Burning Down ‘The Shack”
Tim Challies posted a terrific review of a new book examining the issues around the controversial bestseller, The Shack:
James De Young writes from an interesting perspective—that of a former friend, or acquaintance at least, of Paul Young. He begins his book by providing some important but little-known background to The Shack. In April of 2004 De Young attended a Christian think tank and there Young presented a 103-page paper which presented a defense of universal reconciliation, a Christian form of universalism—the view that at some point every person will come to a right relationship with God. If they do not do this before they die, God will use the fires of hell to purge away (not punish, mind you) any unbelief. Eventually even Satan and his fallen angels will be purged of sin and all of creation will be fully and finally restored. This is to say that after death there is a second chance, and more than that, a complete inevitability, that all people will eventually repent and come to full relationship with God. De Young believes that Young’s belief in universal reconciliation is absolutely crucial to anyone who would truly wish to understand The Shack. It is the key that makes sense of the book and the theology it contains. Though far from the only theological problem with the book, it is the one that makes sense of the others.
Read the rest at Challies.com
In Other News
The Toronto Pastors’ 2010 Conference audio is now available. Download and enjoy.
Kevin DeYoung reviews Richard Stearns’ The Hole in Our Gospel
Mark Driscoll interviews Wayne & Margaret Grudem. Here’s the video:
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In Case You Missed It
A review of Stephen Mansfield’s new book, ReChurch
Notes from the Exchange: Peter Jones – Speaking the Gospel in a One-ist World
Notes from the Exchange: Kevin DeYoung – The Truth and the Lie in the Contemporary Church
John Piper: Does God Get More Glory if Man Has Free Will?
