Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Roger Olson Challenges Calvinists to Rewrite "The Shack"

The Society of Evangelical Armininians has a post today by Roger Olson, where he issues a challenge to Calvinists: Rewrite "The Shack" from the Calvinist view.

Olson writes:
Since most Calvinists are harshly critical of the novel The Shack (which takes a similar approach to theodicy as Greg Boyd in Is God to Blame?) because of its alleged undermining of God's glory and sovereignty, why don't they (or one of them) write a similar novel in which God explains to Mack (or someone like him) why his daughter was kidnapped, raped and murdered--and avoid language about God permitting or allowing it (which is really Arminian language)?

Quite a tall order. I would not relish the idea of explaining why God decrees the rape and murder of a little girl. And that is one of the root problems with Calvinism. If God ordains everything and he is good, then why do evil things happen?

I personally nominate Tim Challies to write the book.

If you are unfamiliar with "The Shack", you have been living in a cave. :) It is a popular and controversial Christian novel. My review is here.

3 comments:

Stephen Miller said...

This is a great challenge. I especially love how he ends it. "I look forward to the publication of such a novel; I think it would go far toward turning people away from Calvinism." I couldn't agree more!

Thanks for the link

Derek said...

you know, I think many Calvinist would readily write such a book. In fact James White states while debating on the radio that God is responsible when a little girl is raped, for Gods glory somehow.

Kevin Jackson said...

Derek, That's not surprising, but is pretty sad.