It is the first publication by author William Paul Young and the first book to be published by Windblown Media, which is now reported to have a co-publishing deal with FaithWords (publishers for Joyce Meyer and other Christian authors) for future titles and to be in the pre-production phase for a feature-length film of The Shack. First published in May 2007, over 6 million copies of The Shack are now in print. Young’s The Shack has, at the time of writing, reached number 24 in rank of sales of all books through Waterstone’s and number 18 at .uk. Even in the relatively secular UK, William P. When a book with Christian themes makes it to the top of the New York Times paperback fiction best-seller list, and especially when it sits there for over 36 weeks, it is surely worth asking what makes it such a phenomenon.

The Surveyor’s Report – in conclusion, how should we respond to the book?

Final questions about The Shack’s theologyĬomparative Architecture Lesson – how does it compare to The Pilgrim’s Progress?.

The Shack on … Human Freedom and Choice.Surveying the Shack – What does it say about major theological themes? The Builders’ Résumés – Who gave us The Shack?Īn Architect’s Analysis – What genre of literature does it represent? ContentsĪn Estate Agent’s Guide – What’s all the fuss about? You can download the full article from the link on the left. The Contents list below indicates the full range of topics covered. In addition to providing information on the book's author and background, Paul examines the type of literature that the book represents, and then goes on to analyse many of the theological themes that arise in it. The article below consists of a number of extracts from Exploring 'The Shack'. Whether you agree with everything in it or not, this study is provided with the prayer that it will help you to make the most of the conversations that the book may provoke. Paul's article highlights many of the key issues that the book addresses, allowing us to think through and form our own response. For some, this may be the only 'Christian' book they read in years. But when a book dealing with God and suffering proves so popular, it is important to know what the book says (as well as what it doesn't), and to consider how it might shape people's views of what Christianity is all about. With such diverse responses to the book, not everyone will agree with everything in Dr Paul Coulter's extensive study of The Shack. Why all the fuss? Isn't it 'just a novel'? Whatever your reaction to the book, our family, friends and colleagues will also be reading it, offering us all an opportunity to open up conversations about God, suffering and a host of related topics.

As well as topping the best-sellers lists for some time, The Shack appears to have managed to inspire, irritate or infuriate its readers, sometimes with a combination of such reactions.

The shack book