Stephen Jackson on The Sola Panel is dead; long live the Sola Panel!
Sam Freney on The Sola Panel is dead; long live the Sola Panel!
Marty Foord on The Sola Panel is dead; long live the Sola Panel!
Dianne Howard on The Sola Panel is dead; long live the Sola Panel!
Mike Bull on Daniel 2-7, Harry Potter and Narnia
The Sola Panel is dead; long live the Sola Panel! by Tony Payne (4 comments). Regular Sola Panel readers will no doubt have detected a little slowness and quietness over the past six weeks or so. … more
Kids’ culture watch spot: Facing fear by Gordon Cheng (3 comments). By popular demand (two people asked), here is my next script for a culture watch spot I did with the kids … more
Daniel 2-7, Harry Potter and Narnia by Gordon Cheng (1 comment). It's a Sunday as I write this, and I'm speaking on Daniel 2 and 7 later this morning at a friend's … more
A constituent on same-sex marriage by Sandy Grant (34 comments). Last year, the Australian Parliament agreed that its Members of Parliament (MPs) should seek the … more
A tribute to John Stott by Sandy Grant (2 comments). Friends, I'm not ashamed to say I shed a tear when I opened up my computer on Thursday morning to read … more
Talkin’ ’bout my generation (part 3): On giants’ shoulders by Scott Newling (26 comments). This is the third post in this series; you can read part one, and more
Bible reading with kids by Sandy Grant (0 comments). I was asked for recommendations for resources that would encourage parents to read the Bible with their kids, especially … more
Talkin’ ’bout my generation (part 2): Stepping aside (not out) so others can step up (not in) by Scott Newling (3 comments). This is the second post in this series; you can read the first post, Unassuming … more
One more sip of the coffee by Tony Payne (8 comments). Sandy Grant is a man of integrity. Back in the early days of Sola Panel, I wrote a post … more
Talkin’ ’bout my generation (part 1): Unassuming generations by Scott Newling (30 comments). There is a model of ‘intergenerational theological decline’ that has been doing the rounds of late, and perhaps you … more
Paul is one of the Staff Editors at Matthias Media. He is married to Cathy and has three fantastic kids. He loves student ministry, reading, writing music and playing the saxophone, and is looking forward to meeting Jesus face to face.
I think the success of *The Shack* shows us the power of narrative to engage and to teach. We need more books like *The Shack* - just with better theology…
Great thoughts, Nicole. Thanks.
But why were they not published before I spent yesterday speaking on this, from the book of Esther?!
Thank you, Nicole, for getting at the reason Evangelicals are making worthless books like The Shack into bestsellers. The sad truth is that many so-called Evangelicals are idolaters, who prefer a god of their own making to the triune God of the Bible, who made us, and will remake us, if we trust in him alone. At the heart of idolatry is confusing the Creator and creation. The creation is devoid of God’s life-giving Spirit. If we worship worthless idols, and The Shack reinvents God according to its author’s imagination, we will become worthless—- as spiritually deaf and dumb as the idols we make. As G. K. Beale writes in his truly worthwhile book, “We Become What We Worship,” “We resemble what we revere, either for ruin or restoration.”
Thank you Nicole
Excellent article. I have had such a heavy heart over “the Shack” nearly every church and leader is my area of Wales has been endorsing it, and those (who are very very few) who attempt to show that ‘Papa’ et al in The Shack is NOT the Triune God found in the Scriptures, are considered ‘out of touch’ or ‘into dull doctrine’ etc.
Its a painful time! Such an encouragement to see articles which use the Bible as the starting point,to inform and conform our thinking. Gods own Words with which to understand God.
Thanks for your thoughts on ‘The Shack’. I’m pleased to see this discussion taking place. It seemed for a long time the book was flying under our radar, whilst all the while flying off the shelves. “Self-shaped god” - well put. You can check out my thoughts at Sydney Anglicans http://www.sydneyanglicans.net/culture/reading/the_shack/
Lisa
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