The Shack: An Amazing Movie on Spiritual Beliefs

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The Shack: An Amazing Movie on Spiritual Beliefs is a sponsored post on behalf of Review Wire Media for Lionsgate. I received information to facilitate my review as well as a promotional item to thank me for my participation.

Years ago, several people recommended The Shack for our book club. Until it went into our book list, I had not given it much thought. However, I found the novel to be very thought provoking with one person’s interpretation of how God might be visible to us.

Earlier this year, The Shack was released in theaters. I still remember watching the extended trailer and finding tears in my eyes.

Summary of The Shack Movie

Based on the worldwide best-selling novel, with over 22 million copies in print, the inspirational story of faith and love, The Shack, arrives on Digital HD May 16, and Blu-ray, DVD and On Demand May 30 from Lionsgate. Starring Sam Worthington (Avatar, Hacksaw Ridge), Academy Award^® winner Octavia Spencer (Best Supporting Actress, The Help, 2011) and country music superstar Tim McGraw (The Blind Side), The Shack takes us through a father’s experience learning the ultimate truth about love, loss, and forgiveness.

The Christian movie event of the year, this “powerful and gripping” (The Dove Foundation) film has been awarded the Dove Faith Friendly Seal of Approval. The Shack takes us on a father’s transformative spiritual journey.

After a family tragedy, Mack (Worthington) spirals into a crisis of faith and questions God’s existence and life’s purpose.

Mack is unable to move on, until he gets a mysterious invitation to an abandoned shack. There, God reveals Himself in the form of three strangers led by Papa (Spencer).

Mack’s journey will transform audiences of all ages, in this movie that you will want to watch over and over.

Trailer for The Shack

 

My Thoughts on The Shack

 

The Shack is a wonderful story on its own. However, there are some touchpoints which might rub individuals the wrong way. My boys quickly found them and elected to not watch the whole film.

There are some things contained in the story which can be too much for kids to handle.

A young girl, much beloved by her father, is abducted and killed.
A father is so wrought with guilt that he is ‘stuck’.

Both of those concepts are easy for them to grasp.

And, the film does not show the violence. Rather you know the girl is dead by a smear of blood and her dress left behind in the shack.

Depiction of God as Three Persons in Human Form

The issue they had was how the story depicts God in three persons. Specifically, the idea of God the Father appearing to Mack as a woman is what bothers them.

So we talked about how God can reveal Himself in any form he chooses. We are all created in His image. As we have many races on the earth with distinct features, God can appear as any of those options.

There is a particular scene between Papa and Mack in the kitchen which sheds more light on why Papa is a black woman. Mack tells Papa that he expected an old man with a long beard. After joking that maybe he is confused with Santa, Papa responds more seriously that Mack wasn’t ready to see God as a male father figure. This is from knowing the injustices Mack suffered as a child at the hand of his biological father. Mack is not ready for a male father figure…yet.

Underlying Theme of Goodness in All of God’s Creation

What I adore about this story is that God in the three persons shows Mack that there is goodness in all. That we are all a mess but have beauty within us.

This is seen in the garden which Mack is told is him. Walking through it, you see gorgeous flowers with weeds growing around them. It looks like a wild jungle. Yet, when you look from above you can see patterns and that there is an underlying design. 

If you are going to watch this film, I recommend removing the concept of one religion being ‘right.’ I see the story more as one of healing through a very personal encounter with God. And, every relationship has its own nuances. The film (and book it is based upon) is not pushing any one agenda or religious belief system. Rather, it is more about embracing God, knowing that we are loved and unique individuals that are able to bring either joy or suffering to the world, and that everything is connected. 

 

Win a Copy of The Shack

One lucky blog reader in the United States will win their own copy of The Shack on Blu-ray/DVD. Retail Value $39.99

The mandatory entry is a comment on this blog post. Without doing that, all other entries are considered null and void.

The selected winner will have 24 hours to respond to their email and claim their prize.

Also, if you have won the same prize on another blog, you will not be eligible to win it again.  

Entries are collected through the Gleam form below until June 6, 2016:
The Shack on Blu-Ray / DVD

Have you read the book, The Shack, or watched the movie?
What most appeals to you about this film?