Comments on: One Paragraph Reviews: Olson on The Shack, Tickle on The Great Emergence, Bowman and Komoszewski on The Deity of Christ http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/one-paragraph-reviews-olson-on-the-shack-tickle-on-the-great-emergence-bowman-and-komoszewski-on-the-deity-of-christ ...dispatches from the post-evangelical wilderness Sun, 12 Feb 2012 12:47:28 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: iMonk http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/one-paragraph-reviews-olson-on-the-shack-tickle-on-the-great-emergence-bowman-and-komoszewski-on-the-deity-of-christ/comment-page-1#comment-372416 iMonk Sun, 08 Feb 2009 04:04:23 +0000 http://www.internetmonk.com/?p=2800#comment-372416 Then consider that your objections are directly a result of Calvin's objections to picturing God at all, in any way. And in order to be consistent you should object to all images of God or Jesus of any kind. Thread is closed. Then consider that your objections are directly a result of Calvin’s objections to picturing God at all, in any way. And in order to be consistent you should object to all images of God or Jesus of any kind.

Thread is closed.

]]> By: Christopher Lake http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/one-paragraph-reviews-olson-on-the-shack-tickle-on-the-great-emergence-bowman-and-komoszewski-on-the-deity-of-christ/comment-page-1#comment-372410 Christopher Lake Sun, 08 Feb 2009 03:59:14 +0000 http://www.internetmonk.com/?p=2800#comment-372410 I read Flannery O'Connor, Walker Percy, Dostoevsky, T.S. Eliot, and many other authors who were/are Christians. I like serious, thoughtful films which engage matters of Christian faith, directly or indirectly (not Left Behind), and so on. I do understand theological elements of fiction. My disagreement with you on The Shack is a principled one-- but as you said, we will agree to disagree. I read Flannery O’Connor, Walker Percy, Dostoevsky, T.S. Eliot, and many other authors who were/are Christians. I like serious, thoughtful films which engage matters of Christian faith, directly or indirectly (not Left Behind), and so on. I do understand theological elements of fiction. My disagreement with you on The Shack is a principled one– but as you said, we will agree to disagree.

]]> By: iMonk http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/one-paragraph-reviews-olson-on-the-shack-tickle-on-the-great-emergence-bowman-and-komoszewski-on-the-deity-of-christ/comment-page-1#comment-372407 iMonk Sun, 08 Feb 2009 03:47:49 +0000 http://www.internetmonk.com/?p=2800#comment-372407 The problem isn't whether a person can appreciate art. But since you bring it up, the critics who have hit The Shack the hardest generally show no ability whatsoever to deal with the theological elements of fiction in a consistent way. It's fiction, till it says "God." Then go get Calvin's Institutes and let's see what the author is really up to. It's not for no reason that Calvin whitewashed the churches. The problem isn’t whether a person can appreciate art.

But since you bring it up, the critics who have hit The Shack the hardest generally show no ability whatsoever to deal with the theological elements of fiction in a consistent way. It’s fiction, till it says “God.” Then go get Calvin’s Institutes and let’s see what the author is really up to.

It’s not for no reason that Calvin whitewashed the churches.

]]> By: Christopher Lake http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/one-paragraph-reviews-olson-on-the-shack-tickle-on-the-great-emergence-bowman-and-komoszewski-on-the-deity-of-christ/comment-page-1#comment-372403 Christopher Lake Sun, 08 Feb 2009 03:41:08 +0000 http://www.internetmonk.com/?p=2800#comment-372403 I'm fine with agreeing to disagree. I just struggle with how Christians who have serious problems with The Shack are sometimes characterized as not understanding art, not appreciating art, with necessarily being "heresy hunters," and the like. Not all of us who object to parts of The Shack are narrow-minded people who fear or hate art, or who are constantly on the "hunt" for heresy. I’m fine with agreeing to disagree. I just struggle with how Christians who have serious problems with The Shack are sometimes characterized as not understanding art, not appreciating art, with necessarily being “heresy hunters,” and the like. Not all of us who object to parts of The Shack are narrow-minded people who fear or hate art, or who are constantly on the “hunt” for heresy.

]]> By: iMonk http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/one-paragraph-reviews-olson-on-the-shack-tickle-on-the-great-emergence-bowman-and-komoszewski-on-the-deity-of-christ/comment-page-1#comment-372397 iMonk Sun, 08 Feb 2009 03:26:22 +0000 http://www.internetmonk.com/?p=2800#comment-372397 No. No more than I am concerned about the conclusions undiscerning readers might make of a Driscoll sermon on sex or a Piper book on bridges falling. Unthoughtful and hyper-exaggerating readers will always draw wrong conclusions. Do you know what some people do with what they read in the Bible? It's a novel. A fantasy. A journey of the imagination. We aren't learning anything here. We need to end our conversation. I respect your view, but we disagree deeply and profoundly. No. No more than I am concerned about the conclusions undiscerning readers might make of a Driscoll sermon on sex or a Piper book on bridges falling. Unthoughtful and hyper-exaggerating readers will always draw wrong conclusions. Do you know what some people do with what they read in the Bible?

It’s a novel. A fantasy. A journey of the imagination.

We aren’t learning anything here. We need to end our conversation. I respect your view, but we disagree deeply and profoundly.

]]> By: Christopher Lake http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/one-paragraph-reviews-olson-on-the-shack-tickle-on-the-great-emergence-bowman-and-komoszewski-on-the-deity-of-christ/comment-page-1#comment-372392 Christopher Lake Sun, 08 Feb 2009 03:19:42 +0000 http://www.internetmonk.com/?p=2800#comment-372392 Michael, I have read Christians on blogs and message boards writing things about The Shack such as, "Well, why couldn't the Father reveal Himself to someone as a black woman? It seems like something He might do." Do such statements from Christians not concern you at all? (Yes, I would be equally concerned about them speculating that the Father might reveal Himself to someone as a white male.) Michael,

I have read Christians on blogs and message boards writing things about The Shack such as, “Well, why couldn’t the Father reveal Himself to someone as a black woman? It seems like something He might do.”

Do such statements from Christians not concern you at all? (Yes, I would be equally concerned about them speculating that the Father might reveal Himself to someone as a white male.)

]]> By: Cindy http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/one-paragraph-reviews-olson-on-the-shack-tickle-on-the-great-emergence-bowman-and-komoszewski-on-the-deity-of-christ/comment-page-1#comment-372389 Cindy Sun, 08 Feb 2009 03:16:44 +0000 http://www.internetmonk.com/?p=2800#comment-372389 Christopher, I didn't mean to exasperate you or add to your exasperation with the conversation. I was typing too quickly and didn't word things as I should have. I'm sorry. I understand <i>any</i> human portrayal of the first and third persons of the trinity aren't going to be good with you. What I did wonder is you think female characters bother you more? And this isn't a gotcha. I'm just curious. Whichever your answer, it's good with me. And you're right, in the Chronicles of Narnia, Aslan is a Christ-figure, but within the fictional world of Narnia (so speaking of and in the text itself), Aslan is that world's God, or one person of. He sings Narnia into being. Then there's the whole Emperor Over the Sea, but it's been too long since I've read TCoN to remember much about him other than that he exists. Maybe Romans 14 is particularly useful for this sort of disagreement among brothers. Christopher, I didn’t mean to exasperate you or add to your exasperation with the conversation. I was typing too quickly and didn’t word things as I should have. I’m sorry.

I understand any human portrayal of the first and third persons of the trinity aren’t going to be good with you. What I did wonder is you think female characters bother you more? And this isn’t a gotcha. I’m just curious. Whichever your answer, it’s good with me.

And you’re right, in the Chronicles of Narnia, Aslan is a Christ-figure, but within the fictional world of Narnia (so speaking of and in the text itself), Aslan is that world’s God, or one person of. He sings Narnia into being. Then there’s the whole Emperor Over the Sea, but it’s been too long since I’ve read TCoN to remember much about him other than that he exists.

Maybe Romans 14 is particularly useful for this sort of disagreement among brothers.

]]> By: Christopher Lake http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/one-paragraph-reviews-olson-on-the-shack-tickle-on-the-great-emergence-bowman-and-komoszewski-on-the-deity-of-christ/comment-page-1#comment-372380 Christopher Lake Sun, 08 Feb 2009 02:52:24 +0000 http://www.internetmonk.com/?p=2800#comment-372380 Michael, I am close to giving up on this thread myself. Aslan is a *Christ figure.* Papa and Sarayu are fictional, artistic portrayals of *God Himself.* Even on just a simply artistic level, there is a major difference. I know that from my days as an English major! Michael,

I am close to giving up on this thread myself. Aslan is a *Christ figure.* Papa and Sarayu are fictional, artistic portrayals of *God Himself.* Even on just a simply artistic level, there is a major difference. I know that from my days as an English major!

]]> By: Christopher Lake http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/one-paragraph-reviews-olson-on-the-shack-tickle-on-the-great-emergence-bowman-and-komoszewski-on-the-deity-of-christ/comment-page-1#comment-372377 Christopher Lake Sun, 08 Feb 2009 02:48:19 +0000 http://www.internetmonk.com/?p=2800#comment-372377 Scott (not ScottL), I meant to write, "...how God works with people and reveals Himself to *them.*" Obviously, God doesn't have to reveal Himself to Himself! :-) Scott (not ScottL),

I meant to write, “…how God works with people and reveals Himself to *them.*” Obviously, God doesn’t have to reveal Himself to Himself! :-)

]]> By: iMonk http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/one-paragraph-reviews-olson-on-the-shack-tickle-on-the-great-emergence-bowman-and-komoszewski-on-the-deity-of-christ/comment-page-1#comment-372375 iMonk Sun, 08 Feb 2009 02:44:35 +0000 http://www.internetmonk.com/?p=2800#comment-372375 <em>>...The Father and the Spirit simply do not reveal themselves in human form...</em> Oh come on, Christopher. William Young doesn't say that God does such a thing, any more than Lewis was saying God was a Lion in another universe. Man.....it's fiction! I once went to see Star Wars with a guy- no lie- who, when I asked him what he thought, said, "That'll never happen." How can you criticize Young for suggesting God appears to some people in a Shack as a black woman? I give up. Seriously. This is going nowhere. >…The Father and the Spirit simply do not reveal themselves in human form…

Oh come on, Christopher. William Young doesn’t say that God does such a thing, any more than Lewis was saying God was a Lion in another universe. Man…..it’s fiction!

I once went to see Star Wars with a guy- no lie- who, when I asked him what he thought, said, “That’ll never happen.”

How can you criticize Young for suggesting God appears to some people in a Shack as a black woman?

I give up. Seriously. This is going nowhere.

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