Ready for the truth about 'The Shack'?

Shocker! The best-selling "Christian" book of the last three years is not "Christian" at all, charges a seminary professor who has an inside view of what went into the publishing phenomenon known as "The Shack."

"The Shack" is a feel-good novel that took the book industry by storm three years ago and has remained on the best-sellers list for more than 100 straight weeks – with many of the sales in Christian bookstores and with many churches spreading the book around virally and even conducting Bible studies around it.

Now comes "Burning Down 'The Shack,'" a hard-hitting, no-holds-barred biblical critique of the book by someone who knew author Paul Young well and understands what's behind its strange theology.

"It's often said that one can understand a book better by knowing the author," James De Young offers in "Burning Down 'The Shack,'" which he wrote to "expose the greatest deception to blindside the church in the last 200 years!"

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De Young isn't only a New Testament language and literature professor at Western Seminary in Portland, Ore., he holds multiple degrees from respected seminaries including Dallas Seminary, Talbot Theological Seminary and Moody Bible Institute. In addition, and possibly most important, De Young is a former longtime colleague of Paul Young, and was his Portland-area neighbor when Young wrote "The Shack."

"Burning Down 'The Shack,'" challenges readers to consider the perilous religious beliefs of the author. While writing "The Shack," Young, a victim of child molestation, had recently embraced "universal reconciliation" – a belief identified as far back as the sixth century as heresy – which emphasizes that Jesus' loving nature renders him incapable of eternally damning anyone.

But is Young's worldview important? Is his theology that big a deal? James De Young thinks so – and his compelling challenge to "The Shack" casts its "revelations" in a whole new light.

"How they strike a dagger into the heart of the gospel!" warns De Young.

In "Burning Down 'The Shack,'" De Young not only faces down the biblical falsehoods, but he also takes unique creative license and shows readers powerful Scripture that would have helped Paul Young’s fictional character, Mack, find the forgiveness and restoration he so desperately sought – but was not offered.

In confronting "The Shack," De Young says he feels a little like David, with stone and slingshot in hand, taking on the nine-foot success of the book. As of January 2010, "The Shack" had sold at least 7 million copies worldwide, and had been translated into two foreign languages. It still ranks on several best-sellers' lists and whispers are circulating of a widespread feature film release.

Further, much of the church has bowed to its message of grace – though subtle but not insignificant recognition is surfacing of its potential to spark a split among believers. In some cases, Christian bookstores sell it with a disclaimer warning: "This book may contain thoughts, ideas, or concepts that could be considered inconsistent with historical evangelical theology."

De Young is ready for opposition: "Now some will question the relevance of my dealing with Paul Young’s background and writing, but this history lays the groundwork for the plausibility of uncovering errors."

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In 1997, De Young and Young co-founded a Christian think tank, called M3 Forum, and for the next seven years they discussed and probed topics, doctrine and problems facing the church as it approached the new millennium. Then, in April 2004, Young submitted a surprising 103-page paper in which he embraced universal reconciliation and said, "He was putting aside his earlier evangelical paradigm."

Less than two years later, Young asked friends to read the early draft of a novel he was writing as a Christmas gift for his children. Though highly impressed by the manuscript's potential, the friends were opposed to the universal reconciliation they found in it and acknowledged publicly that they spent over a year trying to remove that message. Mainline Christian publishers declined interest in publishing what became "The Shack," so Young and his friends formed their own publishing company to self-publish.

"When I carefully read 'The Shack' in January 2008, I was dismayed to find universalism still embedded, deeply and subtly, in it," De Young recalls.

In "Burning Down 'The Shack,'" De Young delivers a chapter-by-chapter evaluation of more than 15 heresies within "The Shack." Chief among the errors is what Young left out.

Many Christians have read "The Shack" and not found it harmless or even inspiring. If that is you, or you know someone in that category, "Burning Down 'The Shack'" is for you. It will allow you to see clearly the dangerous teachings entertainingly promoted in Paul Young's book.

Get "Burning Down 'The Shack'" autographed by author and Professor James De Young.

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