Love it, or hate it after a year and a half it is still ranked #2 on the New York Times “Bestseller List “in the Paperback Trade Fiction. This is an incredible feat for a book that the author wrote as a Christmas present for his children with no plans to publish.

Regardless of its weaknesses, The Shack has struck a raw nerve with the Christian public and even in the wider culture.  As a piece of fiction it strikes at the heart of issues that many of us struggle with, and offers a perspective that is born out of the author’s own personal struggles.

The Shack raises the deep gut-wrenching questions of life, questions many of us dare not reveal to anyone that we even ask: questions of God, His goodness, His justice and the like.  As I have looked in depth at the story I see five major questions/themes that through the narrative:

•     What is the nature of forgiveness?  Why do we find it so difficult?

•     How do we deal with the personal pain caused by sin and evil that we have suffered and has become a part of our very identity?  Is it possible to let go or be freed of this weight we carry around?  The image that comes to mind here is from the film The Mission.  At one point as part of the condition of becoming a Jesuit  monk Robert De Niro’s character, Rodrigo Mendoza, drags the armor and weapons of his former life as part of his penance,.  These are tied to him by a rope. He crosses rivers and climbs mountains dragging the symbols of his past.  One of the monks cuts the rope and the weight tumbles down the mountain into the raging river below.  Rather than being grateful for being set free, he goes down the mountain and reattaches the weight and continues on the difficult journey. Rodrigo Mendoza’s past, the past from which he seeks release, has become so much a part of him that he cannot let it go—it has become a key part of his identify.

•      Who is God? The refrain from the Bette Midler song  “God is watching us, God is watching us from a distance,”  gives a lyrical picture of the vision of the person of God that most of us imagine.  But, is He the stern and distant Judge that looks down over the balcony of Heaven  keeping tabs of our crimes and misdemeanors?  This is a dominant theme in our western theological tradition that goes back to Augustine (5^th century) and Tertullian (3^rd century).  Interestingly this is not the view of the early church, especially the view of those such as Athanasius who were instrumental in forging our doctrine of the trinity as expressed in the Nicene Creed.

•      How can we assert the goodness and omnipotence of God in light of evil and suffering in the world?  This is a problem philosophers and theologians have wrestled with for millennia, and one that has become acute in the wake of the Enlightenment.  It still remains in great debate today. 

•      How do we relate to God?  Clearly Scripture portrays God as holy and just.  We speak of grace but the issue of sin, as breaking the Law of God, is ever before us.  If God is so holy that he cannot look at sin, how is it possible to know him in any real way?   

These are the questions.  To address them I am in process of writing five online courses through EduPlex Ministries (EduPlex.org) .  The series is entitled Beyond The Shack.  The first course was released last week, the rest are on target for release over the next three months.  Below are the course descriptions from the EduPlex website.

These courses are offered in two formats:

1. Coached: you and a group of students meet online to process the material with a professional life coach.
2.  Independent Study: you as the student interact with the material on your own
   
   

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BEYOND THE SHACK Course Series

Beyond the Shack is a revolutionary, high impact, life-changing experience that engages the student in a deep and satisfying emotional connection to God:  beyond rules, guilt and pain into relationship, joy and power!  An exhilarating journey of discovery!  A remarkable integration of teaching, coaching, social interaction and contemplation!  The unique integrated coaching takes you beyond knowledge to actual experience of deep spiritual truth.

Course 1 - Freedom to Love Again
                     Pain & Guilt: Neutralizing the Poison

When others hurt us, abuse us or commit horrific crimes against us, where is God in all of this and how could he possibly ask us to forgive?  Forgiveness: Possible or Impossible? addresses the theme of forgiveness in The Shack book by William P. Young, and highlights the three distinct types of forgiveness, commonly taught as one.  The course teaches common forgiveness myths, the dangers of premature forgiveness, and explains how to experience true freedom from those who have hurt us.  If you are still feeling wounded by another, then this course is especially designed for you.  Experience healing and a new freedom of your heart as you develop a loving and lasting relationship with God and others.

Student Comments:  "I really liked the interaction with the other students on the conference call and was surprised at how fast a bond began and people started opening up."  "I liked the fact that there were seasoned staff on the call to ask the questions and keep the group on track."

Special Introductory Price, Limited Time Only!
          Basic Course $29
          Course with coaching $59

Now Available!  

Course 2 - Breaking the Chains that Bind
                     Escaping the Past That Defines You

When abuse is experienced, whether it be verbally, physically, sexually or even spiritually, it can result in entrenched feelings of fear, guilt and shame.  If left unaddressed, abuse sets the victim up for repeated cycles of frustration, failure and addiction.  In this The Shack study, we expand on the themes of healing the hurts of our lives. 

Are you living with a great sadness because of how others treated you?  To what extent has your past negatively affected your identity?  How do you identify abuse and its influence in your life?  The course features outstanding personal stories of people impacted by abuse.  Hear the personal story of William P. Young’s childhood of abuse and how he learned to cope and survive conditional love.  Discover and experience God’s unconditional love for you, regardless of your past or present.  Discover your new identity that breaks the chains of the past, and releases you into a future of joy, peace, and success.  This course will be a great encouragement in your life!

Special Introductory Price, Limited Time Only!
          Basic Course $29
          Course with coaching $59

Available late October 20

Course 3 - Who is God, Really? "I'm Not Who You Think I Am"
                     The Triune God and Loving Relationships

Picture God in your mind.  What does He look like?  What face do you place on God?  An angry policeman?  An absentee father?  A puppeteer with you at the end of the strings?  These and many other false concepts about God can keep us trapped in a cycle of relating to God through unhealthy motives.  Do you relate to God in fear, guilt and shame?

There is a better way!  This course teaches on the nature of God as being both deeply personal and forever loving.  The following topics are discussed:  How does our relationship to our parents—especially our fathers—impact our understanding of God?  What are the boxes into which people place God?  Is your box too small? Why the Trinity is critical to your understanding of your greatness.  How Christianity is different from all the other religions of the world and its implications for daily life.   Learn the surprising discovery of C. S. Lewis and how it changed his life forever.

Special Introductory Price, Limited Time Only!
          Basic Course $49
          Course with coaching $79
Available November

 Course 4 - If There is a God, Why So Much Pain and Suffering?
                     Making Sense of Pain in Our World

Do you find yourself asking God, “Why did you let this happen?” Coping with a personal tragedy and loss becomes compounded when sorting out God’s role in the midst of our pain and confusion.  If He is so loving and all-powerful, then why did He not stop the circumstances from occurring?  These are the questions asked by the main character in The Shack book by William P. Young. 

This course highlights the themes of pain, and asks the tough questions of God.  Will it ever get better?  God’s role in tragic events and losses is examined, and the student is equipped to process his or her own journey with helpful ideas and insights by those who have personally traveled down that road.  Those who take the coached version of the course will find it to be much more helpful in processing this material.

Special Introductory Price, Limited Time Only!
          Basic Course $29
          Course with coaching $59

Course 5 - Walking in Paths of Joy and Freedom
                     Forget the Rules; It’s About Relationships

Do you find that your relationship with God and others is more defined by rules rather than giving and receiving within loving relationships?  Is it hard for you to extend grace and mercy when people mess up or fail you?  Is God only a great lawgiver and judge or is He one of continual forgiveness and the God of second, third and seventy chances? 

This The Shack study is designed to help students learn how living just by the rules of life can actually rob you of the true value and joy of life.  You will learn the incredible power of a grace-filled life and how it can transform your relationships into those of deep feelings and affection for others.  Walk in joy and true freedom, and a profound sense of well-being – just as God intended.

Special Introductory Price, Limited Time Only!
          Basic Course $39
          Course with coaching $69

Available early February 2010