Young originally wrote The Shack as a Christmas gift for his 6 children with no intention of publishing it. After letting several friends read the book, he was urged to make it available to the public. Young and his two partners formed Wind Blown Media (http://windblownmedia.com) with the sole purpose of publishing this book. The Shack has achieved its success almost entirely by word-of-mouth.
The author explained in a telephone interview that the title is a metaphor for “the house you build out of your own pain." He described it on a radio talk show as "a metaphor for the places you get stuck, you get hurt, you get damaged...the thing where shame or hurt is centered." Readers are moved by the depths of Mack's suffering, his resulting "great sadness," and his amazing discovery of a God whose love makes sense of a tragic life.
The plot is based on the story of Mackenzie (Mack) Philips, who has lost his youngest daughter to a serial killer. Mack's journey of honest questioning bring the reader to a surprising discovery. In the process of facing his pain Mack meets with God the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit.
The three persons of the Trinity appear to Mack as three distinct personalities, "Papa," a jovial African American , "Jesus," an approachable Jewish carpenter, and "Sarayu," a mysterious Indian gardener. Mack experiences the love these three share with one another, and begins to understand the depth of God's love for him.
The Shack is a spiritual catalyst. It raises questions about who God is and how he works in our lives. This blog is intended to provide a study guide that will help lead users into a deeper relationship with their Creator and each other.
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