Author of “The Shack” Responds to Criticism

Click here. I still think I learned more about the Trinity in reading The Shack than I did in seminary. Most of what I learned in seminary had to do with what bible students call the “economic trinity.” These are the various roles each person of the Trinity plays in the history of redemption. But the wonderful and rich relationship of our Trinitarian God within the plurality of his being was unimaginatively developed – or actually, not developed, if the truth be told. Actually, The Shack has encouraged me to go back and read Augustine on the Trintiy and purchase a series of dvds to deepen my reflection.

The reaction to The Shack among some evangelical leaders tells me as much about myself as about them. I am a fringe evangelical if their reaction is in any way a definition of evangelicalism. Eugene Peterson’s endorsement of the book gives me some hope that the land of the evangelicals is not completely populated by such. Evangelicalism is my home. But sometimes, as the title of a recent book reads, “home is where the hardest things happen.”

An interesting discussion at DivorceCare

Last night at the sixth session of the 13 week DC program we dealt with what the owner’s manual (the bible) says about divorce. I have always thought this teaching was a very difficult momment for people who are either not in church at all or on its edges. The teaching had to do with biblical reasons for divorce and qualifications for remarriage. This approach has always made it clear to me that DC seems to be aimed at evangelicals who are going through divorce rather than the larger public.

My observation is that no one ever chooses not to remarry because the divorce was not on biblical grounds. In my 30 years of pastoral ministry I have never met someone who did not remarry for those reasons. There are plenty who chose not to remarry but out of personal preference, not biblical mandates. The Apostle Paul in 1 Cor 7 instructs Christians that if they leave their spouse (except on biblical grounds) they are not to remarry. DO YOU KNOW ANYONE WHO HAS FOLLOWED THIS ADVICE???? I DON’T. I have had plenty of people tell me that they will not remarry – it’s better to be single and out of the marriage than go through the soul-deadening experience of remaining in their marriage. But eventually that choice is something they find it impossible to live with. They seek another companion.

Since almost no one follows this counsel, I wonder if this is one of those situations where the human experience makes us take another look at the Bible and ask if we really know what it says on this issue. I know that some will respond by saying that I am putting human experience above the Bible. No, I am not. But human experience can make us question whether or not we are interpreting the Bible correctly. In some areas of interpretation, we have found that the popular interpretation runs so counter to our natural humanity that we have an indicator that we must take another look at the passage.

I understand that this can be a slippery slope to subjectivism. But the reality is that if some interpretation proves itself over the long haul to be completely outside the pale of our humanity, then perhaps we have it wrong. I think that one of the proofs of the Christian faith is that it answers to the human experience, as we would expect truth to do.

The surprise is that anybody is surprised

This is a purely local story here in the Boston area. Dianne Wilkerson, a state legislator, is arrested for extorting bribes. Hercolleagues in state government are “shocked,” and “troubled.” That’s even more bothersome. But after reading Howie Carr’s The Brothers Bulger about state and Boston government, no one can really be taken by surprise by these antics.

It’s like all the evangelicals who were shocked and troubled by Jim and Tammy Faye Baker’s demise. No one looking on was at all surprised. Only the insiders were. Of course, the insiders had too much to gain to draw the natural conclusion everyone else had already drawn – these are crooks. When the TV evangelists take the big fall, the guy on the street was all along thinking it was just a matter of time.

I wonder when us evangelicals will be more willing to keep house.