A couple of weeks ago we got a surprise phone call from a German friend who was over in the UK at Basingstoke on business. We were able to go and meet our friend who we’d not seen for over a year.

We enjoyed catching up and chatting as friends do. And at some point the conversation turned to the Pope’s visit to Britain and then on to a wider discussion about the church. This was interesting as our friend is certainly not a practising Christian and in the 30 years we’ve known her this was probably the longest discussion on faith we’d had.

And it turned out that what had sparked her interest in faith was that she had read a book called (in German) Die Hutte. As our friend started to explain about the book I realised I had read it. In English it is called The Shack.

In case you want to read it at some point I won’t give too much of the plot away. Written by Canadian William P. Young, The Shack’s main character is Mackenzie Philips, a father of three, called "Mack" by his family and friends. Mack was not a devote Christian and when his daughter Missy was abducted and murdered four years previously he loses what little faith he has.

However, he encounters God and over the course of a weekend spent at a camping shack, Mack spends time with God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. This encounter leads him to re-evaluate his life and his priorities.

I found the book very interesting and was taken by the way William Young explores the different aspects of the Trinity.

And certainly our friend found the book making her evaluate her beliefs – though I think it fair to say that she is still looking.

It has to be said that not all Christians like the book. Some have been very critical of it even saying it is heretical. Personally I think that is unfair, as I feel The Shack can help us try and think of God and the Trinity anew. And that can’t be a bad thing. One thing for sure it is a Marmite book – you’ll either love it or hate it!

God is multi faceted. In other words there are many aspects to God. And we get different glimpses of the different facets at different times. I feel The Shack is a book that makes us think about this.

So if you do read it, I’d be interested to see what you think of it. Is it a help or a hindrance to your journey of faith?