Theology Shack Questions

.Choose one significant quote and explain its significance.

"Living unloved is like clipping a bird's wings and removing its ability to fly. " This is significant because love is something that is not easy and does not come easily. It takes time and effort. However all though many people have dealt with pain the biggest pain would be living without love. Love is an important part of growing and reaching our full potential which we are reminded of in this quote. A bird can not reach their full potential without their wings.

What is the answer to "didn't Missy have a right to be protected?

"No, Mack, a child is protected because she is loved, not because she has a right to be protected."

What did Mack learn about devotions ?

Devotion is committing yourself to someone like a saint. He thinks that devotion is off because he God. Devotion was seen as bad and against God.

What does the shack say about dreams ? What does the Bible say about dreams ?

Dreams happen, we all dream, out fears through in our dreams, how intercept it to you. Dreams can be good and bad, which is ok. Dreams are a way of letting go.

How does he explain the Trinity?

God explains the Trinity as one God and three persons. He explains to him that each person is fully and entirely the one. He represents the Trinity as a love and relationship.

Does God the Father have scars on his hands? Did God the Father leave Jesus on the cross? Did God the Father die?

God the father does have scars on his hand as well as Jesus. God did not leave Jesus when he was on the cross. God also had scars on his heart because he felt what Jesus had felt and gone through. Jesus was sent into this world to save all of us. Just as he did not leave Jesus he is not going to leave Mack.

Will God ask you to jump off a cliff ?

God would never ask us to jump off a cliff because he is ever present and will always protect us/catch us if we fall.

What do we first learn about Mack immediate family ?

He didn't have a great experience at home. Nan, his wife fixes his problem and comforts him. She holds Mack up and provides stability.

How is Jesus described ont he dock? Does this agree or disagree with scripture?

He is describe as human, he not the image he thought. He says theta god isn't handsome cause of his Jewish nose. He wasn't striking as a physical guy.

What did Mack mean when he tells Jesus, "I feel like I've always known you, but papa is all what I expected from God and Sarayu is she's way out there" and how does Jesus respond

He know jesus then the better two he connects with him more easily and it close to what he thought god was. Related to jesus as a friend, similar age they are both middle age, god the father and Sarayu and seen as perfect and mack feel he cant tell them his problems. Jesus has been thought a lot so he feels he can tell him about his problems. Sarayu as wind, creativy and the breath of life and is a spirit god the father and Sarayu are nto in human form. Sarayu is jesus spirit(soul)

Mack said he was not comfortable with calling God, Papa, what's his reason for this ?

He wasn't comfortable because he never truly had a "Papa" himself. His father was always absent, drunk, and abusive.

What does Willie mean "Mack is not very religious" Do you consider yourself religious ? Do you consider your generation religious ?

I consider myself religious when it involves Mass and other holy holidays. Besides that, I feel like I could work on my religious ways a bit more. In my opinion, my generation is not religious. Due to social media and its slick ways of getting into the younger generation's heads, they learn things of the internet and decide to follow it.

Describe what happens in the canoe

I know of it as the tipping point because the canoe literally tips and everything goes downhill. Missy get abducted and killed.

What do you think of God the Father as described as a large black African American woman? Why does Mack call her Papa?

I think God the father is described as a large black African American woman because growing Mack did not have the best father and he looked up to women instead of men. Mack calls her Papa because his wife called Jesus papa symbolizing the close connection between the two of them. Everyone thinks of God as a man with a beard. This is different considering she is a woman.

Why do you think there are three people? Does this have biblical significance? If so, why?

I think that there are three people who represent the three different prepretivies of God. This could have biblical significance because the blessed trinity consists of three people, God the Father , God the Son and Holy Spirit. Sarayu represents the Holy Spirit. Elousia is God the Father and Yeshua is God the Son.

What do you think of the Holy Spirit as a small, distinctively Asian woman who collects tears?

I think the Holy Spirit was any person no matter what gender or race. The Holy Spirit being a Asian woman is fine, it doesn't matter because everyone has different perspectives on who they think is the Holy Spirit. It made the Holy Spirit more humane. Many think of the Holy Spirit as an angel or a dove. Instead the holy spirit is healer by collecting tears, healing your sadness.

How do you determine what is good and evil?

It is hard to determine what is good and what is evil, but by using God's gift of free will and having faith in the Holy Spirit, we have the ability to choose wisely.

What do you think of Jesus described as a Middle Eastern man dressed like a laborer?

Jesus being described as middle eastern dressed like a laborer shows us how hard he works. This is the closest image of Jesus as young, brown hair and worker.

Why was missy kidnapped ?

Mack asked God, "how could this happen, is there an answer ?" She fit the same description as the previous victim. There is an answer that there are cruel and twisted people in the world that do bad things.

What do we know about Mack relationship with God and his view of Scriptures ?

Mack doesn't have a good relationship eith god yet he is mad at him for what happen to Missy, Mack does pray but he is not as religious as nan is

How many people does Mack meet at the shack? What are their names?

Mack meets three people at the shack. Their names are Elousia, Sarayu and Yeshua(Joshua or Jesse).

What preconceived notions about God got in the way for Mack? What preconceived notions do you have about God?

Mack preconceived notions about God are that he would be an older white man, grandfather type figure, with a long beard. My preconceived notions about God are that god would be older.

What do we learn about Mack's prayer life ? How would you describe yours ?

Mack struggles spiritual with god

What do we learn about mark and nan from the campfire conversation with Jesse and Sarah ?

Mack struggles with his spirituality more than nan. Mack is not comfortable talking to Papa because of his childhood, his father wasn't the right role model.

What is the great sadness ?

Missy's death which occurred while they were on a camping trip.

What were Mack preconceived notion about God? Is it true that "God does not need to punish people because of sin" what does this say about Jesus atonement for sin.

No not true sin is it own punishment

Mack is very angry with God. Is it a sin to be angry with God?

No, it is not a sin to be angry with God. Everyone questions at a certain point why bad things are happening.

How does Papa explain himself to Mack?

Papa explains himself to God as three persons in one. She is a God full of love and relationships.

Who is papa ? Is it biblical ?

Papa is Nan and the family's way of referring to God. Yes, it is biblical because Jesus used to refer to God as "Abba", meaning Father.

Why did Missy ask "so is Jesus dying legend" and how come God is so mean ? Did Mack know how to answer her question ? Do we know the answer to these questions?

She asked those questions because it was reflecting off the story Mack told. Mack isn't too sure on how to respond back to her questions.

What are the 3 possible scenarios Mack thinks about why he received the note? Would God send a note in the mail? How does God say he reveals himself to us?

The 3 possible scenarios that Mack receives the notes is the killer, from the mailman or from God because it was signed by Papa. God sent a note in the mail because he wanted to send a message to Mack. So therefore I think God would send a note as a message in different ways such as a note. God reveals us through scripture.

What is the relationship of the Garden of Eden and the garden shown to Mack?

The Garden of Eden is portrayed as something beautiful, but later original sin is developed through Adam and Eve's action of being tempted by satan. Something so good can turn so bad because of the existence of evil. The garden shown by Mack is protected by good works and is beautiful. It is nurtured by Sarayu (Holy spirit)

The Trinity is explained to Mack as "love and relationship." What does this mean?

The Trinity is explained as love and relationship to Mack to show that God is love and the relationship between the two other people in the Blessed Trinity. All the relationships and love we have stem from God.

Why are we reminded again that this story 3 1/2 (3.5) years later ?

The event still feels like it happened yesterday to him. His world feels absent without his baby girl. They all carried the trauma with them, especially three years after. Kate is drowning in deep depression and constant guilt, but does not want to speak about it. Luke doesn't want to mention it. Nan and Mack went through it together.

What are the two paths ?

The paths are easy or hard

What is the purpose of the messy garden

The purpose of the messy garden is to portray the complexity of human emotions, as well as the necessity of feeling both pain and happiness.

What do we know about the shack ?

The shack is where Mack found Missy's red dress (the same one she wore the day she went missing). It was covered in blood. It used to be a home that belonged to a hunter, but abandoned it.

What are the trinity and Mack doing together at the beginning of the chapter ? Is this significant ?

They were eating dinner together that shows that they are very human, normalizing them. In the Bible, it shows the last supper Jesus eating with his disciples.

"The real underlying flaw in your life, Mackenzie, is that you don't think that I am good. Is that true ? What does this have to do with relationship and trust with God ?

This has to do with trusting God because God is good and by having doubts in him, we think he is incapable of performing miracles, but everything is possible for God, even the impossible, because he is divine,.

How are we introduced to Mack ?

Willie introduced him to us, he knows mack for 20 years. We learn about his father that he is alcoholic . Mack runs way form his father and to the priest asking for help. He poisons his father and he later dies.

Did God "speak himself into existence? Did we (the Trinity) become flesh and blood?

Yes, God did "speak" himself into existence. By speaking themselves into existence they became fully human. The Trinity becomes flesh and blood even though they have been present in this created universe.