I just finished William Young's novel The Shack. An interesting read, it's the story of a man who's invited to spend a weekend with God. What's challenged (even angered) some readers of the book, based on several of the reviews I've read, is how Young depicts the way God chooses to present himself for much of the story--that being, a black woman.
Here's some of what Young has God saying about his physical appearance to Mack, the main character of The Shack: "I am neither male nor female, even though both genders are derived from my nature. If I choose to appear to you as a man or a woman, it's because I love you. For me to appear to you as a woman and suggest that you call me Papa is simply to mix metaphors, to help you keep from falling so easily into your religious conditioning."
Let's remind ourselves that this is a novel, not the Bible. However, The Shack does raise some intriguing ideas.
So... what's your picture of God?
