresy. This makes jumping up and down and recommending the book impossible. Even the most trained eyes can miss the heresy and develop some strange notions about God. It is just a much better idea to get our ideas about God straight out of Scripture.

Unless you feel very comfortable that you can enjoy the literary masterpiece that is The Shack and ignore it affecting your understanding of God, you should leave it on the shelf. Probably just ought to leave it on the shelf.