Novel Spirituality

Books of a religious nature tend to attract a particular niche group, rather than reaching a wide audience. However, once in a while, a book does come along that breaks the mold.

Enter the Christian novel entitled The Shack. In short, William P. Young’s work is about a father struggling after the death of his daughter. The character then encounters God, but not in any usual form. Instead? As an African-American woman.

The novel took publishers and readers by storm, becoming a bestseller after a grassroots effort to bring it to light. While the unusual characterization of God was controversial, many readers can only say positive things about the book. Young describes his reason for such a characterization as such: “You know what? I don’t believe that God is Gandalf with an attitude or Zeus who wants to blast you with any imperfection that you exhibit.”

The Shack continues to sell, and proves that spirituality can be found in many shapes and sizes. What do you think of God being portrayed in this way? [New York Times]