In My Father’s House There Are Many SHACKS?
A Critical Essay of William Paul Young’s THE SHACK By Pastor Jeffrey Whittaker Part 1 It is my desire to undertake this brief essay in order to discuss some of the pertinent elements found within the best-selling book that is the center of so many discussions amongst sincere Christians, as well as prominent pop-culture figures. […]
Using Poverty to Build the Global 3-Legged Stool
Global Poverty Act of 2007 S2433 RS“To require the President to develop and implement a comprehensive strategy to further the United States foreign policy objective of promoting the reduction of global poverty, the elimination of extreme global poverty, and the achievement of the Millennium Development Goal of reducing by one-half the proportion of people worldwide, […]
3-Legged Stool Teetering in Rwanda
“Rwanda has emerged as a darling of the aid world, praised for strong, uncorrupt leadership and the strides it has made in fighting AIDS and poverty.” The New York Times The New York Times reported today (12/03/08) in an article entitled “Rwanda Stirs Deadly Brew of Troubles in Congo” by Jeffrey Gettleman, that a rebellion […]
Remember Lot’s Wife
“And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all. “Likewise also as […]
A Still Small Voice
“Contemplative Prayer and the ‘Elijah Experience’of 1 Kings 19:12” By Pastor Larry DeBruyn Elijah’s Mt. Horeb experience, when he heard “a sound of sheer silence” (1 Kings 19:12, NRSV), has stimulated a tradition of desert spirituality which pursues solitude in order to hear the voice of God. Practitioners of lectio divina (i.e., reading sacred things) […]
THE COMING KINGDOM
Evolution or Revolution? By Pastor Larry DeBruyn In recent years, Christendom’s thinkers have offered a smorgasbord of ideas and theories about Jesus, thus begging the question—will the real Jesus please stand up? If one pays attention to the Jesus revisionists, we are left with the impression that nobody really understood Him, not even the Apostle […]
Willful Ignorance
“Therefore they say unto God, Depart from us;for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways.”(Job 21:14) “Man’s apostasy began in an affectation of forbidden knowledge,but is kept up by an affectation of forbidden ignorance.”– Matthew Henry We live in a time of great apostasy when many choose to ignore or disbelieve the simplicity of […]
Universal Reconciliation
The Theological Implications Part 3: THE SHACK and Universal Reconciliation By Pastor Larry DeBruyn Writing from the standpoint of being a one time “theological buddy” of Paul Young, author of The Shack, James De Young notes that the “the most serious error is Paul’s embrace of Universal Reconciliation which lies imbedded in the book.”[15] When […]
Sin Separates
Part 2: THE SHACK and Universal Reconciliation By Pastor Larry DeBruyn The Christian underpinnings of The Shack make it necessary for the allegory to deal with fallen humanity’s relationship with God, for as the prophet told Judah, “[Y]our iniquities have made a separation between you and your God” (Isaiah 59:2). For reason of sinning, the […]
THE SHACK and Universal Reconciliation
Relationship, Rules and Reconciliation[1] By Pastor Larry DeBruyn Reconciliation means a change in “relationship.”[2] The need for reconciliation presupposes estrangement between two parties (Matthew 5:23-24). Whereas they became enemies, two parties become friends again. Often, reconciliation needs to occur between humans, between friends, spouses, races, tribes, and nations. But reconciliation also needs to occur between […]